From April 2010, there will be new funding available which should make ‘going green’ a much more attractive proposition. FIT or Feed in Tariff’s is a cash back incentive scheme, where building owners who install renewable technologies will receive money for the electricity they generate. For solar photovoltaics’ (PV) this could equate to £1,000 a year.

Already successfully deployed in over 45 countries, the scheme, also known as Clean Energy Cash Back, will reward those who invest in green technologies by paying a guaranteed set rate for each unit of energy produced – over 20 years for wind technologies and … Continue Reading

The Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) has announced today (4 March) that the flat rate VAT charged to small businesses, has risen to a higher level, with rates changing depending on what sector your in.

Flat rate VAT is charged to businesses with a turnover of less than £150,000 and aims to minimise the red tape around VAT, providing a slightly lower rate. For more information on flat rate VAT, visit http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/vat/start/schemes/flat-rate.htm

The FSB’s analysis of the rates found the following increases:

· Agricultural, services sector and membership organisations – rise of 2.5%.
· Grocers, newsagents, tobacconists, social work, computer repair services and clothing shops … Continue Reading

Do you dream of starting your own business, but are wary of the risk of going it alone? Nicknamed five – niners, an increasing number of people are setting up their own ventures alongside employment, working evenings and weekends to generate extra income and start a new business with the security of a regular wage.

According to Enterprise Nation, the home-business website, an estimated 5m people in the UK keep their jobs while building their own company at night and at weekends. Of these, two-thirds hope the businesses they are starting will become big enough and profitable enough to enable them … Continue Reading

Are you up to speed with Twitter, do you have thousands of fans on Facebook? If you thought you’d got social media sorted when it comes to promoting your business, things may be set to change with the introduction of Google Buzz.

Google Buzz is integrated into Gmail, so potentially has an audience of tens of millions of people. Buzz combines element of Twitter, Facebook and the quickly rising Foursquare, but with unique elements that may set it apart from its predecessors.

Gathering Customer Feedback: Like Twitter, Buzz lets you post a message to a group of “followers” that subscribe to your … Continue Reading

A recent survey has shown that many small businesses have a lack of awareness when it comes to the legalities of running their company. The study, by the Department for Business Innovations and Skills, shows that only 32% of small business owners feel confident in their understanding of employment law and their role as an employer.

Most worryingly, 34% of those asked think employment law obligations are ‘not relevant’ to their business, while 20% had concerns as to whether they were meeting these obligations- even if they understood them.

Employment relations minister Lord Young said: “We know that running a small business … Continue Reading

According to a review of ten research studies, involving more than 16,000 people, workers who have control over their working hours enjoy better health because they are less stressed and get more rest.

The review, conducted by researchers at the Wolfson Research Institute based at Durham University, and published by the Cochrane Library, found mental health, blood pressure, and sleep patterns were better among people who could determine their own working hours.

By contrast, fixed-term contracts and other situations were working conditions were determined by the employer had no benefits for health. One study even showed fixed working hours had a … Continue Reading

Following the collapse of the banking system and a period of economic uncertainty, the UK is in serious debt, some of which small businesses will be called upon to help pay back. An increase in National Insurance is one the way…

The British Chamber of Commerce (BCC) has revealed today (15 February) that small firms in the UK believe that the planned National Insurance increase should be scrapped and replaced by a less damaging alternative.

In the BCC’s latest Monthly Business Survey, companies were asked what they thought were the Government’s most pressing issues. A considerable 41% answered that reducing the budget … Continue Reading

More worrying details have come to light regarding the HMRC’s tax code blunder.

In a report by the BBC, revenue employees stated that the new system, in numerous cases, cannot be relied upon to generate the correct tax codes and the general feeling is that this situation is getting worse, not better.

An employee, who wished to remain anonymous, claimed that the testing of the new system was inadequate – it stopped short of issuing new tax codes, the point at which the system has gone wrong.

The Revenue denied this claim. It said: “Annual coding was subjected to rigorous testing, with … Continue Reading

The tax-return deadline has been and gone and for many, getting everything in order for the dreaded day of reckoning, was a tedious ordeal. To avoid a headache in 2011, a belated New Year’s resolution should be to keep your books up-to-date for a stress free year-end.

For small businesses, keeping track of cash flow can be a struggle. With limited staff, or none at all, keeping on top of accounting often falls by the wayside in busy periods.

There are some simple steps you can take to make sure your business finances start, and end, 2010 in order.

• Set up a … Continue Reading

To launch my new ‘Twitter Tuesday’s’, starting next week (9th February), where I will be answering all accountancy related questions for one hour from 11am, today’s blog looks at the business benefits of this growing phenomenon.

Love it or loathe it, Twitter is becoming an irrepressible force that’s hard to ignore. While it started life as a place for celebrities to talk about themselves, increasingly, Twitter is becoming a useful marketing tool for businesses large and small, allowing for instant customer interaction and the potential for increased website traffic.

With current users at around the 5 million mark, Twitter presents an opportunity … Continue Reading