Blog

Last week, we covered the new requirement for directors and persons with significant control (PSCs) to verify their identities from 18 November 2025. This process will be rolled out over 12 months, with Companies House reaching out directly to companies, providing guidance on what actions need to be taken and the deadlines for each step. According to Companies House, ID verification is a significant step forward for UK businesses and offers numerous benefits. Ensuring that company directors and PSCs verify their identities, will help make sure...

If you are thinking about selling a business or shares, it is important to understand how Business Asset Disposal Relief works, particularly with rates set to increase from April 2026. Business Asset Disposal Relief (BADR) provides a valuable tax advantage, offering a reduced rate of Capital Gains Tax (CGT) on the sale of a business, shares in a trading company or an individual’s stake in a trading partnership. The present rate of BADR is 14% for disposals made during the 2025-26 tax year. Currently, these rates are set to increase in the...

The tax you pay on the use of a company car depends largely on its CO2 emissions, so choosing a lower emission or electric vehicle can make a significant difference to your overall tax cost. The benefits in kind (BIK) tax on company cars can be quite significant, with taxable rates ranging from 3% to 37% of the car’s list price when new. The rate depends on various factors, primarily the car’s CO2 emissions and fuel type. For instance, a petrol fuelled car emitting 155 g/km of CO2 or more would be taxed at the highest rate of 37% of its...

If your business has relatively low VATable expenses, the VAT Flat Rate Scheme can simplify your VAT reporting and may also improve cash flow. The VAT Flat Rate Scheme is designed to simplify VAT accounting for small businesses. Instead of calculating VAT on each sale and purchase, businesses pay a fixed percentage of their total turnover, including VAT. This percentage varies depending on the type of business activity and is set by HMRC. The scheme reduces the complexity of VAT compliance by eliminating the need for detailed calculations and...

If you file a Self-Assessment return you may need to pay your tax in three instalments, so it is useful to know when payments on account apply and when they can be reduced or removed. The first two payments on account are due by 31 January during the tax year and by the 31 July after the tax year has ended. Each payment on account is based on 50% of the previous year’s net Income Tax liability. Additionally, the third (or balancing) payment is due on 31 January after the tax year ends. However, there are certain situations where you do not...

If you are self-employed and your profits are above £12,570, you may need to pay Class 4 National Insurance, so it is important to understand how the rates and rules apply to you. Self-employed individuals are usually required to pay Class 4 National Insurance contributions (NICs) if their annual profits exceed £12,570. These contributions are calculated based on profits and are used to fund various state benefits, including the state pension, unemployment benefits and the National Health Service (NHS). For the current 2025-26 tax year, Class...

Recently, a clear legal precedent confirmed that the nature of an individual's work is determined by the reality of the actual employment relationship rather than by arbitrary titles. Mr. Gooch worked for the British Free Range Egg Producers Association (BFREPA) from 1 November 2011 until 26 April 2024, initially as a Policy Director on a "contracted services basis" for 2.5 days per week. The organisation, originally an unincorporated association, subsequently became an incorporated company in 2023 (BFREPA Ltd.), although the nature...

Change is part of every business journey. Whether it is prompted by new technology, regulation or shifts in the market, the ability to adapt determines how well a business performs in the long term. Yet managing change is not simply about introducing something new. It is about understanding what needs to change, why it matters and how to make the transition smoothly while keeping your team and clients on side. The most successful businesses approach change as a structured process. It begins with recognising the need for change. This might come...

For any business, knowing how to value and price what it sells is fundamental to success. Yet many small firms still rely on guesswork or simply copy competitors’ prices without understanding whether their own costs, quality or value proposition justify those figures. Accountants can play an important role in helping clients to take a structured approach to pricing and valuation, ensuring that products and services deliver both profit and sustainability. Understand the true cost base The starting point for any pricing decision is to establish...

From 18 November 2025, all company directors and people with significant control (PSCs) will be legally required to verify their identity at Companies House. This verification is being phased in over 12 months and Companies House is contacting companies directly with guidance regarding what needs to be done and by when. These changes are intended to help ensure that people setting up, running and controlling companies are who they say they are. An estimated 6 to 7 million people will need to verify their identity by November 2026. The...