2015 -
December
FINANCIAL ACCOUNTING - 23.12.2015
Do you have adequate depreciation procedures?
The auditors have commented on some inconsistencies that were identified during their work on fixed asset depreciation. What can you do to ensure your finance team is 100% accurate in accounting for depreciation charges?
TECHNOLOGY - 23.12.2015
Skype’s the limit?
Some new features have been added to the free Internet calling software offered by Skype. Could these improve the experience and save your business more? We’ve taken a look for you.
STOCK MANAGEMENT - 23.12.2015
Cutting losses due to stock picking errors
An analysis of warehouse costs has identified stock picking errors as a drain on profitability. What simple changes can be introduced in the warehouse to improve the stock picking process so that mistakes are reduced?
CARS - 23.12.2015
MPG - getting to the truth
Everyone knows that the economy figures the car dealer gives out aren’t what you’ll actually get, but did you know just how far wrong they can be? How do you know who is telling the truth and what might an accurate mpg level save you?
DETECTING FRAUD - 23.12.2015
Watch out for fake invoices
A 2015 survey found that over a fifth of businesses had received fake invoices. There’s not much you can do to avoid receiving one, but what can you do to minimise the risk of paying?
TYRES - 23.12.2015
Pressurised savings
During the long cold months of winter you might be tempted to switch tyres. But are you better off focusing on the tyres you have and looking after them to make any savings?
PERSONNEL - 23.12.2015
The January staff exodus
Many small businesses dread the arrival of a new year when staff look to move jobs. If you lose employees is it really necessary to replace them and if not what might you save?
CREDIT CONTROL - 23.12.2015
How much credit?
You’re in the process of establishing a credit control process for your business and the last element you’re considering is how much credit to grant customers. Is it possible to set credit limits more scientifically than using gut-feel?
AUTUMN STATEMENT - 23.12.2015
How does it affect your business?
The Autumn Statement 2015 included a number of measures affecting businesses. What are these and how might they impact your company’s finances?
ACCOUNTING - 23.12.2015
FRS 102 problem for interest-free loans
New accounting standard FRS 102 came into force for small companies for periods starting on or after 1 January 2016. The new rules make accounting for interest-free loans a lot more complicated - is there a way to keep it simple?
SPREADSHEETS - 23.12.2015
Reordering columns
Every day you receive a file from sales with the latest revenue information. But the columns of data are always in the wrong sequence so you have the tiresome task of rearranging them. What’s the best way to do this?
HMRC POWERS - 21.12.2015
New alcohol scheme
HMRC is introducing a new registration scheme for alcohol wholesalers. Who’s affected and what are the risks of non-registration?
FLAT RATE SCHEME - 21.12.2015
Retrospectively joining or leaving the FRS
If you joined the flat rate scheme (FRS) a couple of years ago but now realise that it’s actually costing you money, or you want to backdate an application to join, how will HMRC respond?
PRICING - 21.12.2015
Can HMRC tell you what price to charge?
There are occasions when you might set a price for goods or services to an associated business or in a barter transaction where HMRC thinks it’s not at market value. Can it impose an open market value on the supplies?
PARTIAL EXEMPTION - 21.12.2015
Can an agreed special method be overridden?
What happens if you’ve agreed a partial exemption special method with HMRC and then your business circumstances change? If the method no longer produces a fair result can it be overridden?
OVERSEAS ISSUES - 21.12.2015
Does UK or EU law apply?
Let’s say you’re involved in a dispute with HMRC (a far from uncommon occurrence). It seems that UK and EU law provide a different interpretation of the problem. Which one can you rely on?
CAPITAL GAINS TAX - 17.12.2015
Is wine a chargeable asset?
A number of rules can come into consideration where one of your clients sells one or more bottles of vintage wine. How might the sale become taxable, and are there any tax breaks that might be available to help?
CAPITAL GAINS TAX - 17.12.2015
Update on residence for CGT purposes
HMRC’s approach to private residence relief (PRR) is increasingly aggressive, especially where second homes are concerned. In what situations are your clients entitled to private residence relief and how can you help them improve their chances of a successful claim?
CORPORATION TAX - 17.12.2015
Disincorporating efficiently
With a new dividend tax regime coming in on 6 April 2016, some companies may be better re-structured as unincorporated businesses. In some cases disincorporation by 31 March 2018 might be the best option. How can this be done tax efficiently?
