Stay informed with the latest news and advice from Pearl
Customer Experience Management: Your Business’s Secret Weapon
The surge in e-commerce after the COVID-19 lockdowns caused a flurry of activity for digital marketing businesses as they scrambled to let new and existing clients know the importance of User Experience (UX). Suddenly, A/B Testing became more than a nice-to-have, but...
read more
5 Best Online-Only UK Business Bank Accounts in 2021
Online-only bank accounts such as Revolut, Wise (previously TransferWise), and QuickBooks Cash are not traditional banks—they lack some of the brick-and-mortar traits such as an FSCS deposit guarantee, or even a phone service. But the staggering growth of these...
read more
How to Get Funding For Your Startup
In these difficult times, a lot of people are turning to starting their own businesses. Success stories abound on LinkedIn about people who were furloughed, pivoted, and subsequently made a success of their new business idea. Indeed, few things can be as exhilarating...
read more
6 Unconventional Ways to Kickstart Company Growth after the Lockdowns
After the decimation of the British economy as a result of neverending lockdowns, companies are looking for an urgent way to get themselves back in the game and come out of a slump that has seen record levels of shop closures. The Chancellor recently announced a...
read more
Which Business Expenses Are Tax-Deductible in the UK?
In the day-to-day course of running your business, you naturally accrue expenses that are required to produce your product or deliver your service. As a rule of thumb, almost any expense that can be directly tied to making it possible for you to run your business can...
read more
How Does the New 130% Super-Deduction Scheme Work?
As part of the Chancellor’s Budget 2021 announcement, a new “super-deduction” capital allowance scheme was announced. This means that companies will be able to claim 130% capital allowances on qualifying plant and machinery investments purchased between 1 April 2021...
read more
What Are the New VAT Rules for UK to EU Sales after Brexit?
This article is intended to provide information and a general understanding. It should not be considered financial or legal advice. Please consult with your accountant regarding your particular VAT scenario to ensure you are in compliance with all the latest VAT...
read more
What Is FinTech and Why Is It So Popular?
FinTech stands for “Financial Technology” and it is revolutionising the way businesses and individuals do banking or manage their finances. It’s likely that you’re already using some sort of FinTech in your life: If you ever pay for things with your phone’s...
read more
9 Tips to Improve Expense Management in Your Business
Expense management for a company can be a chore at best and a nightmare at worst. The problem is doubly difficult to solve when you have employees underneath you. Large megacorps might have the benefit of dedicated accounting departments that can take care of expense...
read more
How to choose the right Accountant
Top tips to Find an Accountant Choosing an accountant is an important step when growing your business, as choosing a good accountant could be essential for growing your business at a sustainable rate whilst ensuring that you fulfil your tax obligations with HMRC....
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Top Tips to Filing Your Self-Assessment
Successfully file your Self-Assessment if you are self-employed or run your own business using these top tips. Check the Tax Year for Filing Check with your accountant to ensure that you know the start and end dates for your self-assessment. This year’s filing covers...
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National Insurance for Contractors – Key Tips
Paying National Insurance(NI) is required by both employed and self-employed people above 16 years of age. The amount payable is the same for women and men. By contributing to your NI, you can receive a State pension and Jobseekers Allowance after a set time-period....
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Paper Self-Assessment Tax Return Deadline
HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) deadline for 2016/2017 Paper Self-Assessment Tax Return is 31 October 2017. If you fail to meet this deadline then your Self-Assessment Tax Return will have to be submitted electronically as the deadline for Online Tax Returns is the 31...
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Resolving Disputes for Contractors – Top Tips
Resolving a dispute as a contractor can have implications in terms of money and time as well as reputation which could cost you future contracts. It is thus vital for disputes to be settled as quickly as possible. Here are some tips to ensure that disputes are dealt...
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Contractor Pensions – Quick Guide
A contractor should take out a pension as it offers many benefits in the long run. This quick guide will highlight the key points when choosing a contractor pension scheme. Pension Funds for Contractors As a Contractor, taking out a pension fund is a sound financial...
