2013 -
August
OUTPUT VAT - VOUCHERS - 30.08.2013
The agent’s invoice
Stage and other performers and sports people often operate through an agency or a production company. But how do they treat the invoicing and when does the VAT fall due?
BUILDING - 30.08.2013
Zero rate on new-builds to go?
The European Commission has started a consultation that could result in the removal of the zero rate on new houses. Really?
OUTPUT VAT - VOUCHERS - 30.08.2013
What’s the VAT deal with Groupon style vouchers?
There are many cut price promotion and voucher schemes around these days, such as those offered by Groupon and Wowcher. But what’s the VAT position and are there any pitfalls to look out for?
EXPENSES - 30.08.2013
Entertaining overseas clients - the VAT position
Your company deals with other businesses in Europe and beyond. You’ve heard that you can reclaim the VAT on entertaining your overseas customers but not those based here. Is this really true?
OUTPUT VAT - TAXIS - 30.08.2013
How does VAT work in a taxi business?
VAT accounting in taxi businesses is complicated and can lead to a great deal of confusion. How does it really work and what simple steps can be taken to help avoid the headaches?
OUTPUT VAT - EXPORT SCHEMES - 30.08.2013
Zero-rate sales to non-EU nationals?
Retailers that are “in the know” can reduce their prices to non-EU nationals by zero-rating the sale. What’s involved in such a scheme and what do you need to do to make it work?
COMPANY LAW - 30.08.2013
Absent directors - can they send in a sub?
An important decision needs to be made, but at the last minute one of the key shareholders says they can’t make the meeting and so they’ve sent in a substitute to vote for them. Is this acceptable and will their vote count?
DIRECTORS’ TAX - 30.08.2013
Entrepreneurs’ tax break now law
Changes to the seed enterprise investment scheme (SEIS) relief were recently made law. Where do you now stand if you aim to invest in your own company?
DIRECTORS’ LIABILITY - 30.08.2013
Are you putting yourself at risk by employing youngsters?
One of your experienced workers is leaving and you want to replace him with a young trainee. She will be cheaper to employ, but one of your fellow directors reckons extra health and safety rules won’t allow it. Is he right?
PERSONNEL - 30.08.2013
Facebook: is it the ideal way to recruit?
The directors are looking at ways to cut the company’s recruitment costs and it’s been suggested that advertising exclusively on Facebook could be the answer. Although this sounds like a good idea, could it present problems?
BANKING - 30.08.2013
It’s now easier to switch your current accounts
On 16 September 2013, the Payment Council’s new current account switch service comes into force. Why is this good news for both directors personally and the companies that they run?
CONTRACTS - 30.08.2013
Contracts: why shouldn’t you use “and/or”?
It’s quite common to see the phrase “and/or” written in documents or other text. However, according to the Court of Appeal, directors should never allow it to be used within any of the company’s contracts. What’s the reason for this?
NATIONAL INSURANCE - 30.08.2013
NI troubles for new and departing directors
There are special rules for working out directors’ NI. This frequently results in too little being paid. Why is this more of a problem for directors and what can you do to fix it?
PERSONNEL - 30.08.2013
Save with a ban on desk picnics?
Many employees often eat lunch, or other snacks, whilst sitting at their desks. However, a government health minister has branded the habit “disgusting” and says it should be stopped. Could her advice save you money?
PERSONNEL - 30.08.2013
Cut hours, cut costs?
The order book is running dry and in the short term it’s not looking too good so you’re thinking about redundancies. But could you cut hours rather than staff to save money?
TRANSPORT - 30.08.2013
Tracking miles to save fuel costs
Using software to accurately track the distance travelled by your company vehicles could help cut your fuel costs. What’s to know and what could be the real savings?
TELEPHONES - 30.08.2013
Cutting out the costly calls
Staff making non-work-related calls can be costly, but so too can phone scams and premium rate information services. How can you change your policies to cut such costs?
ACCOUNTING - 30.08.2013
Dealing with extraordinary items
The board has despatched the deputy sales director to New York for six months to test the market. The MD says this is an extraordinary cost so should not be in the management accounts P&L. Is he right?
