Right now, you’re likely hearing endless chatter about artificial intelligence. Every software vendor claims to have it, every LinkedIn guru says you need it and you’re probably wondering how to cut through the noise. What does using AI in business actually look like on a Tuesday afternoon when payroll is due, and you have three … [Read more…]
Have you received a letter or online message from HMRC informing you that you’ve been signed up for Making Tax Digital (MTD) for Income Tax and you’re unsure what to do now? It means you need to start using the MTD for Income Tax system because HMRC’s records show your qualifying income from self-employment and … [Read more…]
On 3rd September, GOV.UK published its latest naming round. Around 660 employers have been named for failing to pay the National Minimum Wage. £4 million returned to more than 27,000 workers and £7 million in penalties. Getting national minimum wage compliance right is harder than it looks, even for employers with no intention of underpaying. … [Read more…]
Employee experience isn’t a perk or a programme. It’s what work feels like for your people, day after day. HR teams know how much the employee experience matters. The problem for many HR teams is finding enough time to shape it when admin and process work take up so much of the week. Sage’s HR … [Read more…]
Days Sales Outstanding—DSO—measures how long it takes, on average, to collect payment after a sale. For FDs and commercial finance leaders at UK B2B businesses, particularly higher-growth companies under working capital strain, a rising DSO is one of the clearest early signals that collections processes haven’t kept pace with the business. The frustrating part is … [Read more…]
If your close still drags into a second week, you’re not alone—and it’s rarely down to effort. Financial controllers, finance managers and FDs at UK businesses with 20 to 1,000 employees often work flat out, including evenings and weekends, yet the calendar barely moves. The real issue is usually how disconnected the underlying systems and … [Read more…]
If you’re VAT registered, you usually need to charge VAT on your taxable supplies at the correct rate. Getting VAT wrong on an invoice can lead to HMRC queries, penalties, and awkward client conversations. Once the correct VAT treatment has been identified, the calculation itself is usually straightforward: add VAT at the applicable rate to … [Read more…]
Key takeaways The seven PCRT bodies published topical guidance on the ethical use of AI tools on 19 January 2026, alongside an updated PCRT effective from 1 January 2026. The guidance introduces no new rules. It reads the five existing fundamental principles through an AI lens. You remain responsible for any work your practice produces, … [Read more…]
Key takeaways A lack of skilled personnel is the second biggest AI implementation challenge in the profession, cited by 48% of accountants. Around 38% describe their practice as having limited readiness or no readiness at all, and fewer than a third feel well or highly prepared. Roughly one in five accountants name a people concern … [Read more…]
Rental income might seem straightforward at first. The rent comes in, you pay your mortgage, and whatever’s left is yours. But when HMRC gets involved, things start to look a bit different. Most landlords will either overpay by missing legitimate deductions, or underpay without realising it. Either way, the gap usually comes down to a few numbers you never … [Read more…]