As a bookkeeper I have contact with lots of business owners who are in one or more of the following situations and need help.  It is always difficult to ask for help when you don’t know exactly what you need help with but just know you can’t continue as you are.  Are your accounts in […]

All growing businesses will inevitably become VAT registered. It is not daunting.  You just need to become organised with your record keeping and remember your VAT return deadlines.  So what do you need to know about becoming VAT registered? The VAT threshold is currently £85,000.  What should you do next if you are close to this […]

We have been trialling and evaluating software which will integrate with Xero to provide our clients with the key figures they need to know to support them with the development and growth of their business.  The software we have looked at has varied in what it can produce and how it looks.  The companies selling […]

Your employee has handed in their notice.  Apart from planning if and how you are going to replace them you will need to calculate how much pay they are due. Basic Pay How much will they be due for the pay period?  If they work monthly but finish part way through the month the pay […]

For most businesses, it’s clear who you need to hire. A gym needs fitness instructors. A restaurant needs cooks. A salon needs hair stylists. But what’s not always clear is how you should categorize those people. Should they be employees or independent contractors? Companies across the U.S. are struggling to answer this question. For example, […]

Bookkeeping is an unknown quantity for many people.  Does anyone really understand what it entails and what a bookkeeper does?  Bookkeeper is a title which can cover everything finance related or can be as simple as data entry.  The word “bookkeeper” doesn’t really do justice to our role in a business but I haven’t yet […]

From April 2019 VAT registered businesses who have a turnover over the VAT registration threshold (currently £85,000) must use accounting software to file their VAT returns.  If your turnover is over £85,000 you will no longer be able to use the Government Gateway to file a return.  The only businesses which will be exempt from complying […]

At least once a year every business owner should review the cost of running their business.  Whilst you might spend time finding the best and most cost effective supplier for the goods that you sell or for the materials that are used to provide your service, do you consider the other costs that your business […]

I have written a few blogs over the years about the differences between an accountant and a bookkeeper and why I recommend that you use both a bookkeeper and an accountant for your business.  That may be yourself as the bookkeeper, an employed bookkeeper or a bookkeeper external to your business – whatever works best […]

Did you know that as an employer you can claim £3,000 every year against your Employer’s National Insurance contributions? Known as the Employment Allowance, it was introduced in April 2014 to encourage employers to take on more staff.  The Allowance was originally set at £2,000 but soon increased to £3,000 enabling employers to benefit for […]