Accountingweb

On this week’s No Accounting for Taste we are joined by sole practitioner of the year Sarah Sallis to discuss the week’s big headlines and the secrets behind her Accounting Excellence Awards win. Host Richard Hattersley invited the founder of the Accountancy Office Sarah Sallis to the pod booth this week to discuss her big win at the Accounting Excellence Awards ceremony.  Sallis picked up the sole practitioner of the year gong thanks to her impressive client service initiatives, including her drop-in sessions, business continuity planning and being agile as a small firm.  Sarah sticks around to discuss the big stories of the week with PracticeWeb’s head of content Ray Newman.  The pod team starts the headline rundown by looking at the uncertainty generated by Brexit and whether this will impact smaller practitioners. They then tackle a familiar topic on the podcast - the effect the coronavirus workload has had on self assessment season preparation and energy levels.  A seasoned remote worker, Sallis giv

On this week’s No Accounting for Taste, the editorial team discusses eleventh hour guidance changes, contractors and self assessment stress. Hosts Richard Hattesley and John Stokdyk are joined this week by PracticeWeb’s head of content and keen Budget watcher, Ray Newman. Without a November Budget the team are able to breathe a sigh of relief and take a casual approach to the spending review. But this uncharacteristic calmness conflicts with the last minute panic that accountants have endured this year. This week’s big headlines, and the increase in stressed accountants, demonstrate the toll the eleventh hour guidance changes have had this year, such as the sudden return of the furlough scheme before the job support scheme had even launched. It’s also seen with the news this week that HMRC has confirmed that virtual Christmas parties will be eligible for the annual function exemption. Meanwhile, a first tier tax tribunal involving a contractor having his travel and accommodation expenses disallowed high

On this week’s exciting edition of AccountingWEB’s No Accounting for Taste, we’re discussing Zoom fatigue, the extended furlough scheme, Uber and Eat Out to Help Out penalties. Hosts Richard Hattersley and John Stokdyk are joined on the podcast by Matt Portt, the owner of Portt and Co. A lot has happened since Matt first appeared on the podcast all the way back at episode two.  Matt has been mainly grappling with the ongoing CJRS soap opera. His firm has a specialist payroll department and has lived and breathed the furlough scheme since March.  CJRS constributed to the profession's long working days and heightened stress levels, but there are other culprits. The pod team reflects on how remote working has also exacerbated the strain on the profession, and the role Zoom has played in draining accountants’ energy levels.  In addition to all of this, the team also discusses the other big headlines from the past seven days, including Uber and Eat Out to Help Out penalties. For links to the articles discusse

On this AccountingWEB podcast we'll find out how accountants have coped with the sudden change in client demand over the last several months. Accountants have contended with the rush of government guidance already this year, and now with the prospect of self assessment looming again and the second lockdown, we’re seeing a gloomy outlook in the profession.  This podcast will discover how accountants have managed clients, the high level of demand and the associated pressures of Covid workload.  To do this, host Richard Hattersley is joined by Sage’s Chris Downing: an accountant at heart with almost 20 years of experience working at the accountancy firm Milsted Langdon; and in accountants' corner this week is Sam Mitcham, the founder of SJCM Accountancy. Help your clients boss small business accounting with Sage. For more information, visit Sage's accountants and bookkeepers' hub. https://www.sage.com/en-gb/accountants/

On this week’s No Accounting for Taste, we’re talking the Job Support scheme, support for musicians and meditation. The founder of the Accountancy Practice, John Froggett joins host Richard Hattersley and John Stokdyk in accountants’ corner this week. Frogett has reason to celebrate as his firm recently made the small firm of the year finalist list at the Accounting Excellence awards. The glitz and glamour of the Accounting Excellence awards contrasts with the firm’s humble beginnings. Froggett started 20 years ago with a cheque for £250 and an office set up in his garage Froggett and the AccountingWEB team reflect back over the compliance-heavy headlines which were dominated by the coronavirus support schemes, including further tweaks to the self-employed income support scheme and the Job Support Scheme. A keen singer himself, Froggett is concerned about those falling through the net like musicians and venues. This constant treadmill of guidance from the government has had a knock on effect on accountant

On this edition of No Accounting for Taste podcast, Alan Woods from Woods Squared reports on the expanded Job Support Scheme and what he’s doing to support clients through the local lockdown. This week, Liverpool became the first city to be put under tight local lockdown restrictions. Alan Woods is based in Merseyside, so knows too well what the tier three rules will mean for Liverpudlian businesses. Alan joins AccountingWEB’s Richard Hattersley and John Stokdyk to explain how he’s helping his clients’ content with the lockdown. Unsurprisingly then, Alan has a lot of interest in the expanded Job Support Scheme, announced by the Chancellor last week. But Alan calls for more certainty for his clients, as the Chancellor’s safety net for lockdown businesses doesn’t kick in until 1 November. The team find out how Alan is contending with the new restrictions and how his support this time differs from the first lockdown. All this plus the latest headlines on AccountingWEB, including more on the Job Retention Bonus

