Stratford-upon-Avon
13 The Courtyard
Timothy's Bridge Road
Stratford-Upon-Avon
Warwickshire CV37 9NP
The daily charge for driving within the London Congestion Charge zone will rise from £15 to £18 from 2 January 2026. This is the first increase in several years and forms part of Transport for London’s wider plan to manage traffic levels, improve air quality and support sustainable travel across the capital.
Transport for London has said that without an updated charge the central zone is likely to experience a noticeable increase in vehicle volumes during the next year. The higher charge is intended to discourage unnecessary journeys, smooth traffic flow and reduce delays that affect both businesses and individuals.
A significant change for drivers of electric vehicles is also being introduced. The current 100% discount for electric cars will end on 25 December 2025. From January 2026 electric cars registered for Auto Pay will move to a reduced rate that reflects a new tiered discount structure. Electric vans, heavy goods vehicles and quadricycles will also have revised discounted rates. This marks a shift away from the long-standing full exemption that has been used to encourage uptake of electric vehicles.
Residents who live within the congestion charging zone will continue to receive a 90% discount, although new applicants from March 2027 will only qualify for this reduction if they drive an electric vehicle. Existing residents with the discount will keep their entitlement regardless of vehicle type.
For business owners, delivery companies and anyone regularly travelling into central London, these changes will require some forward planning. Vehicle choice, travel habits and the cost of regular visits to the zone may all be affected. It may be useful to review travel arrangements ahead of the January 2026 increase in order to understand the cost impact on budgets and operations.
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.