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Family Business Report 2024: Could salary sacrifice help your recruitment challenges?

Armstrong Watson's latest survey found more than a third of businesses find it ‘very difficult to recruit’. Offering salary sacrifice opportunities is one of several ways many businesses can incentivise their current and prospective workforce.

Changes to redundancy payment claims for directors

When a company enters an insolvency procedure, often the only positive outcome for directors and shareholders is if they can receive compensation for unpaid wages, holiday pay, pay in lieu of notice and redundancy, however, the Redundancy Payments Service has changed its stance on directors' claims. 

Seasonal workers and zero-hours contracts holiday pay changes: is your business prepared?

Changes to simplify holiday entitlement and holiday pay calculations have been introduced  to protect part-year workers, and those working irregular hours or on zero-hours contracts. This is particularly relevant to those in hospitality leisure and tourism, agriculture and the charity sector.

No change for charity audit thresholds

While the Government plans to increase the thresholds for company statutory audits by 50%, these changes do not extend to the charitable sector.

If the new regulations are adopted this will see a significant increase to audit thresholds for companies and is expected to exempt 132,000 businesses from mandatory audits.

Early tax returns - file ahead of the Self Assessment deadline

It is never too early to complete your self-assessment tax return. In fact, as soon as the tax year ends you can submit your tax return. Leaving it until the last minute can lead to increased stress and anxiety, errors and omissions not to mention potential delays and penalties.

What is a pre-pack administration and would it be appropriate for my company?

The administration process is designed to protect a company from creditor pressure, in order for a licensed insolvency practitioner to consider whether it is possible to achieve a better return for creditors than would be likely if the company were to be wound up.

Selling a second property? Changes to Capital Gain Tax might impact you

Capital Gains Tax (CGT) has been in the spotlight recently due to changes in the tax-free allowances as well as updates to the rates of taxation of certain assets. Over the last couple of tax years, these changes have been drip-fed to individuals however, looking at where these allowances were two years ago, the changes are quite dramatic.

Family Business Report 2024: NMW increase may negatively impact more than 50% of businesses

Armstrong Watson’s latest Family Owned, Privately Owned and Owner-managed Business Survey found that more than half of those surveyed believed April’s NMW changes will have a negative impact on their business, and 11% significantly so.

Is it worth being a partner in a law firm?

Legal Sector Partner, Andy Poole asks is it worth being a partner in a law firm? 

Family Business Report 2024: Farmers concerned about inflation and cashflow feel under pressure to adapt

This was one of the key findings from Armstrong Watson's latest survey, which also asked the agricultural sector about challenges impacting growth, how they are adapting to the evolving digital world, and about their plans for succession.