On this week’s episode, the AccountingWEB pod team unpicks the Chancellor’s Winter Economy Plan and discuss the effects the never-ending guidance is having on the profession. Since we last recorded a podcast Chancellor Rishi Sunak unveiled the job support scheme, further self-employed grants and an extension to the coronavirus loans. To examine the news, host Richard Hattersley is joined by AccountingWEB’s editor-in-chief John Stokdyk and friend of the site and partner at Burton Sweet, Nigel Harris. The team attempt to add meat to the bones of Sunak’s new job support scheme and judge the effectiveness of the tax deferment and coronavirus loan extensions. Aside from the winter rescue plan, tech enthusiast panel rate Xero’s vision for tax and practice software and advise an accountant ready to throw in the towel after failing their CIMA exams. For links to the stories discussed on this podcast, head over to AccountingWEB: https://www.accountingweb.co.uk/content/no-accounting-for-taste-ep7-job-support-scheme-

The AccountingWEB team is joined by Dan Heelan to discuss the high profile cases of furlough fraud and the dishonest use of the Bounce Back loans. Joining host Richard Hattersley and John Stokdyk to pore over the headlines on AccountingWEB this week is business owner turned accountant Dan Heelan from Heelan Associates. The big story this week was the arrest of an accountant and a director for a suspected £70,000 furlough fraud. Meanwhile, Heelan flags the Bounce Back Loans as another support measure which may have been exploited. Since the scheme launched we’ve seen discussions on AccountingWEB from readers concerned about clients applying for loans to use for non-business reasons such as ‘home improvements’, while another reader raised concern that a client has two bounce back loans with separate banks. Heelan discusses the extent of Bounce Back Loan fraud and what can be done, if anything, to stamp it out.

This week's No Accounting for Taste chews over headlines including the regulation of tax advisers, what adversely affected really means, and we also discuss the challenges of female entrepreneurs and business owners. Joining host Richard Hattersley to review the big stories of the week is PracticeWeb’s Ray Newman and beaming in from accountant’s corner is Rachel Martin, the founder of Accountant_she. For links to all the stories discussed, go to AccountingWEB.co.uk: https://www.accountingweb.co.uk/content/no-accounting-for-taste-ep73-women-in-business-seiss-tax-regulation

With deferred taxes, loan repayments and the tough economic outlook hitting small businesses, this week’s No Accounting for Taste podcast explores the importance of cashflow forecasting. AccountingWEB’s editor-in-chief John Stokdyk is joined this week by two cashflow enthusiasts. In her second outing on the pod is Kirsty McGregor, the founder and chairman of the corporate finance network, and making his pod debut is Paul Barnes, the managing director of MAP. To start the show, the pod team races through the most read stories on AccountingWEB. Stories catching our eye this week include a new government grant which covers accountancy fees, the second SEISS grant, and confusion over Employer Allowance claims. With the headlines out of the way, the team talk about the headline topic of the episode, cashflow and forecasting. To view all of the stories discussed in today's episode, visit AccountingWEB.co.uk: https://www.accountingweb.co.uk/content/no-accounting-for-taste-ep72-are-businesses-being-left-behind

On this week’s No Accounting for Taste, we discuss clients left behind by the government’s business support measures, recruiting during the crisis and returning to the office. AccountingWEB’s editorial team Richard Hattersley and John Stokdyk are joined this week by Class of 2019 alumnus and Accounting Excellence finalist Andy Sullivan from Complete HQ to chew over the latest news in the accountancy and his firm’s response to the virus. As a relatively new firm, Andy knows too well how tough it is starting out, finding clients and having a work-life balance. But if that wasn’t tough enough, throw in a global pandemic. On top of all that, he had to recruit in the middle of the Covid-19 crisis. Andy had an influx of extra work because firms near him couldn’t cope, had furloughed staff or weren’t providing the service the businesses wanted. He talks the team through the process of hiring a new team member. Links to the stories mentioned in this episode can be found here: https://www.accountingweb.co.uk/conte

On this week’s No Accounting for Taste, we discuss the return of Making Tax Digital, the VAT cut for the hospitality sector and whether the Summer Statement measures will make any difference. To tackle the news, host Richard Hattersley is joined this week by PracticeWeb’s Ray Newman and the managing director of Steele Financial, Ben Steele. Get links to the stories discussed in this episode and more information: https://www.accountingweb.co.uk/content/no-accounting-for-taste-ep70-mtd-extended-vat-5-cut-and-eat-out-to-help-out

On this week’s No Accounting for Taste the editorial team is joined by practice owner Ria-Jaine Lincoln to assess an industry hit-hardest by the pandemic – the hair and beauty sector. Over the last few episodes, we’ve heard from practitioners such as Glenn Martin and Zoe Whitman how tough the last few months have been for the clients they represent. A sector which has suffered a lot during this coronavirus crisis has been the beauty industry. After months of uncertainty, the hair sector was finally able to open its doors once again on 4 July in England along with pubs, restaurants and much of the hospitality sector. But the beauty sector is still one of the remaining industries without a return date, leaving many of these businesses questioning their future. Hosts Richard Hattersley and John Stokdyk ask niche practice owner Ria-Jaine Lincoln how her beauty clients have coped over lockdown and find out how she's managed the excessive workload when her entire client base was unable to trade and needed he

