Accounting & Bookkeeping Consultancy Ltd

Alert for employers: Are you aware of how tax rules impact uniforms and protective clothing you provide? It's not one-size-fits-all. Find out why this matters to your payroll and record-keeping now.

Tax relief for uniforms and protective clothing Employers providing uniforms or protective clothing to employees need to understand the tax and National Insurance rules that apply. The treatment depends on whether the clothing is required for the

Alert: Claiming business expenses? Keep your receipts and evidence safe! HMRC could ask for proof, so get your records in order to avoid trouble. Find out why it matters now.

Evidence required to support business expense claims Self-employed individuals can deduct allowable business expenses from their income when calculating taxable profits. However, businesses must keep accurate records and evidence to support the costs

Missed your tax deadline? You might have a reasonable excuse that could save you from penalties. Serious illness, bereavement, or unexpected tech failures could count. Find out how acting quickly helps and when to appeal. Read on to see if you qualify.

What is a reasonable excuse for missing a tax deadline? Missing a tax deadline can result in penalties from HMRC, but a taxpayer may be able to appeal if they have a genuine reasonable excuse. Whether an excuse is accepted depends on the individual facts

Alert: Are your workers classified correctly? Missteps in employment status can bring unexpected tax bills, fines, and lost rights. Find out why reviewing this now could save your business trouble. Read on to see what you need to check.

Have you reviewed your workers’ employment status? Businesses should regularly review whether individuals working for them are correctly classified as employees, workers or self-employed. Getting employment status wrong can result in unexpected tax

VAT registration just got a lot more interesting! Did you know you might reclaim VAT on some costs from before you were even registered? It could mean reclaiming VAT on goods bought up to four years prior and services up to six months earlier, but only if they're linked to your current business. Intrigued? Find out why this could impact your next VAT return and what special rules might affect you.

Recovering VAT on pre-registration costs Businesses that register for VAT may be able to reclaim VAT paid on certain goods and services purchased before VAT registration. There are specific time limits for claiming pre-registration VAT.

** ETHICAL HACKERS VISIT ROTARY CLUB!! **
Members of The Rotary Club of Flint & Holywell were left "shell-shocked" after receiving a visit and talk from two representatives from Deeside based technology consultancy & digital systems company, "SHELLEX LTD"
The CEO of the Company, Arcana Corvus and her co director, Skylar Sutherland explained to a bemused audience that they were "ethical hackers" and the basis of their operations was to "hack" into client company's systems, to find the weaknesses and then to resolve the problems before dishonest hackers found the openings!
Arcana described how only last week, The Police Force's own computer systems had been hacked and this followed on from numerous well publicised other "victims including the Coop, The UK Electoral Commission and major international bodies including McDonalds, Shell, Phillips and even The US Government's own Office of Personnel Management!
Arcana described how hackers were now extremely sophisticated and professional in their approach, with some state run by countries such as Russia, China and North Korea. Indeed "ransom" sums obtained by North Korean Hackers now forms a major source of this State's income! In addition, there were thousands of private hackers, many based in country's such as India, Pakistan and Nigeria who are stealing billions from large multinational companies to small private individuals. Other groups hack to gain information about competitor companies, whilst others are amazingly young but very sophisticated. Kids, some in their early teens, hack, simply 'because they can" but their actions can cause enormous problems
Rotarians could be seen slumping further into their seats at the prospect of their ISA's and pension funds disappearing into the grasping hands of one of these hackers!
Arcana used the analogy of a huge state of the art Apartment Block, protected by the latest security systems, but where somebody has left a small back door unlocked. It is her company's job to use the same skills as the hackers to find these open doors and shut them and also to advise improvements to existing security systems.
Former Rotarian President Andy Orhan on behalf of the Rotary Club expressed his appreciation to Arcana and Skylar whose question and answer session extended well into the late evening. He mentioned that only the previous week a fellow Rotarian's email account had been hacked resulting in many members receiving requests for money!
On bringing the meeting to a close, Club President David Prothero added his appreciation for the time and information given by the guest speakers and pointed out to members and the many guests in attendance, that this most interesting talk was just one of the many benefits of membership of Rotary International.
PHOTOGRAPH LEFT TO RIGHT:
David Prothero Club President. Arcana Corvus & Skylar Sutherland (Shellhex Ltd)
Paul Islip Club Secretary

Unlock confidence for your business funding journey with HMRC's advance assurance. Curious how this could boost investor trust? Find out why it matters now.

Benefits of SEIS and EIS Advance Assurance Businesses seeking investment through the Seed Enterprise Investment Scheme (SEIS) or Enterprise Investment Scheme (EIS) can benefit from obtaining advance assurance from HMRC before approaching

Employers, did you know the official interest rate for beneficial loans just changed to 3.75% for 2026-27? This could mean tax tweaks for employees taking loans below this rate. Keeping track makes all the difference. Find out why this matters for your payroll and reporting.

Official rate of interest for beneficial loans Employers providing loans to employees or directors need to ensure they correctly calculate any taxable benefit using HMRC’s official rate of interest. Where a loan is provided at no interest or at a

Big news for sole traders and partnerships! Incorporation Relief can mean you defer your Capital Gains Tax when moving your business to a limited company. Wondering how this could affect your finances? Find out why it matters now and what you might need to consider before making a move. Read on to uncover the details and see if this could be a game-changer for your business tax planning.

Incorporation Relief may reduce your CGT bill When a sole trader or partnership transfers a business to a limited company, a chargeable gain may arise. This is usually calculated by comparing the market value of the business assets at the date of

Alert: Missing a tax notification to HMRC could land you with a penalty. If you have overlooked a tax liability, stepping forward now could help reduce fines. Find out why acting fast matters and how your cooperation makes a difference. Read on to see what you need to know.

HMRC penalties for failing to notify a tax liability If you become liable to pay a tax or register for a tax that HMRC has not already been informed about, you must notify HMRC within the relevant time limit. Failing to do so can result in a financial