Latest News

500,000 UK businesses are issued a stark warning

According to Corporate Features, The Pensions Regulator are due to release their latest automatic enrolment (AE) compliance figures shortly.  Although as at December 2015 more than 78,000 employers had completed their AE staging duties, worryingly in the last quarter of the year they had to issue more than 2,500 statutory notices.  In addition, they issued just over 1,000 fixed penalty notices of £400 and 24 escalating penalties.  Escalating penalties are where there are daily fines, in addition to the fixed penalty of £400.  These can be from £50 per day to £10,000 per day, depending on th

Does your business depend on you? If so, this is a must read for YOU!

Work on your business NOT in it

Many business owners fall into the trap of working in their business rather than on it as the demands of a growing business call for more and more of your time. Michael Gerber (E-Myth revisited) refers to this when he says “if you work in your business then you don’t own a business, you own a job”, it is only when you start to work on your business that you start to own a business.

Expert support for business with two new partners at Armstrong Watson

Armstrong Watson is delighted to announce that as of the beginning of April, two partners have joined the growing partnership, which now has 33 partners. 

Paul Dickson, Managing Partner comments:

‘I am extremely proud to announce that two of our Directors have been admitted in to Partnership at Armstrong Watson.

Register of People with Significant Control (PSC)

With the introduction of the Small Business, Enterprise and Employment Act 2015, companies, limited liability partnerships and Societas Europaea must compile and keep up to date a register of people with significant control.

This register must be established by entities from 6 April 2016 and the information will need to be filed at Companies House from 30 June 2016.

Local Firm makes the shortlist for ‘Best Tax Investigations Team’ in National Awards

Armstrong Watson is delighted to announce that their tax team has been shortlisted for ‘Best Tax Investigations Team’ at the National Taxation Awards.

These national awards recognise the best in the taxation industry, celebrating excellence and promoting the highest standards possible.
After winning the award for ‘Best Tax Practice in a Regional Firm’ last year, the business is hoping to scoop another accolade this year.

Louise Palmer, Taxation Awards commented:

Make your accountant your best friend

How to get the most out of your accountant

If your view of your external accountant has been simply to drop your books off with them once a year, wait for the number crunching to be done, pay your tax and then go your separate ways for another year, then think again. You may be missing out on a potentially good friendship.

Self Assessment Deadline

So you’ve missed the Self Assessment deadline, what happens next?

31^st January has passed, and with that another Self Assessment season has come to an end, but for those who didn’t get their Tax Return to HMRC in time, what happens to them?

Pensions, Tax and Payroll – Businesses benefit from expert insight

There has been lots of press recently around the need for businesses to ensure their automatic enrolment duties are fulfilled correctly, and the danger of not getting it right which could have a big impact upon employees.

How Xero can help increase the UK GDP

I was lucky enough to be at the 4th official UK Xerocon at the Battersea Evolution last month, my how things have moved on since my first Xerocon at the ICAEW Chartered Accountants Hall. Back in 2012 there were just over 200 attendees. This year had a massive 1,300 delegates, unquestionably the biggest accounting gathering in the UK.

Challenges for hospitality and tourism businesses across Cumbria - Flooding, funding and the National Living Wage

The government has pledged £3m to support Cumbria and Lancashire following the devastating effects of recent flooding to these areas. Of this funding £1m will be spent on a PR campaign to encourage families to holiday in the North of England over the Easter holidays. However, the British Hospitality Association and Cumbria County Council say this is insufficient given the cost of the damage amounts to £500m in these areas alone.