Blogs, News & Useful PDFs
Stratford-upon-Avon
13 The Courtyard
Timothy's Bridge Road
Stratford-Upon-Avon
Warwickshire CV37 9NP
by Grenfell James
In a recent post we warned of the likely loss of billing opportunities if you give away service advice just to demonstrate how informed you are.
In this post we outline when it may be appropriate to volunteer information or other free offers in
by Grenfell James
Some 400 HMRC helpline service advisers who are members of the Public and Commercial Services (PCS) Union have been on strike intermittingly since 10 May 2023. These strikes are by staff working in HMRC’s East Kilbride and Newcastle offices. The
Help to Save extended to April 2025
by Grenfell James
HMRC has confirmed that plans to extend the Help to Save scheme by 18 months, until April 2025 have been confirmed.
The Help to Save scheme is intended to help those on low incomes to boost their savings. Eligible users of the scheme can save
New employment rights for parents and carers
by Grenfell James
Three new pieces of legislation that received cross party support were granted Royal Assent on 24 May 2023.
The Neonatal Care (Leave and Pay) Act 2023: This new Act will allow for up to 12 weeks of paid neonatal care leave. This will be made
Selling your home – taxes to pay
by Grenfell James
In general, there is no Capital Gains Tax (CGT) on a property which has been used as a main family residence. An investment property which has never been used will not qualify. This relief from CGT is commonly known as private residence
Selling all or part of your company
by Grenfell James
If you are selling your company, there are important actions you must take to properly finalise your affairs. Please note that this is not an exhaustive list, and it is important to check what else may be required.
We have summarised below some of
by Grenfell James
Charities can claim Gift Aid on donations made by eligible taxpayers. This can boost donations by an extra 25% if the donor makes a Gift Aid Declaration (GAD).
To claim Gift Aid, charities need to obtain a Gift Aid declaration from the donor. It
by Grenfell James
If you sell services, rather than supply goods, this usually involves you providing advice for a fee.
If your advice is sought after, the amount you can charge for your service(s) may be considerable. Which is why you should be wary of giving away
Claim a tax refund for work expenses
by Grenfell James
HMRC has issued a press release to remind employees that may be able to claim a claim tax relief for bills they pay that are related to their employment. The most recent figures show that more than 800,000 taxpayers claimed tax refunds for work
Grenfell James Technology Adoption Index
How does your business perform against others adopting financial tech? Find out with our interactive diagnostic:
1.
How does your business receive invoices?
A)
Invoices are mainly received in paper form
B)
Invoices are mainly received by email
C)
Invoices are emailed then automatically forwarded to a designated mailbox
2.
How are purchase invoices processed?
A)
Invoices are entered manually
B)
Invoices are attached to manually raised invoices
C)
Automated software (e.g. ReceiptBank, 1Tap, HubDoc etc) collates invoices
3.
How are accounts processed?
A)
Using Excel/paper-based
B)
Using Computer-based, offline software
C)
Using cloud-based accountancy software
4.
How often is business data revised?
A)
Data is updated annually
B)
Data is updated quarterly
C)
Data is updated monthly or more often
5.
How is banking updated for your business?
A)
Banking is updated manually
B)
Banking is updated by imports
C)
Banking is updated via a live feed
6.
How are bank payments made?
A)
Bank payments are manual
B)
Bank payments are made using bulk imports
C)
Bank payments are made directly via accounting software
7.
How are bank receipts reconciled?
A)
Receipts are chased and reconciled manually
B)
Receipts are chased and reconciled automatically
C)
A third-party platform is used to chase debts and collect fees
8.
How often are management reports produced?
A)
No reports are provided
B)
Reports are provided but often too late to be valuable
C)
Reports are automated with real-time information
Score 8-12:
Curious Exploration
Your financial technology phase is Curious Exploration
% of respondent businesses are in this phase too.
Switching accountancy systems may seem like an upheaval, but can be much more straightforward than most businesses imagine. From talking to our clients, they have found moving from paper invoicing and desktop-based accounting software to the cloud and apps quickly makes the transition process a worthwhile investment of time. Digital accounting solutions bring in streamlined processes, up-to-date business data and greater confidence in the accuracy of information when making financial decisions.
Grenfell James works with your team to fully assess the needs of your business and minimise the impact of any transitions for solutions we recommend.
Score 13-19:
Measured Discovery
Your financial technology phase is Measured Discovery
% of respondent businesses are in this phase too.
Once cloud accountancy software is in place, there’s still plenty of scope to improve your accountancy processes and make sure your business is maximising the benefits of adopting a digital accounting solution. Grenfell James assesses each business to understand how any implemented solutions are being used, identify areas for improvement and the needs of the business overall to support your business goals and achieve success.
Our team of experts can discuss a range of time-saving automation and get different apps and cloud-based solutions talking to create and manage a digital accountancy eco-system to help your business grow.
Score 20-24:
Bold Innovation
Your financial technology phase is Bold Innovation
% of respondent businesses are in this phase too.
You know the benefits of accounting technology and the impact it can have on your business goals. If you want to take it a step further, our team can conduct a systematic review of your processes, apps and business goals to ensure your digital accountancy ecosystem is keeping pace with the changing needs of a growing business.