Blog
Commentary and insight
Our team of experts keeps a close eye on developments in tax law and financial regulation. Our blog is where they interpret the ever-changing statutory landscape in plain English, highlighting what’s important and offering practical advice on what businesses can do to avoid pitfalls or seize the opportunities presented.
Are You Making the Most of Research & Development (R&D)?
Data published recently by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) revealed that the amount UK companies spent on Research and Development (R&D) totalled £25 billion in 2018. With this in mind, we explore how you can make the most of any...
Curing the Top-Earner Pensions Tax Problem
NHS pensions made news last year, with consultants and GPs blaming large tax bills, linked to pension statements, for making some work ‘uneconomic’. Why should high-earning power, coupled with pension provision, spell trouble – even for top-earners...
How Can SMEs Help to Tackle Climate Change?
Last summer’s record-breaking European heatwave has given consumers and businesses alike another warning about the dangers of man-made climate change. It is a warning that many businesses now appear to be heeding. A recent survey carried out by the...
Dissecting the New Plastic Packaging Tax
The government is set to introduce its so-called ‘Plastic Packaging Tax’ in 2022. Here, we take a look at the new tax and consider how it could affect certain businesses. Outlining the tax The government wishes to encourage the ‘responsible use of...
HMRC Applies Brakes to Domestic Reverse Charge
HMRC has announced a one-year delay to the introduction of the VAT domestic reverse charge (DRC) for building and construction services. The DRC was set to come into effect on 1 October 2019. It has now been pushed back 12 months to 1 October 2020,...
Gearing up for Self-Assessment
Don’t leave it until the last minute, especially in 2020. With only two months left until the 31 January deadline for online returns, self-assessment is very much on our minds. There’s a first flurry of activity around the deadline for paper filing...
The Benefits of Quarterly Strategy Meetings
Meeting with your accountant on a regular basis is vital to enable your business to grow. At quarterly strategy meetings, your accountant should hold you to account to make sure you are meeting your business objectives and you understand the...
Delay to Controversial Loan Charge Review Leaves Thousands in Limbo
Up to 50,000 people whose employers had paid them through loans from offshore trusts dating back to 1999 were warned they could face huge tax bills. They were issued with a 5 April 2019 deadline to either settle or declare their tax bills, or face...
(IR35) Off-Payroll Changes: are you prepared?
From 6 April 2020, a major shake-up of the off-payroll (IR35) rules is expected. Draft legislation has already been published, though final details and HMRC guidance are still to come. The new regime will affect you if you work via your own...
A Purr-fect Run for Horsfield & Smith
It was a purr-fect run for staff at Horsfield & Smith as we donned our trainers and completed the Bury 10k for Bleakholt Animal Sanctuary. Through our fundraising efforts and collaborating with clients, we raised an impressive £1,600 for the...
Xero Conference 2019 – Exciting New Product Updates
At the recent Xerocon at the London ExCel we heard from various Xero product partners and app partners on their exciting new products for 2020. Xero announced a suite of features targeted towards small businesses, the most exciting one being...
Xero Conference – the Glastonbury for Accountants!
A few of the Horsfield & Smith team recently travelled to London to attend the two day Xerocon at ExCel – namely, the Glastonbury for Accountants! Event Recap We heard from keynote speakers: Xero’s CEO, Steve Amos and Managing Director for Xero...
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Find out more about the full range of business and tax advisory services Horsfield & Smith offers to businesses and individuals across Greater Manchester and the North West of England and see how we can help you achieve your goals for growth.