STAMP DUTY LAND TAX - 17.12.2015
The new SDLT surcharge
An extra stamp duty land tax (SDLT) charge applicable from 1 April 2016 will affect your residential landlord clients. What are the details and impacts of this new charge, and is there anything you can advise your clients to do to avoid incurring it?
DISCIPLINARY MATTERS - 17.12.2015
Dealing with insubordination
One of your employees has always been a bit mouthy but they’ve now gone a step further and point-blank refuse to obey a management instruction. How should you deal with the situation?
RECRUITMENT - 17.12.2015
What could be better than a reference?
Another employer has provided you with a basic reference about one of its former employees. As it doesn’t enable you to assess the individual’s suitability for a job role in your business, is there anything else you can ask to see?
PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT - 17.12.2015
Weight loss and diet clubs at work
The start of a new year has inspired some of your employees to lose some weight. With this in mind they’ve asked if they can support each other by setting up a workplace diet club. Should you agree to this or not?
HEALTH & SAFETY - 17.12.2015
Taking care of lone workers
Some employees spend all or part of their time working alone without any direct supervision. As such employees are potentially put at greater risk of harm, what must you do to help protect them?
STATUTORY RATES - 17.12.2015
The 2016/17 statutory rates
Statutory parental payments and statutory sick pay are generally increased annually. However, for the 2016/17 tax year there’s some good news for employers. What’s going to happen?
UNFAIR DISMISSAL - 17.12.2015
£15,000 for photocopying the staff rota
An employee who was dismissed for “breaching confidentiality” after he photocopied the staff rota has been awarded more than £15,000 by the tribunal. What fatal error was made by the employer?
DISCRIMINATION - 17.12.2015
Associative discrimination ruling
An employee can claim associative discrimination if they are treated less favourably because of another person’s protected characteristic. But must they be related to the person with the protected characteristic?
ENERGY EFFICIENCY - 14.12.2015
Green certification scheme for IT equipment
A revised sustainability standard for the IT sector has been released in an effort to reduce the amount of hazardous substances in the latest generation of equipment. Is it worth a look?
POLLUTION - 14.12.2015
Preventing pollution on your construction site
If you work on construction sites there’s a high risk of causing environmental damage. Use our checklist to help you identify potential sources of pollution and ensure they’re managed effectively.
WASTE - 14.12.2015
The difference between disposal and recovery
A High Court case has raised the question about the distinction between disposal of waste and using waste materials in business operations. What can be learned from it?
FLOODING - 14.12.2015
Flood Action campaign 2015/16
The Environment Agency (EA) is urging businesses to protect themselves from flooding this winter. What should you be doing?
MARKETING - 14.12.2015
Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall v KFC
Celebrity chef Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall has accused fast food restaurant chain KFC of bending the truth on its website regarding its approach to waste. What can you learn from this?
WASTE - 14.12.2015
Clearing your site of spent containers
If you have spent liquid containers on your premises, such as barrels, cans or plastic tanks, the guidance regarding their disposal has been updated. What’s new?
BENCHMARKING - 14.12.2015
Meeting and missing targets
2016 will see a number of companies publishing progress against their environment targets. If you’re one of them, how should you go about it and is there anything to avoid?
INTERNET CONNECTION - WI-FI - 14.12.2015
Wi-Fi: what do you need?
The wireless router occupies a central place in most Wi-Fi networks. Is your router due for replacement? There’s a huge range of brands and models, so what should you pay attention to when making your choice?
E-MAIL - E-MAIL USE - 14.12.2015
The right tone for your e-mails
Have you sent an e-mail which appears to come across much harder with the recipient than you’d intended? You can avoid this by paying greater attention to the tone of your e-mail.
WEB SERVICES - VIDEOCONFERENCING - 14.12.2015
Videoconferencing: an update
Many of the videoconferencing tools we reviewed in the past - such as Meetingl, Vidivic and Vawkr - have now disappeared. High time to look for good, free alternatives!
WEB SERVICES - ONLINE COMMUNITIES - 14.12.2015
Facebook: opting out
Do you spend more time on Facebook than you want? How do you reduce the number of people you follow? And more drastically: how do you cancel your account temporarily or even permanently?
SOFTWARE - OFFICE - 14.12.2015
Working more efficiently with Office for iPhone or iPad
Word, Excel and PowerPoint are available as free apps for iPhone and iPad. How do you use these popular Office applications even more efficiently on the small display of your mobile device?
