2019 -
July
SOFTWARE - WINDOWS & ANDROID - 09.07.2019
Windows 10 and Android
Your Windows PC and your Android smartphone may appear to be two separate worlds. How does the Your Phone app make both devices communicate with each other?
TRANSPORTS - MAPS & ROUTES - 09.07.2019
From GPS to Google, and vice versa
Suppose you want to see the route you have planned in Google Maps on your GPS device, or to have your own map copied to your GPS, or to convert a hiking route on your GPS into a Google Earth tour. How can you do all of this?
E-MAIL - E-MAIL USE - 09.07.2019
Too much grey mail? Unsubscribe!
Do you find that so-called “grey-mail” is claiming too large a share of your inbox? High time for a spring clean. What is the best method to get started? Here are our tips.
WEB SERVICES & SOFTWARE - OFFICE - 09.07.2019
Analyse your texts
Classic word processors are equipped with simple tools to analyse the content of your texts. However, there are web services that take care of this job for you. How good are they?
PERSONAL WEBSITE - WEBSITE PROMOTION - 09.07.2019
Produce your own logo in Google
Google shows website logos in the search results on smartphones, the idea being that “favicons” can help people find what they are looking for faster. How can you make your website stand out?
SOFTWARE - WINDOWS - 09.07.2019
Time for Windows 10 PC maintenance?
If you have some free time during a weekend or your holiday, you could use it to overhaul your Windows 10 PC and make some minor adjustments. Here are a few suggestions.
NEWS - NEWS SITES - 09.07.2019
Collect all your newspapers and magazines
You can of course follow the latest news via the website or app of your favourite newspaper or magazine. However, there are platforms that bundle different news sources for you. Here are some examples.
SECURITY - BACKUP - 09.07.2019
Back up your smartphone photos to the cloud
The photos on your smartphone are precious memories that you don’t want to lose. Fortunately, there are several free services available that allow you to store your photos online.
BUSINESS - CHALLENGES - 09.07.2019
Planning for an uncertain future
The business climate has not been so uncertain for many decades. We look at the economic state of play, SMEs’ fears and some initiatives that could help.
WEB SERVICES - ONLINE COMMUNITIES - 09.07.2019
Tips for effective posts on LinkedIn
LinkedIn is an excellent channel to highlight your professional skills. By sharing relevant information, you can showcase your expertise and increase your reach. But how do you create effective content?
COMPUTER - MOBILE - 09.07.2019
A Chromebook for your business?
Among consumers and in schools, the Chromebook has rapidly been catching up with the traditional laptop, but in the business world it is still lagging behind. Is the Chromebook a good option for business users?
PAYE - 08.07.2019
New rules for employment allowance
The government has published draft legislation for the new restrictions which will apply to the NI employment allowance (EA) from April 2020. Will your business be affected, and if so, how?
CAPITAL GAINS TAX - 08.07.2019
HMRC’s plan to accelerate capital gains tax
Major changes to the tax regime for gains made from the sale of residential property will take effect from April 2020. They will affect how and when you’re required to report and pay capital gains tax. What’s the full story?
CAPITAL ALLOWANCES - 08.07.2019
Accurate bookkeeping saves tax!
Correctly recording transactions in your business records is always important but especially so for expenditure on buildings and equipment. How can accurate bookkeeping save you tax?
PROFIT EXTRACTION - 08.07.2019
Need a quick dividend - how can it be done legitimately?
You’re one of three directors of a company which usually pays dividends once a year but one of the directors needs the money urgently. The trouble is that two of the directors are out of the UK, so how can a dividend legally be paid?
BENEFITS - 08.07.2019
When can you be taxed for parking at work?
Your business has relocated to premises with fewer parking spaces. You’ve rented extras in a private car park a fair walk from the office. This can count as a taxable perk for employees who use them but when does this rule apply?
VAT - 08.07.2019
Reclaiming VAT on purchases made abroad
Whilst on holiday you find just the thing for your office you’ve been looking for and decide to buy it. As it’s a purchase for your business can you reclaim the foreign VAT you pay?
INCOME SPLITTING - 08.07.2019
Husband and wife companies - tax on dividends
You’re about to form a new company of which you’ll be the main income generator. To save tax your spouse will own shares in the company. Should you subscribe for shares and give some to them, or should you both subscribe?
TERMINATION PAYMENTS - 08.07.2019
Untangling post-employment notice pay
It’s now more than a year since HMRC introduced the concept of post-employment notice pay (PENP). But it’s not the most straightforward of concepts. Are you up to speed on the complexities?