On this week’s episode of No Accounting for Taste, we explore how accountants have moved on from the Covid-19 crisis with stronger client relationships. As lockdown gradually eases across the UK, many accountants are now seeing the fruit of their Covid-19 response and are being recognised with a renewed sense of loyalty from their clients. In this episode, hosts Richard Hattersley and John Stokdyk are joined by PracticeWeb’s Mike Crook and Insight 101’s Phillipa Haynes to find out how SMEs feel accountants have performed during the Covid-19 crisis. What the Covid-19 crisis has highlighted is that SMEs want strong communication skills from their accountant. Using data from their new SME insight report, Mike and Phillipa emphasise the importance of communication and human connection as part of the accountant and client relationship. Go to AccountingWEB.co.uk for all the links discussed in this episode: https://www.accountingweb.co.uk/content/no-accounting-for-taste-ep68-smes-rate-accountants-covid-19-perfor

On this week’s edition of No Accounting for Taste, we discuss the death of the 9 to 5, July’s mini-Budget and the revised furlough scheme. To examine the news this week, host Richard Hattersley is joined by PracticeWeb’s head of content Ray Newman, and Georgia Duffee, the director and accountant at Benedetto Accounts and Tax. Georgia took the ultimate leap of faith at just 21 and started her own accountancy firm. We’ll discuss Georgia’s route into practice and whether being a young practice owner has enabled her to stand out from the crowd. Georgia also reveals how she’s coped in her response to Covid-19. As an advocate of having a work-life balance, Georgia explains how effective time management has helped her keep on top of the workload without suffering the effects of the always-on culture. Then the pod team reviews the latest news in accountancy, including how firms will adjust to the post-lockdown office life, what we can expect from the mini-Budget, the delay to the CIS reverse charge and the furlou

On this week’s podcast, we discuss the latest news including the government’s coronavirus schemes and consider how changing your thinking could help your practice thrive post-virus.

Host Richard Hattersley is joined by Sage’s director of product management and former accountant in practice Chris Downing, Sam Mitcham from SJCM Accountancy and Emily Smith from Finlayson & Co to find out how accountants are preparing their clients for the uncertain future.

On this week’s edition of No Accounting for Taste, we consider the ramifications of the intense coronavirus workload and question just how long can accountants keep going at this pace? When the country went into lockdown in March, accountants stepped up and worked around the clock, but as today’s guest says, it’s looking like a longer hail than first expected. As exhaustion starts to settle in, accountants were back at the coalface with the launch of the government’s self-employed income support scheme. To discuss how he’s managed to keep going throughout the pandemic, hosts Richard Hattersley John Stokdyk are joined by AccountingWEB legend, Glenn Martin (AKA Glennzy). Glenn talks about motivation, how he’s planning to help his clients through what he expects to be an extremely tough Q3 and also the latest news from the week in accounting. For all the links to the stories discussed in this episode, head to AccountingWEB.co.uk: https://www.accountingweb.co.uk/content/no-accounting-for-taste-ep65-how-long-c

On this week’s episode of No Accounting for Taste, we look at HMRC’s furlough scheme and examine what effect the extra work has had on the personal wellbeing of accountants. Since HMRC’s furlough portal opened last week, accountants have found the process mostly seamless, and the money is starting to arrive in their clients’ bank accounts. However, there are still many kinks which have caused a great amount of consternation, from the laborious 14-screen sequence to the 15-minute time-out limit they are up against. But the biggest complication though is the furloughing claim restrictions which mean businesses with fewer than 100 employees have to enter details individually. Joining AccountingWEB editors Richard Hattersley and John Stokdyk is Kirsty McGregor, the founder of the Corporate Finance Network. She is the moving force behind a new campaign that is calling on HMRC to change this application process for CJRS grant claims. McGregor is urging HMRC to bring the process into line with the process for t

On this week’s episode of No Accounting for Taste we investigate the impact the coronavirus has had on UK small and medium-sized businesses and find out what they really want from their accountant. As the last few weeks have demonstrated, accountants have been in great demand to help support small businesses. Just take a look on AccountingWEB’s Any Answers forum and you’ll read stories of businesses pulled up from the brink of collapse as accountants have worked tirelessly around the clock to save their clients. But the reality of the likely economic fallout of the virus was unveiled by the Chancellor this week who quoted OBR figures that warned of a 35% drop in GDP for the second quarter of 2020 So how are small businesses really coping? And what plans have their accountants put in place to guide them through the rocky months ahead? Joining host Richard Hattersley and AccountingWEB's editor-in-chief John Stokdyk to discuss the realities from the small business frontline is the MD of PracticeWeb, Mike Croo