If you are self-employed, it is important to understand which car and travel costs can be claimed. You can claim allowable business expenses for car, van, or travel costs, which reduce your taxable profit. Typical allowable costs include: Vehicle insurance Repairs and servicing Fuel Parking Hire charges Vehicle tax and licence fees Breakdown cover Train, […]
1 March 2026 – Due date for Corporation Tax due for the year ended 31 May 2025. 2 March 2026 – Self-Assessment tax for 2024-25 paid after this date will incur a 5% surcharge unless liabilities are cleared by 1 April 2026, or an agreement has been reached with HMRC under their time to pay […]
Over the past week, one topic has dominated discussion among UK businesses, rising employment costs and the difficult decisions they are forcing on employers. This issue is particularly visible in the retail and hospitality sectors, but the underlying pressures apply across much of the economy. Employers are facing a combination of higher National Living Wage […]
The UK Government has launched a new campaign urging businesses to strengthen their defences against cybercrime, reflecting growing concern about the scale and cost of online attacks on UK firms. The announcement, published on gov.uk this week, has attracted strong interest from business owners, particularly small and medium sized enterprises that may lack dedicated IT […]
Today the Office for National Statistics confirmed that UK inflation has fallen to 3.0 per cent in the year to January 2026, the lowest rate seen in about ten months and down from 3.4 per cent in December. This brings good news for households and businesses dealing with high costs, particularly as it follows a […]
Many UK businesses are trading through a period of prolonged economic uncertainty. Costs remain high, consumer confidence is fragile, and access to finance is tighter than it was only a few years ago. In this environment, protecting cash flow and maintaining adequate cash reserves has become more important than chasing short term growth or headline […]
A UK parliamentary report has been widely covered this week warning that small firms are operating under pressures similar to those seen during the pandemic, but without equivalent support. The business and trade committee highlighted rising taxes, high energy costs, crime and chronic late payments as factors threatening the survival of many local firms, with […]
Many business owners and individuals only think about tax when a deadline approaches or a tax bill arrives. While this is understandable, leaving tax planning until the last minute often limits the options available and can result in higher overall costs. Tax planning is most effective when it is forward-looking. Decisions made earlier in the […]
For many people, pensions are seen as something to think about later in life rather than as part of annual tax planning. In reality, reviewing pension contributions before the end of the tax year on 5 April can be one of the most effective ways to reduce a current tax bill while also strengthening long-term […]
Tackling fraud in the Construction Industry Scheme (CIS) was one of the measures addressed in the recent Budget. The changes are intended to allow faster intervention where fraud is suspected, while also simplifying certain administrative aspects of the CIS. From 6 April 2026, HMRC will be able to act immediately where a business makes or […]