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Don't underestimate the value of the State Pension

The value of the State Pension should not be overlooked as this forms a critical part of a retirement income for nearly all retired households, it will certainly be missed if it is not there.

5 common reasons to borrow right now

Funding remains a priority for a lot of businesses right now, whether you are cash-rich, in a position to grow, or looking to ease pressure on your finances. 

11 top tips to prepare for the Christmas period and maximise turnover in hospitality  

With a lot of noise in the media about potential supply shortages over Christmas, Armstrong Watson’s Matthew Hutton and industry advisor Martyn Vevers have put together some tips to help hospitality businesses prepare themselves for the festive period and beyond. 

Transforming your business towards a digital finance function

Automation has been a hot topic for many years now, and as society starts to find a balance between office-based working and working from anywhere it is time to take stock.

It is now more important than ever to ensure business processes are designed and adapted in a future-proof way, especially the finance-related processes that have been ripe for the digital age for some time.

How will political and economic factors impact your farm tax bill?

As we rapidly approach the end of another year, it is customary to assess how a business has performed. This enables action to be taken before the accounting year-end to mitigate the tax bill, so there are no nasty surprises at a later date  - and this year there have been more fluctuations than normal, making predictions particularly difficult.  

State Pension triple lock suspended - what does this mean for pensioners?

Despite an amendment in the House of Lords to retain the earnings link of the triple lock next year, MPs in the House of Commons have rejected the move and it has been suspended meaning the value of the State Pension will rise by 3.1% in April 2022.

Changes to the Normal Minimum Pension age – could this affect you if changes are introduced?

HM Treasury has published its response to the consultation on the proposed increase of the Normal Minimum Pension Age (NMPA) from 55 to 57.

Dividend, National Insurance and Corporation Tax increases – time to act?

The introduction of increased rates of National Insurance Contributions, dividends and Corporation Tax over the next couple of years may give cause for owners and directors of businesses to consider their remuneration package and whether this is still appropriate.

National Insurance Contribution Increase and Payslips

For the tax year 2022/2023 the Government recently announced a 1.25% Health and Social Care Levy charge that will form part of the National Insurance Contributions for employees and employers, and from 2023/2024 a separate deduction for Health and Social Care levy will be introduced. 

Tax reform for unincorporated businesses delayed

Businesses facing an increase in their tax bills next year can breathe a sigh of relief now that the Government has pushed back its plan to alter the basis period for one year.