The insurance industry and consumers throughout the UK have been waiting for today’s ruling since the early days of the COVID19 pandemic – the final ruling on the appeal of the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA)’s business interruption case. The Supreme Court livestreamed its judgement today, substantially allowing the FCA’s and the Hiscox Action Group (HAG)’s appeal and dismissing insurers’ appeals.
Continue readingApprenticeships: New talent, new skills, and lots of business value
Businesses need people with the right skill sets; talented people now and talent in the pipeline for succession planning. These people are not always easy to find, particularly at the time that they are needed. Here’s a potential solution: grow your own via the often overlooked Apprenticeship Scheme.
Continue readingNew one-off Lockdown grant just announced (on top of the discretionary grant funding for Local Authorities & Local Restriction Support Grants & Furlough) – could be worth up to £9k
Businesses in the retail, hospitality and leisure sectors are to receive a one-off Lockdown grant on top of grants already being paid out. This is in addition to the discretionary grant funding for Local Authorities & Local Restriction Support Grants & extension to Furlough.
Continue readingHave you been required to work from home, even for one day since 6 April 2020? Then you may be entitled to claim for expenses for the whole of the 2020-21 tax year
You have always been able as an employee to claim expenses for working from home if your employer requires you to work at home. This has become much more relevant during the 2020/21 tax year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. HMRC has confirmed that claims from employees working at home due to coronavirus measures, if their usual workplace is closed, count as working from home for tax purposes.
Continue readingHB Director Karen Chase, talks to Love Hoddesdon about the BID and which events Team HB really love…
Have you asked yourself what a BID (Business Improvement District) is or does? Look no further… the Love Hoddesdon BID recently visited HB Accountants’ new offices and interviewed director, Karen Chase and Marketing Manager, Vicki Foster to find about HB’s involvement and what the BID means to the community of Hoddesdon.
HMRC’s new creditor status – how will it affect you?
From 1st December, under the Finance Act 2020, HMRC will regain its status as a ‘preferential creditor’ meaning it will be repaid certain outstanding taxes, including Employees’ PAYE and National Insurance Contributions, VAT and CIS, ahead of lenders’ floating charges and suppliers if a business becomes insolvent.
Continue readingCelebrating Local Heroes and our new home
After over 35 years in Amwell Street in Hoddesdon, two week’s ago saw us packing our bags and moving to our new home in the lovely, Plumpton House, still in our wonderful Hoddesdon… and what a week (or two) it’s been!
Continue readingNo VAT on (some) B2C services to EU customers
If you’re a UK-based business providing a service to a consumer living in the EU, you may no longer need to charge VAT on your invoices after the end of the Brexit transition period – saving your clients money and also helping you to win new business.
Continue readingSelf employed traders must respond to HMRC’s email or risk losing SEISS
Check your October emails. HMRC have emailed approximately 24,000 self-employed traders who have claimed a self-employed income support (SEISS) grant asking whether they were still trading – if you have received an email you must respond to HMRC by 20 November 2020 or you won’t be able to make a further claim for another SEISS grant
Continue readingWhy Resilience is a critical quality that we all need to develop
According to legend, Thomas Edison made thousands of prototypes of the light bulb before he finally got it right. Yet despite dealing with ‘failure’ throughout his life he never let it get the better of him. “I have not failed. I have just found 10,000 ways that won’t work”. His resilience gave us some of the world’s most amazing inventions such as the phonograph, the telegraph and the motion picture.
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