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Mortgages for Contractors
Securing a mortgage for a Contractor can be a lengthy and cumbersome process. However, with the right financial advice it is one of the best investments a Contractor can make. This guide will provide you with all the advice that you will need as a Contractor to take...
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How to find the best contract – Quick Guide
This guide will take you through the steps to ensure that you find and secure contracts as a UK based contractor. Plan your search A thorough investigation and lots of research into the contracting market will help you find the best contracts available. However, this...
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Top Tips Creating Contractor Invoices
By including the right information on your invoices will ensure that your clients will have all the information on hand to pay you quickly without delay. Your Contractor details The most important element of your invoice will be your contract details. When your client...
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Making Tax Digital for VAT
From April 2019, if your taxable turnover exceeds the VAT threshold of £85,000, you need to keep your VAT business records digitally and submit your VAT return via compatible software. Here at Pearl Accountants, we work with many different systems which are great for...
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Used to be with KPMG Small Business Services? Choose Pearl Accountants!
Just a few days ago, The Business Desk reported that KPMG small business is closing down, leaving thousands of former KPMG small business clients with no small business services accountants to turn to. The company’s SBA Service, which launched only 5 years ago, will...
read more How to choose the right Accountant
Top tips to Find an Accountant Choosing an accountant is an important step when growing your business, as choosing a good accountant could be essential for growing your business at a sustainable rate whilst ensuring that you fulfil your tax obligations with HMRC....
read more Top Tips to Filing Your Self-Assessment
Successfully file your Self-Assessment if you are self-employed or run your own business using these top tips. Check the Tax Year for Filing Check with your accountant to ensure that you know the start and end dates for your self-assessment. This year’s filing covers...
read more
Managing Cash Flow for Freelancers – Top Tips
Managing your cash flow as a Freelancer can be tricky especially if you are just starting out. Here are a few top tips to help you keep your cash flow under control. Tip 1- Save, Save, Save It is important that you are aware from day one that you will have to manage...
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Working Remotely as a Freelancer
When you decide to work as a freelancer, you will often be faced with working remotely. Here are some top tips to ensure that you remain productive and professional even when you work offsite. Tip 1 Always ensure that you...
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Leading Top 8 Freelance Jobsites
Being a freelancer means that you can do what you love the most and still have a great work-life balance. However, when you first start out you may find that securing a steady flow of work the most challenging hurdle to overcome. There are a lot of job sites but it is...
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Sole Trader vs Limited Company – Freelancers Guide
Freelancers should choose which business structure that would like to follow depending on the type of business they run. Each business structure has their own legal, tax and liability issues which need to be taken into consideration when making your choice between a...
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Informing HMRC that you are Self-Employed
Registering with HMRC When you decide to become a freelancer, you need to inform HMRC that you are now self-employed. This means that you are working for yourself and you are now responsible for paying all Income tax and National insurance contributions. It is best to...
read more Customer Experience Management: Your Business’s Secret Weapon
The surge in e-commerce after the COVID-19 lockdowns caused a flurry of activity for digital marketing businesses as they scrambled to let new and existing clients know the importance of User Experience (UX). Suddenly, A/B Testing became more than a nice-to-have, but...
read more 5 Best Online-Only UK Business Bank Accounts in 2021
Online-only bank accounts such as Revolut, Wise (previously TransferWise), and QuickBooks Cash are not traditional banks—they lack some of the brick-and-mortar traits such as an FSCS deposit guarantee, or even a phone service. But the staggering growth of these...
read more How to Get Funding For Your Startup
In these difficult times, a lot of people are turning to starting their own businesses. Success stories abound on LinkedIn about people who were furloughed, pivoted, and subsequently made a success of their new business idea. Indeed, few things can be as exhilarating...
read more 6 Unconventional Ways to Kickstart Company Growth after the Lockdowns
After the decimation of the British economy as a result of neverending lockdowns, companies are looking for an urgent way to get themselves back in the game and come out of a slump that has seen record levels of shop closures. The Chancellor recently announced a...
read more Which Business Expenses Are Tax-Deductible in the UK?
