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Construction workers on scaffolding

By Armstrong Watson

1st December 2025

Survey reveals vulnerabilities in construction sector as industry faces high insolvency rates

Research by Armstrong Watson has highlighted significant challenges facing family-owned and owner-managed construction businesses, as the sector experiences the highest insolvency rates of any UK industry.

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New financial planner

By Armstrong Watson

1st December 2025

Financial adviser joins Armstrong Watson in Hexham

Armstrong Watson is delighted to announce the appointment of Jacob Proudfoot to its Hexham office, where he joins the firm’s growing Financial Planning team.

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By Dan Cozens

1st December 2025

Capital Gains Tax and Inheritance Tax on agricultural land and farms

Selling or transferring agricultural land and farms can have significant tax implications, particularly concerning Capital Gains Tax (CGT) and Inheritance Tax (IHT). Following increased CGT rates and major IHT reforms announced in the 2024 Autumn Budget, and a further amendment in the 2025 Autum Budget, it is important to consider the current rates and the implication of future increases.

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Jar of hearts

By Ann Probert

28th November 2025

Practical solutions for charities in financial distress

Mergers within the charities sector continue to rise. According to data collected by the Charities Commission, mergers have increased over the last three years.

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Shopping black friday on laptop with safety notification

By Rebecca Wilson

27th November 2025

Black Friday: how businesses can protect their customers from cyber scams

New figures from GCHQ’s National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) and Action Fraud have revealed rising losses to online scammers during the festive shopping season.

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By Sally Jones

27th November 2025

Bank interest and partial exemption – A new VAT risk for law firms?

Recent increases in interest rates have led many professional services firms to earn more interest on client funds held in deposit accounts. As bank interest may be treated as a VAT-exempt supply, law firms and other businesses with significant interest income should assess whether this additional income affects their ability to recover VAT on overhead costs under the partial exemption rules.

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digger

By Michael Morris

27th November 2025

VAT Rules for Construction: Zero-Rate, Reverse Charge, and Avoiding HMRC Penalties

VAT rules in construction are complex and it’s vital that building and construction companies are aware of the VAT liability of their supplies, and any associated VAT reclaim criteria on costs. From zero rated VAT to the Domestic Reverse Charge, it’s important to understand what rules apply when for specific projects.

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By Graham Poles

26th November 2025

Budget 2025: Personal & Inheritance Tax Changes

The freeze continues as widely expected, the Chancellor, faced with a black hole in the public finances, has chosen to freeze income tax thresholds beyond April 2028, when they were due to start to increase. However, she went beyond the expectations of many and has decided that the thresholds should remain frozen for the following three years, meaning there will be no increase until April 2031.

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woman putting money in money bank

By Justin Rourke

26th November 2025

Budget 2025: ISAs, pension salary sacrifice and savings taxes, and the impact on your financial planning

Today’s budget announcement was awaited by many with a degree of trepidation. Once we got past the early release of the Office for Budget Responsibility’s (OBR) report, the markets stabilised with the FTSE100, bond markets and sterling all being a little positive. As ever, there is more detail to come out in the respective papers, but the overriding feeling is one of complication.

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man playing with calculator

By James Fraser

26th November 2025

Budget 2025: Corporate Tax Changes, EOTs and Investment Reliefs

The build up to today’s Budget has been one of the most drawn out and talked about that I can remember. Not a day has gone by without some new tax increase/measure being discussed in the press, with many predicting that we were in for an announcement full of bad news.

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