ENTERTAINMENT - MUSIC - 14.12.2015
Do you recognise this song?
Suppose you hear some music which might be useful for your next presentation. To find out what song it is, you will probably turn to your Shazam app. But are there any better solutions?
PERSONAL WEBSITE - WEBSITE PROMOTION - 14.12.2015
Find the right search terms for your website
Did you know that 70% of Internet users only check out the first four results after submitting their search terms in Google? How can you make sure your website is in that top four?
SOFTWARE - COMPUTER MANAGEMENT - 14.12.2015
Working more efficiently with hotkeys
You’re probably using the computer mouse constantly, but in fact it’s much more efficient to keep your hands on your keyboard. Using hotkeys, you can gain extra time.
SOFTWARE - BROWSER - 14.12.2015
Surfing better and faster with Edge
Edge, the new standard browser in Windows 10, is fast and efficient - quite a change compared with Internet Explorer (which you can still install separately). Here are some tips for surfing in Microsoft’s new browser.
CONSUMER - ONLINE SHOPPING - 14.12.2015
Last minute Christmas toy shopping
At this time of year the Toy Retailers Association forecasts the top toys. Let’s have a look at the cost of those particular toys and where to find good deals.
SOFTWARE - PDF - 14.12.2015
Saving documents as PDF files
PDF is by far the best file format to share or print what you see in your documents on the screen as faithfully as possible. How do you convert documents to PDF?
BUDGET - 10.12.2015
Autumn Statement highlights
The Chancellor unveiled a few surprises in his Autumn Statement 2015 aimed at the second homes market and business funding. How might these affect you?
INVESTMENTS - 10.12.2015
What can EIS do for you?
Earlier in 2015 changes to the rules for companies raising capital through the enterprise investment scheme (EIS) were announced. What effect, if any, do they have on the availability of tax breaks for investors?
PROPERTY - 10.12.2015
Incorporating your property rental business
In the Autumn Statement 2015 the Chancellor hit the buy-to-let sector with extra tax for the second time in a matter of months, but again corporate landlords seem to escape. Should you be considering incorporating your rental business?
CAPITAL ALLOWANCES - 10.12.2015
Annual investment allowance - selling equipment
A few years ago you bought some equipment and claimed the annual investment allowance, which you adjusted to account for non-business use. Now that you’ve sold it how does an odd loophole affect the tax payable on the proceeds?
BENEFITS AND EXPENSES - 10.12.2015
Are you ready for expenses reform?
On 6 April 2016 major changes to the tax rules for business expenses paid by employers will take effect. What are they and what steps should you be taking to prepare your business?
VAT - 10.12.2015
Getting VAT back on equipment supplied to workers
Currently you pay your employees an allowance to buy equipment which they use for work. But a business associate says it’s more VAT efficient for you to buy the equipment and lend it to your staff. Is this correct?
PROPERTY - 10.12.2015
Vacant property and business rates
You’re considering buying some new business premises with a view to redeveloping and then occupying them. Will you be liable for business rates while they are unoccupied during the redevelopment phase?
RAISING FINANCE - 10.12.2015
Funding for Lending scheme extended
The Bank of England has announced that the closure of its Funding for Lending scheme for SMEs has been deferred. How might this help your business obtain additional finance?
DATA PROTECTION - 10.12.2015
The dangers of using free Wi-Fi
These days free Wi-Fi is widely available. However, whilst this makes it much easier for business owners to work on the move, there are some hidden dangers. So how can you protect yourself and your business?
TAX - 10.12.2015
Autumn Statement key points
In a quiet Autumn Statement the small print included a few key proposals for business owners to consider. How might they affect your company?
TAX - EXPENSES - 10.12.2015
Subsidised commuting - what are the tax advantages?
The cost of travel to and from your normal place of work isn’t a tax-deductible expense. However, there are tax breaks for subsidising or paying for your employees’ commuting costs. What are they and how do they work?
COMPANY LAW - 10.12.2015
A simple way to close down a company
You’re a director shareholder of a company that stopped trading a couple of years ago and you now want it removed from the Companies House register. The trouble is it still has a few debts on its books. How can you get it struck off?
PERSONNEL - 10.12.2015
Unacceptable comments on CVs
A director who wrote comments about a female job applicant on her CV has been found to have committed sex discrimination. What did he do wrong and does this mean you can’t ever jot down any interview notes?