HEALTH AND WELLBEING - 08.07.2019
Tax breaks for gym time?
It’s now well recognised that a physically and mentally fit worker is less likely to take time off sick and will have a higher productivity level. You’re keen to invest in a healthy workforce but what tax exemptions exist to soften the blow?
INTERNS - 08.07.2019
Interns - paid or not?
Each year up to 70,000 young people are offered the chance to undertake an internship and gain work experience. But the legal status of internships has troubled employers for some time. How do you stay on the right side of the law?
EMPLOYER BULLETIN - 08.07.2019
Time to focus on NINOs
The latest Employer Bulletin includes information on tracking down National Insurance numbers (NINOs) plus other timely reminders. What are the key takeaways for payroll?
LATE PAYMENT - 04.07.2019
Preventing late payment
In March 2019 the Chancellor promised further action to tackle late payments and the Small Business Commissioner has also upped his game. What should your plan of attack be and what might the new approach save?
CORPORATION TAX - 04.07.2019
Will your company qualify for the new goodwill relief?
A new relief is available for goodwill acquired after 1 April 2019 and HMRC published guidance in June 2019 as to how this will work in practice. Will your company be able to take advantage?
HOLIDAYS - 04.07.2019
Unlimited holidays. Really?
The talk of summer sunshine breaks has resulted in someone floating the idea of “unlimited holidays” as a sensible business idea. This is a bad idea, but could it be turned into a cost saving?
BUSINESS SALE - 04.07.2019
Save tax on sale of the business
You’re selling your premises and other business assets and relocating. You know that taxation of the capital gain from the sale can be at least partly deferred. But how do you get the maximum benefit and what will the savings be?
SPREADSHEETS - 04.07.2019
“What if” analysis
You’re preparing a sales forecast based on the information provided by the sales team. How can Excel help you with the “what if this value changes?” questions to present a number of different versions of the forecast to the board?
TAX - 04.07.2019
Jobs for the boys. And girls
The summer holidays are fast approaching; a time when the kids will be complaining that they’re “bored” and do little that is productive. Is this an opportunity to keep them busy and save some tax in the process?
FINANCE DEPARTMENT - 04.07.2019
Keeping track of finance projects
Your finance department is always busy and yet still manages to amass additional improvement initiatives. The number of initiatives in hand has become unwieldy. How can you collect them into one place for easy tracking?
MANAGEMENT ACCOUNTING - 04.07.2019
Balance sheet review
The new finance director has told you that she wants a quick review of the balance sheet each month. Until now, you’ve only been asked to analyse the profit and loss account. Is there a neat report that you can propose to her?
MERGERS AND ACQUISITIONS - 04.07.2019
Financial due diligence
HP’s CFO admitted to not even reading the due diligence report on Autonomy before her company blew $11bn buying it. What red flags did she miss?
COMPETITION - 04.07.2019
How to avoid bidding problems
The Competition and Markets Authority has recently secured a fine against five companies engaged in a bid-rigging cartel - disqualifying the directors responsible. What can smaller businesses take from the case?
TAX - CHILDCARE - 04.07.2019
A summer tax incentive for parents
HMRC is reminding parents about the benefits of Tax-Free Childcare (TFC), especially over the school summer holidays. Might you be missing out on a government freebie?
PROFESSIONAL FEES - 04.07.2019
Managing accountancy fees
You’ve recently changed accountants and have just received your first bill from them. The figure has shocked you a bit - it’s far higher than you were quoted. What can you do, and are there ways to cut the next bill?
TAX - 04.07.2019
Is it worth transferring ownership of a company car?
Your company owns a car that’s a little long in the tooth for business use, but it would make an ideal runaround for one of the younger members of your family. What’s the most tax-efficient way to get the car out of the company?
TAX - 04.07.2019
Staff tips and a VAT trap
Customer tips aren’t usually subject to VAT. However, it’s easy for employers to fall into a trap which can trigger VAT and cost you money. What is the trap and how can you avoid it?
PERSONNEL - 04.07.2019
Don’t make this redundancy exercise error
A managing director has landed his company in hot water after he informed a new employee that she was being made redundant “with immediate effect”. Why was this wrong?
HEALTH & SAFETY - 04.07.2019
Improving mental health for small business owners
Mental health awareness campaigns are everywhere, driving improvements in how employers approach depression, anxiety and stress. You want to ensure that your employees are healthy, but are you overlooking your own wellbeing in the process?
