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Stratford-upon-Avon
13 The Courtyard
Timothy's Bridge Road
Stratford-Upon-Avon
Warwickshire CV37 9NP
Red tape eased for new cafes and bars
by Grenfell James
Communities and town centres across the UK are about to get a serious boost. The Government has unveiled sweeping reforms aimed at slashing red tape so new cafés, bars, music venues and outdoor dining spaces can spring up in former shops and
Verifying your ID at Companies House
by Grenfell James
You now need to set up a verified GOV.UK One Login to confirm your identity with Companies House.
To verify your identity at Companies House, you can use the GOV.UK online verification service if you have one of several accepted photo identification
Current Inheritance Tax thresholds
by Grenfell James
Married couples can pass on up to £1 million tax-free if they plan their estates carefully.
The Inheritance Tax (IHT) nil-rate band is currently £325,000. This means there is normally no IHT to pay if an estate is valued below this threshold. This
by Grenfell James
VAT relief is available on goods and services for people with long-term illnesses or disabilities.
There are special VAT reliefs available for certain people living with disabilities or long-term illnesses. These reliefs are generally available on
Capital Gains valuations of goodwill
by Grenfell James
Who values goodwill when a business is sold? HMRC’s Shares and Assets Valuation team takes the lead.
Whether the goodwill belongs to a sole trader, partnership or limited company, HMRC’s SAV team will either accept the submitted valuation, give
IHT Agricultural and Business Property Relief changes confirmed
by Grenfell James
Despite intense lobbying by the farming community, the proposed reduction in IHT Business and Agricultural Property reliefs are included in the draft Finance Bill 2025-26.
On 21 July 2025, the government published draft legislation for Finance Bill
IHT Unused Pension Funds and Death Benefits changes
by Grenfell James
It was confirmed with the publication of the draft Finance Bill 2025-26 that measures first announced in the Autumn Budget 2024 to bring most unused pension funds and death benefits into the scope of Inheritance Tax (IHT) will start from 6 April
An employee’s emergency contact details are strictly private
by Grenfell James
A recent ruling affirms that an employer is directly liable for the unauthorised disclosure of an employee’s private information. An employee worked at a JD Wetherspoon pub for approximately eighteen months, during which time she provided her contact
UK Export Finance: Empowering UK Businesses to Go Global
by Grenfell James
UK Export Finance (UKEF) is the UK’s export credit agency and government-backed financier. Its mission is to ensure that no viable UK export fails simply due to lack of funding or insurance.
What UKEF offers
Working capital support: Through
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.