DISCIPLINARY PROCEEDINGS - 09.12.2015
Unfairly sacked for attacking a colleague
In November 2015 the tribunal ruled that a London Zoo employee who glassed a fellow colleague in the face was unfairly dismissed. Her behaviour was at the extreme end of the scale, so where did the employer go wrong?
TIME OFF - 09.12.2015
A right to paid volunteering leave
It’s been confirmed that the government will introduce a new statutory right to grant employees paid volunteering leave. What does this consist of and how will you be affected?
PART TIMERS - 09.12.2015
Changes to hours and holiday entitlement
Half way through your holiday year a part-time employee moves over to full time hours. According to the Court of Justice of the European Union, what should happen to their annual leave entitlement in this situation?
CRIMINAL RECORDS - 09.12.2015
Carrying out criminal records checks
Whilst carrying out their work, some employees will either routinely or occasionally need to visit people in their homes. By law must these individuals undergo criminal records checks? If not can you still insist on this?
FLEXIBLE WORKING - 09.12.2015
Flexible working: any right of appeal?
All employees with 26 weeks’ continuous service have the right to request a flexible working arrangement. In the event you reject such a request do they have any statutory right of appeal?
RESIGNATIONS - 09.12.2015
Getting the most out of exit interviews
Many employers that conduct exit interviews with departing employees don’t get the most out of the process. What should you be discussing during these informal meetings to gain the maximum benefit?
DISMISSAL - 09.12.2015
Client says: “Get them out of here!”
One of your employees is assigned to look after an important client. However, your client wants them removed from their account as they believe “your employee is useless”. Does their complaint give you grounds for dismissal?
OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH - 08.12.2015
New guidance on occupational health
The Construction Industry Advisory Committee has issued new guidance to help businesses manage the health part of health and safety. But it’s not just the construction sector which could benefit from it. What’s covered?
DUTIES - 08.12.2015
Who is responsible for safety?
An exercise by the HSE has highlighted that staff may think that health and safety isn’t their responsibility. What are the potential implications?
CONSTRUCTION - 08.12.2015
Thinking of DIY construction?
If you’re planning alterations to your building you might be tempted to keep the costs down by engaging subcontractors directly. But be careful that you don’t unwittingly overstretch yourself as one firm did. What happened?
WORK EQUIPMENT - 08.12.2015
Should you lend equipment to contractors?
You’re having some work completed at height. To save money the contractor has said that he’s happy to use your access equipment rather than hiring it. Should you allow him to do this?
RISK ASSESSMENT - 08.12.2015
Reducing risks at source
You have some potentially dangerous machinery and hazardous substances on site. You’ve been told that you need to reduce risk at source but what does this mean in practice and how do you prove that you’ve done it?
PERSONAL EMERGENCY EVACUATION PLAN (PEEP) - 08.12.2015
Can everyone get out in an emergency?
When the fire alarm goes off not everyone is able to head for the exit unaided. Use our template to create a personal emergency evacuation plan (PEEP) for disabled staff, residents, pupils, etc.
FORK LIFT TRUCKS - 08.12.2015
Keep clear of fork lift truck operations
As two cases heard in November 2015 show, applying basic safety rules can go a long way in protecting workers from fork lift truck (FLT) activities. What happened and what simple actions can you take in your workplace?
HMRC - 03.12.2015
All local tax offices to close
As part of HMRC’s cost-cutting exercise it will shut all but 13 offices. When will this happen and how will it affect you and your business?
ACCOUNTS - 03.12.2015
Will new accounting rules affect dividends?
New accounting rules will soon start to show companies’ annual accounts. Surprisingly, they might make it harder for directors to decide if their company can afford to pay dividends. What’s the full story?
VAT - 03.12.2015
Giving away a company-owned property
Different VAT treatments can apply to transactions involving property, depending on the type of building and the nature of the arrangement. So what’s the position if a company gives away a property to one of its director shareholders?
INVESTMENTS - 03.12.2015
The help to buy ISA has finally arrived
The help to buy ISA (HBISA) was announced in the March 2015 Budget, but it only became available on 1 December 2015. Who can open one and what does the account offer that other ISAs don’t?
PAYE - 03.12.2015
When is an RTI report late?
HMRC’s latest Employer Bulletin explains where it thinks employers are going wrong with the timing of their RTI submissions. Might you be sending late reports without realising it and could this land you in trouble later on?