HEALTH AND SAFETY MANAGEMENT - 03.07.2019
HSE still fighting “blue tape”
In March 2018 the HSE’s board considered the scourge of unnecessary health and safety burdens blighting business. What’s the latest?
PPE - 03.07.2019
Worker had worn ineffective face mask
Two companies have been sentenced following the death of a floor layer after he was exposed to a toxic substance. What precautions should have been taken to protect the worker?
DUST - 03.07.2019
HSE dust rules “daft as a brush”?
The Sun newspaper has picked up on a story which involves a furniture maker being told by the HSE that he must look at alternatives to using a broom to clear wood dust from the floors. Is this really the case?
PREMISES - 03.07.2019
Pedestrian seriously injured during storm
A land and property company has been fined £250,000 after a wall and hoarding fell on top of a man as he walked with his wife and children. What steps should have been taken to prevent this?
PRODUCT RECALL/WITHDRAWAL FORM - 03.07.2019
Record and manage your product recall
If you’re a manufacturer or supplier, there may be occasions when, despite your best efforts, you find a problem with goods which you’ve distributed. Our form will help you to fulfil your duty to customers in the recall process.
HAZARDOUS SUBSTANCES - 03.07.2019
Unattended chlorine tablets eaten by resident
A care home operator has been fined after a vulnerable resident died as a result of eating chlorine tablets. What led to the accident and if you work in public areas or a care setting, what conclusions should you draw?
DEMOLITION - 03.07.2019
Demolition disasters caught on camera
Following a Channel 5 documentary series “When demolitions go wrong”, the HSE has taken the opportunity to show how clients and contractors can do better in future. What tips has the HSE given?
BANK HOLIDAYS - 03.07.2019
May bank holiday moved to Friday
The government has decided to move the 2020 early May bank holiday from Monday 4 May to Friday 8 May. What do you need to know about this change?
UNFAIR DISMISSAL - 03.07.2019
When is an unfair dismissal claim out of time?
A senior lawyer has lost his claim for unfair dismissal against the Crown Prosecution Service because his claim was lodged too late. When is an unfair dismissal claim out of time?
RECRUITMENT - 03.07.2019
A conversation with the current postholder
You’ve seen a job ad which offered all interested candidates “an informal chat with the current postholder”. Is this suggestion legal and should you offer the same possibility when you next have a job vacancy?
GDPR - 03.07.2019
GDPR - privacy notices still missing
The GDPR had its first birthday in May 2019. However, many smaller employers still haven’t got their mandatory privacy notices in place. What must you have by law?
DRESS CODES - 03.07.2019
Don’t go heavy handed on the make up
One of your younger female employees is turning up for work wearing a lot of heavy, brightly coloured make up. You think that this looks unprofessional. What’s the best way to tackle the situation?
HARASSMENT - 03.07.2019
Asking for a massage was sexual harassment
When an employee claims sexual harassment, they will invariably name their employer in any tribunal proceedings. However, the alleged perpetrator can be named too and this is becoming more common. What should you do?
PAY - 03.07.2019
Must voluntary overtime be included in holiday pay?
In June 2019 the Court of Appeal ruled that voluntary overtime should be factored into ambulance workers’ holiday pay. Does this mean that you must include voluntary overtime when calculating your employees’ holiday pay?
MAKING TAX DIGITAL - 02.07.2019
Will the latest MTD concessions help?
Most VAT-registered businesses have to keep digital records. HMRC has announced a relaxation of certain requirements, including petty cash. However, there are monetary limits, so how can you take advantage?
PARTIAL EXEMPTION - 02.07.2019
Taking advantage of the three de minimis tests
Your business has recently become partially exempt. You have read that you can still recover all of your VAT if you “meet the de minimis tests”. Why might you inadvertently pay too much and what must you ensure you don’t forget?
BONUS PAYMENTS - 02.07.2019
What is the VAT liability on a bonus payment?
An architect earned a fixed fee for obtaining planning permission to build houses on some land. He will now receive a contractual bonus because the land sold for more than expected but the landowner is refusing to pay VAT. Is he correct?
CHARITY DONATIONS - 02.07.2019
Is it a donation or sponsorship, or both?
HMRC has recently updated its guidance about when a payment to a charity could comprise two different elements, with different VAT outcomes for each part. What opportunities does this create for both charities and sponsors?
RELOCATION COSTS - 02.07.2019
Can you reclaim VAT on staff relocation costs?
Your business is relocating to the other side of the country. Some staff are being made redundant and others will be relocated. What do you do about the input tax incurred on related costs?
