Author: Glenn

Making Tax Digital for Income Tax will become mandatory in phases from April 2026. If you are self-employed or a landlord earning over £50,000 you need to start preparing to submit quarterly updates, keeping digital records and a new penalty system will apply.

Initially, MTD for IT will apply to businesses, self-employed individuals, and landlords with an annual income exceeding £50,000. From 6 April 2027, the rules will extend to those with an income between £30,000 and £50,000. A new system of penalties for late filing and late payment of tax will also be introduced.

From April 2028, sole traders and landlords with income over £20,000 will need to follow MTD rules. The government is also exploring ways to bring those earning under £20,000 within the MTD framework at a future date.

To help ensure taxpayers pay on time, HMRC increased the late payment penalties with effect from 1 April 2025. This applies to VAT-registered businesses as well as early adopters of Making Tax Digital for Income Tax.

The updated penalty rates are as follows:

• 15 days late: increased from 2% to 3%
• 30 days late: increased from 2% to 3%
• From day 31 onwards: a 10% annual penalty now applies, up from 4%, with daily interest added from this point

Taxpayers that remain with self-assessment face a separate set of penalty rules.

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) are not just numbers on a dashboard; they are tools to help business owners make better decisions. But with so many metrics available, how do you know which ones matter most for your business?

The answer is simple: start with your goal. KPIs should always support what you are trying to achieve, whether that is growth, efficiency, stability or profitability.

If your goal is overall financial health, net profit margin is a great place to begin. It tells you what percentage of each pound earned is actually kept after all costs. It cuts through the noise and helps business owners see whether they are making money in a sustainable way.

Focusing on cash flow? Track operating cash flow or free cash flow. Profit does not always equal cash in the bank, and many profitable businesses have come unstuck by running out of working capital. Cash flow KPIs show whether your business model is viable on a day-to-day basis.

Want to improve marketing results? Look at customer acquisition cost and customer lifetime value. These two KPIs help you measure whether your marketing spend is delivering a return and how valuable your average client really is.

If your focus is customer loyalty, then client retention rate is key. High retention usually points to satisfied clients, a strong service offering, and predictable revenue. Low retention can indicate pricing issues, poor communication or service problems.

Looking to grow your team or expand services? Keep an eye on revenue per employee or gross profit per fee earner. These metrics highlight how productive your people are, and whether adding more staff will drive profit or just increase overheads.

There is no universal KPI that works for everyone. The best approach is to pick a small set of KPIs (three to five), review them regularly, and use them to shape decisions.

KPIs turn a report into a roadmap, which provides informed and actionable to-do’s.

Starting your own business can be an exciting and liberating decision. But passion and ambition alone are rarely enough. One of the most overlooked factors in business failure is a lack of direct experience or knowledge in the chosen industry. Put simply, someone who has spent their working life as a plumber is unlikely to make a success of running a restaurant without serious planning, training or help.

Every industry has its own rhythm, customer expectations, regulations and operational quirks. When you know the business from the inside out, you already understand what a typical day looks like, where the risks lie, what customers value most and which details really matter. That type of knowledge can be priceless when problems arise, and it often helps keep costs under control too.

Trying to run a business in a sector you are unfamiliar with often means learning everything at once: pricing, supply chains, compliance and customer service, all while managing staff and watching the cashflow. That is a tough ask for anyone, especially when you have your own money on the line. You may find yourself relying too heavily on advisers or hiring experienced staff who quickly realise they know more about the business than the owner.

Of course, there are exceptions. People sometimes succeed in completely new industries, especially if they partner with someone who brings the missing expertise. But the risks are higher, and the margin for error is smaller. Without lived experience in the sector, even simple decisions can go wrong — choosing the wrong location, targeting the wrong customers or misunderstanding seasonal demand patterns.

If you are thinking about starting a business in an unfamiliar sector, consider ways to build your knowledge first. This might include shadowing someone in the trade, taking relevant training courses or working part-time in the industry. Alternatively, collaborate with a business partner who knows the ropes and shares your goals.

Ultimately, your chances of success rise sharply when you understand both the day-to-day realities and long-term dynamics of the business into which you are getting. Passion is a great driver but pairing it with experience makes it far more likely that your new venture will thrive.

The second 2024-25 payment on account for self-assessment taxpayers is due on 31 July 2025. If you are finding it difficult to meet this tax bill, there are options available to ease the burden.

Taxpayers with liabilities of up to £30,000 can use the online Time to Pay (TTP) service to set up instalment payments. This service is available without the need for direct contact with an HMRC advisor and can be accessed up to 60 days after the payment deadline.

To be eligible for the online service, the following conditions must be met:

• No outstanding tax returns
• No other unpaid tax debts
• No existing HMRC payment plans

For those who do not qualify for the online option, alternative payment plans can be arranged. These plans are typically tailored to the individual's or business's specific financial situation, allowing repayment over an agreed period.

HMRC will generally grant extended payment terms if they believe you will be able to pay the full amount in the future. However, if HMRC determines that additional time won't resolve the issue, they may require immediate payment and take enforcement actions if the debt remains unpaid.

Employers must act now to meet the deadline for paying Class 1A NICs for 2024–25 to avoid HMRC penalties. These contributions are due by 19 July 2025 if paying by post, or by 22 July 2025 for electronic payments. Class 1A NICs apply to most taxable benefits given to employees and directors, including company cars and private medical cover. Employers should ensure payments are correctly referenced using their Accounts Office reference number and clearly mark the relevant tax year. Importantly, July payments always relate to the previous tax year, even if made in the new tax year.

Class 1A NICs are payable by employers on the value of most taxable benefits offered to employees and directors, such as company cars and private medical insurance. They also apply to any portion of termination payments exceeding £30,000, provided Class 1 NICs have not already been deducted.

To ensure payments are correctly allocated, employers should use their Accounts Office reference number as the payment reference and clearly indicate the relevant tax year and month. Note that Class 1A NICs paid in July always relate to the previous tax year.

These contributions typically apply to benefits provided to company directors, employees, individuals in controlling positions, and their family or household members.