Blog
Use your 2021-22 allowances before 5th April
Posted 23rd February 2022 at 8:23 am
Individuals are entitled to a number of allowances each year. However, many of them are lost if they are not used in the tax year to which they relate. With the end of the tax year approaching on 5th April, we consider a range of allowances which you may need to review to ensure you are making the most of them before they expire. Personal allowance The personal allowance for 2021/22 is set at £12,570.* If you have not fully utilised your personal allowance, speak to your accountant for advice on increasing your income for 2021/22, for example by... Read more
Spread a little love to your customers
Posted 14th February 2022 at 12:57 pm
It’s Valentine’s season, and love is in the air! For those working in retail, hospitality, and beauty there are obvious ways to take advantage of this time of year; you can’t move in a supermarket at the moment for flowers, chocolates, and bottles of prosecco! But those of us working in other sectors can tap into the seasonal spirit too. Here are some ways to show a little love to your customers this February: Offer a loyalty discount – they’ve been there for you through thick and thin, so reward them with an exclusive discount to make them... Read more
Skills Accelerator Workforce Initiative
Posted 7th February 2022 at 2:08 pm
Skills Accelerator, launched by five Black Country colleges is encouraging employers to sign up their staff for free digital/IT and management and new technologies-based training, paving the way for them to access higher level training. A workforce training initiative for technical skills, the Skills Accelerator has been launched by five Black Country colleges, with support from local industry bodies. The initiative has been developed in response to priorities outlined in the government’s Skills for Jobs white paper for reshaping the technical skills of the local labour market and wider economy. Its twofold objective is to strengthen relationships and partnerships... Read more
Defeat your inner critic
Posted 26th January 2022 at 9:39 am
If someone asked you how often you had negative thoughts about yourself, your answer would probably vastly underestimate reality. All of us have an inner critical voice which influences how we feel about ourselves by almost constantly spewing out negative thoughts, beliefs and attitudes. Every time you’ve berated yourself for getting something wrong, have felt overwhelmed or stressed, or made a decision that is not in your best interests, it’s likely that your inner critical voice is to blame. If we had a colleague who was continually telling us that we were useless, annoying, stupid, worthless… Well most of... Read more
Supporting your employees’ mental wellbeing
Posted 18th January 2022 at 9:54 am
This week started with ‘Blue Monday’, allegedly the most depressing day of the year! Although this day was originally invented by holiday companies trying to boost sales, there’s no denying that this time of the year is not most people’s favourite! (Just ask your accountant as they plough their way through everybody’s tax returns at the same time…!) Add the fact that we are rolling into a third calendar year of a pandemic, and you might feel that you want to provide a little more support for your employees. Offer mental wellness support Waiting lists for mental health support... Read more
The power of positive thinking
Posted 12th January 2022 at 1:45 pm
At this time of year, especially during a pandemic, our thoughts can be a little gloomy. Perhaps you’ve already ‘failed’ at your New Year’s Resolutions. Perhaps you didn’t set any resolutions, because who can predict what’s going to happen from day to day anymore?! It’s cold, it’s dark, you might be unwillingly dry or vegan for the rest of the month, and every day there is more bad news on everything from politics to the environment. You’d be forgiven for finding it hard to stay positive! But over time, negativity can lead to unhappiness and dissatisfaction with our lives. ... Read more
Key business trends for 2022
Posted 5th January 2022 at 5:41 pm
The world is changing fast and businesses are having to adapt accordingly. Businesses across the world have been grappling with rapid transformation because of changes to working practices, shifts in buyer behaviour and ongoing economic uncertainty. The way we work is evolving In the last 18 months, the shift to agile or flexible working has been accelerated by the pandemic. In 2022 the way we work will continue to evolve. Gig workers, remote workers and a move away from the traditional model of employment look set to be themes that will continue to evolve into 2022 and beyond. ... Read more
Less than a month until full customs controls are introduced
Posted 7th December 2021 at 10:21 am
HMRC are reminding traders to prepare for customs changes that come into effect on 1 January 2022. You will no longer be able to delay making import customs declarations under the Staged Customs Controls rules that have applied during 2021. Most customers will have to make declarations and pay relevant tariffs at the point of import. For a summary of the changes see: Less than a month until full customs controls are introduced – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk) You should consider before 1 January 2022 how you are going to submit your customs declarations and pay any duties that are due. You... Read more
Job vacancies booming and applicants now call the shots!
Posted 2nd December 2021 at 12:17 pm
The number of job vacancies in August to October 2021 continued to rise to a new record of 1,172,000, an increase of 388,000 from the pre-coronavirus pandemic January to March 2020 level, with 15 of the 18 industry sectors showing record highs. This means that job seekers now have more opportunity to ‘shop around’ to find the role that suits them best, rather than just accepting the first position that they are offered. Instead of the situation where job seekers are in competition for vacancies, we now increasingly see that companies are in competition for job seekers! In order to... Read more
Dealing with rising inflation
Posted 23rd November 2021 at 8:59 am
The cost of living has surged at its fastest pace in almost 10 years, with the Consumer Prices Index (CPI) reaching 4.2% in the year to October. It is primarily due to higher fuel and energy prices but the cost of second-hand cars and eating out also increased, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) have said. Inflation is up since Covid restrictions ended this year and the economy reopened. The Bank of England says it may have to raise interest rates in the “coming months” to tackle rising prices. October’s reading is far higher than the 3.1% rise recorded in the... Read more