64% of small businesses are seeing profits fall as a result of the national living wage (NLW) rise, according to research. The NLW increased from £7.20 to £7.50 per hour on 1 April 2017. Out of 835 businesses surveyed by the Federation of Small Business (FSB), 39% have put up prices to cope with the…

Businesses accepting cash payments of €10,000 or more in exchange for goods are required to register with HMRC under money laundering regulations (MLR). Recent changes to regulations mean that companies accepting cash payments on or above the threshold limit (or equivalent in sterling) will be classed as high value dealers. Transactions that are considered high…

Businesses have backed the Prompt Payment Code (PPC) to support SMEs who are dealing with late payments. The PPC sets the standards for best practice for businesses and suppliers chasing overdue payments and invoices, ensuring everyone is paid on time and offered clear guidance on procedures. Suppliers to the government have willingly committed to pay…

Changes to the people with significant control (PSC) register have come into force. All companies and limited liability partnerships (LLPs) are required to identify and record the people with ‘significant control’ over their company. Previously, a company or LLP would make any changes to the PSC register as part of its annual confirmation statement submitted…

Almost half (40%) of aspiring entrepreneurs cited lack of funds as the main barrier to starting a business, according to research. Out of 1,500 people surveyed by Yell Business, 51% thought about starting their own business but barriers such as risk of failure (25%) and not knowing where to start (23%) were preventing them from…

Self-employed people would prefer to receive sick pay than any other statutory benefit, a study has found. FreeAgent and The Freelancer & Contractor Services Association (FCSA) polled 900 micro-business owners and found 76% do not currently offer sick pay and other benefits such as maternity leave, holiday or redundancy pay. Attitudes towards statutory benefits varied…

What combination of salary and dividend should you take in 2017/18 As the owner and director of your own company, you can choose how and when to extract funds from your company. As almost all the funds you take out will create a tax charge in your hands, you may want to leave a proportion…

Whatever your age, it’s never too late to start saving to retire. It’s more important than ever to start your retirement planning from an early age, however dull a prospect that may sound to younger generations. Putting money into a pension each month will provide you with a regular income once you retire. There are…

Businesses are preparing for the General Data Protection Regulation, which comes into force from 25 May 2018. All businesses holding personal data will need to ensure their procedures are fit for purpose and compliant when the new rules take effect next year. Those businesses found non-compliant may face fines of up to €20 million –…

The second annual deadline to submit advance payments towards your self-assessed tax bill for the previous year is due on 31 July 2017. ‘Payments on account’ take place every six months – on 31 January and 31 July – and include class 4 national insurance contributions if you’re self-employed. Each payment is half your previous…

47% of small businesses lost out on up to £10,000 in the last year due to turning down work contracts and orders, according to a study. Out of 501 companies surveyed by Hitachi Capital Invoice Finance, 26% rejected contracts worth up to £5,000 while 21% snubbed deals worth between £5,001 and £10,000. Almost one in…

Incorporating the Lifetime ISA into your savings strategy. The past few years have seen several innovations in the savings account market. Gone are the days when savers only had cash and stocks and shares ISAs to choose from. Nowadays you can open specialist accounts designed to help you save for your first home and for…

The number of employees who think they will work beyond the age of 65 is at a record high, according to research by Canada Life Group. Out of 1,000 workers surveyed, 73% are expecting to work past the age of 65 – up from 67% in 2016. 37% who intend to work beyond 65 said…

More than half of businesses are planning to offset rising prices, according to a study by ICAEW. 53% of firms have seen input prices increase over the past year but less than half are willing to absorb the costs. Businesses cited the following reasons for rising prices: rise in raw materials (35%) cost of services…

Employers are in support of the current employment law rights as negotiations to leave the European Union continue. The CIPD asked 500 employers about the 28 areas of employment law and found the majority thought all areas were necessary. Legislation deemed important included: unfair dismissal laws (93%) the national minimum wage (87%) parental rights at…

Expenses and benefits not payrolled for the 2016/17 tax year will need to be reported to HMRC by 6 July 2017. Employers can report them by completing specific forms which are available to download on the HMRC website. There are 2 forms to complete – P11D and P11D(b).