REPORTING - FINANCIAL REPORTING - 30.08.2013
New EU accounting rules
This summer, the European Parliament adopted a new accounting directive. What are the implications for your company’s accounts?
STOCK CONTROL - 30.08.2013
Stock out of control?
You’ve noticed that the amount of stock held by your company has crept up to alarming levels. The sales director insists on an abundance of stock so that customers are kept happy. How can you introduce a better balance?
REPORTING - 30.08.2013
Management accounting versus financial accounting
When the directors were presented with the draft financial statements at their last meeting, there was much bemusement as they compared the profit to the management accounts. How can you help them understand?
ACCOUNTS PAYABLE - 30.08.2013
Dealing with a belligerent creditor
Your company is disputing the amount owed to one of its suppliers. However, the belligerent creditor has just instigated a formal insolvency process. How should you handle it?
SPREADSHEETS - 30.08.2013
Excel for iPad (finally!)
The first version of MS Office (which includes Excel) for the iPhone and iPad has just been released which means, at long last, you can carry Excel around in your pocket. So what’s our verdict on this new app?
COMPUTER - HARDWARE - 30.08.2013
Make your new computer ready for use
At the beginning of a new school year some parents buy a new computer for their offspring. You can use this computer straight from the box, of course, but why not prepare it properly so that it can be used more efficiently?
LEISURE - MUSIC - 30.08.2013
Music for your company party
There are lots of music and “DJ” programs which help you to put some life into your company party. If you don’t want to install any software, there are even handy cloud tools. Just tune in…
SOFTWARE - OFFICE - 30.08.2013
Office 2013… but free
There are lots of free or cheap alternatives for Office 2013. However, they don’t have the modern look of the latest version of this suite. The new free Kingsoft Office 2013 changes this. How good an alternative is it?
SECURITY - ENCRYPTION - 30.08.2013
Your files secure in the cloud
Cloud services such as Dropbox and Skydrive give you access to your files anywhere. However, to make really sure that no one can access important or sensitive files, it’s best to encrypt them. How?
E-MAIL - E-MAIL USE - 30.08.2013
Timely commercial e-mailings
When organising a promotional e-mailing, timing is crucial. How do you determine the best time to send out your commercial e-mail messages?
SECURITY - PRIVACY - 30.08.2013
Hiding from prying eyes?
The news stories about Prism clearly demonstrate how the American NSA is capable of intercepting all electronic communication. What can you do to protect your online privacy at least to a certain extent?
E-MAIL - E-MAIL USE - 30.08.2013
A good e-mail signature
Most people close their e-mails with a simple “Kinds regards” followed by their name. Although friendly and informal, if the recipient would like to find out a bit more about you or your company, a better signature is advisable.
WEB SERVICES - ONLINE STORAGE - 30.08.2013
Making more of Dropbox
You’re probably familiar with Dropbox as the handy cloud service that lets you backup files online and synchronise them between various devices. Here are four practical tips for making better use of this service.
SECURITY - BACKUP - 30.08.2013
Backups via Windows 8 “File History”
Windows 8 comes with a very useful new feature: “File History”. It allows you to make backups automatically and restore modified or deleted files easily. How exactly does it work?
HEALTH AND FITNESS - 30.08.2013
Sites with a male focus
The re-launch of the Men’s Fitness site made us think about sites that focus purely on men. But not only on workouts but also on health concerns of all kinds.
WEB SERVICES - GRAPHICS - 30.08.2013
Create a professional animation
Animated pictures can help to convey your message. Still, creating your own animations requires graphical or programming skills, while contracting out the job is expensive. The new Moovly aims to make the process more accessible.
YOUNG WORKERS - 27.08.2013
Is it your job to get school leavers ready for work?
The Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development has suggested that employers should do much more to help school leavers get their foot on the career ladder, e.g. by cutting them some slack at interviews. However, is this really your job?
CONTRACTS - 27.08.2013
Why should you keep their day off flexible?
Employees who are required to work Saturday and/or Sunday usually have one or two days off in the week. Even if these days always follow the same or a regular pattern, what should you put in their contract?