In the day-to-day course of running your business, you naturally accrue expenses that are required to produce your product or deliver your service. As a rule of thumb, almost any expense that can be directly tied to making it possible for you to run your business can...
read more How Does the New 130% Super-Deduction Scheme Work?
As part of the Chancellor’s Budget 2021 announcement, a new “super-deduction” capital allowance scheme was announced. This means that companies will be able to claim 130% capital allowances on qualifying plant and machinery investments purchased between 1 April 2021...
read more What Are the New VAT Rules for UK to EU Sales after Brexit?
This article is intended to provide information and a general understanding. It should not be considered financial or legal advice. Please consult with your accountant regarding your particular VAT scenario to ensure you are in compliance with all the latest VAT...
read more What Is FinTech and Why Is It So Popular?
FinTech stands for “Financial Technology” and it is revolutionising the way businesses and individuals do banking or manage their finances. It’s likely that you’re already using some sort of FinTech in your life: If you ever pay for things with your phone’s...
read more 9 Tips to Improve Expense Management in Your Business
Expense management for a company can be a chore at best and a nightmare at worst. The problem is doubly difficult to solve when you have employees underneath you. Large megacorps might have the benefit of dedicated accounting departments that can take care of expense...
read more
8 Hacks to Survive Working from Home
The Work-From-Home (WFH) Pros and Cons debate has raged for almost as long as the lockdowns have been going on. Netflix’s CEO believes that lockdowns are counterproductive, and Elon Musk is even moving Tesla out of Silicon Valley and to Texas in what is believed to be...
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22 Xero Tips to Make Your Business’s Accounting Easier!
Cloud-based accounting has revolutionised the way freelancers and small businesses do their bookkeeping, accounting and year-end taxes. Over the years, these tools have grown so sophisticated that many costly accounting functions of the past are now within the hands...
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Do I Need an Accountant If I Use Xero or Quickbooks?
The question has been asked many times before: Will tools like Xero, Quickbooks, FreeAgent, Sage — or any of the other accounting software tools out there — eventually replace your accountant? The question is a valid one. And, indeed, many accountants and bookkeepers...
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Brexit: Here’s What You Need to Know about EC Sales Lists
The UK left the EU on 31 January 2020 and the transition period officially ended on 31 December 2020. In other words, Brexit is done — but not necessarily dusted. Confusion about how to proceed abounds, and a Withdrawal Agreement that runs to several hundred pages...
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How Does Making Tax Digital Affect SMEs?
HMRC’s Making Tax Digital rollout for VAT submissions began on 1 April 2019, forcing businesses with a turnover of £85,000+ per annum to submit their VAT returns via approved-only, cloud-compliant software. Whereas SMEs were previously able to submit their VAT returns...
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How to Choose an Accountant in London
An enormous number of accountants and accounting firms operate in London. Sadly, too many people make one of two mistakes when choosing an accountant in London: Thinking that an expensive accountant is a better accountantGoing for the cheapest accountant without...
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What You Need to Know about HMRC Tax Investigations
Unfortunately, tax investigations by HMRC are far more common than people might expect. In 2010, HMRC installed a new AI and data-mining tool called Connect, which was designed specifically to combat tax evasion and fraud. Unfortunately, this can sometimes lead to...
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All You Need to Know about Running Payroll in a UK Company
If you have employees, or even if you just want to pay yourself in your limited company, you need to run payroll before disbursing any money. Running payroll before the boom of digital services was usually an overwhelming, time-consuming monthly process. This is true...
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How to successfully start a small business
Guest post by Stacey McIntosh, Editor, Sage Advice UK & Ireland Starting a small business is no easy feat, especially during the first few years – there’s a lot to think about, but with forward planning, you’ll give your business the best chance of success. This...
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