SETTLEMENT AGREEMENTS - 27.08.2013
Settlement agreements: the new Code of Practice
On 29 July 2013, compromise agreements became settlement agreements. To support this change, ACAS also produced a new Code of Practice. It says that following it is “voluntary for employers”. Should you go further?
SICKNESS ABSENCE - 27.08.2013
Sickness absence: the right to carry holiday forward
There’s now been a number of cases involving the right to carry over annual leave to the employer’s next holiday year where the employee has been on long-term sick leave. What’s the current legal position?
DISCIPLINARY PROCEEDINGS - 27.08.2013
The last manager told me to do it that way!
An employee is accused of procedural misconduct which could justify their dismissal. In their defence, they’ve claimed that a manager who has since left told them to “do things this way”. Does this get them off the hook?
DISCRIMINATION - 27.08.2013
Disability discrimination by association
The tribunal recently ruled that an employee had suffered “discrimination by association” because of comments made about her disabled husband immediately prior to her dismissal. What can we learn from this case?
WORK AND PARENTS - 27.08.2013
New dads to get a paid month off?
It’s been reported that there are plans to give new fathers the statutory right to four weeks’ paid leave in the first year of their child’s life. Do you need to be concerned about this latest family-friendly idea?
ASBESTOS - 23.08.2013
Managing asbestos in retail
Wherever asbestos-containing materials are present they’re difficult to manage, but when you add in members of the public, expensive retail space and stock the problems multiply. How should retail managers tackle these challenges?
GAS - 23.08.2013
Flying gas cylinders
Are your gas cylinders stored and secured properly? If not it could have fatal consequences. What happened in a recent case and what should you be doing to prevent a similar incident?
WORK AT HEIGHT - 23.08.2013
MEWP competency - raising the bar
If your workers use mobile elevating work platforms (MEWPs), new rules could mean they need extra training. Who will be affected and when will the changes take effect?
FIRE ALARMS - 23.08.2013
New standards for domestic fire alarms
If your business involves the management, maintenance or design of domestic premises, you should make yourself aware of a new British Standard which applies to fire alarms. What does it cover?
CONSTRUCTION - 23.08.2013
HSE Construction Division plans released
The HSE has announced its priorities for construction inspectors over the coming year. What’s included in the plan of work for 2013/14 and if you’re involved in the sector, what should you do to prepare?
UNDER 18S - 23.08.2013
Taking the bureaucracy out of work experience
The government is keen to kick start work experience programmes and the HSE evidently doesn’t want to be blamed for standing in its way. What has been done to make the idea more attractive to employers?
RIDDOR - 23.08.2013
New RIDDOR Regulations published
On 1 October the updated Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 2013 (RIDDOR) come into force. What’s new?
MAINTENANCE - 21.08.2013
A green approach to maintenance
You’ve been told that there’s a greener and better way of ensuring that your machinery is working more efficiently for longer periods. What is this and what’s involved?
CLIMATE CHANGE - 21.08.2013
Poor customer service? Blame the weather
British Telecom (BT) has come up with a pretty bizarre excuse for delivering poor standards of customer service. It’s blamed climate change! What can you learn from this?
PACKAGING - 21.08.2013
Packaging: consider your options
New guidance has been published which is designed to help small businesses to stay legal, optimise their packaging options and to develop action plans to save money on resources. Who’s offering it and is it worth a look?
FLY-TIPPING - 21.08.2013
Fly-tipping “epidemic”
Despite the fact that criminals are risking a £ 50,000 fine, according to BusinessWaste.co.uk many are continuing to fly-tip. How might you be affected and what can you do to protect your business?
ENVIRONMENTAL LEGISLATION - 21.08.2013
Legislation update
The Environment Agency (EA) has published a summary of recent and forthcoming changes to environmental legislation. What’s to know?
GREEN INITIATIVES - 21.08.2013
Chopping furniture to cut costs
You’ve been wondering whether to cut back on office space, but your options are limited. Could there be an environmentally and economically friendly way to fit everyone in without buying new, smaller desks?
