The economic downturn may still be putting pressure on enterprise, but a quarter (26%) of small businesses are nevertheless giving a higher priority to environmental considerations this year, according to a report released by Abbey and Alliance & Leicester Business Banking.

16% of small businesses were found to have downgraded environmental issues this year in order to keep their firms afloat, with nearly half of them blaming the cost. In addition, 42% reported that they are held back from improving their environmental practices.

Around one in six (17%) have not been able to make their companies more environmentally sound, as desired improvements … Continue Reading

A new Charter setting out what individuals, businesses and other groups dealing with HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) can expect from the department, as well as what it expects from them, was launched today.

Under the Charter, HMRC gives a commitment to:

• respect individuals and businesses;
• help and support them to get things right;
• treat them as honest;
• treat them even-handedly;
• be professional and act with integrity;
• tackle people who deliberately break the rules and challenge those who bend the rules;
• protect their information and respect their privacy;
• accept that someone else can represent them; and
• do all it can to keep the cost of dealing with HMRC as low … Continue Reading
  

New research from uSwitchforBusiness.com suggests that a feeling of optimism is growing among SMEs. The research reveals that over four in ten SME owners (42%) report seeing some signs of economic recovery, with a further 1% saying that these signs are strong.

The findings also reveal a small increase in the number of small businesses confident that they will survive, with 81% now of the belief that they will get through the downturn, compared with 76% in the first quarter of this year.

However, small business owners still expect the recession to have a long lasting impact. Over a quarter (27%) … Continue Reading

Statistics showing insolvencies in the third quarter of 2009 were published today (6th November 2009) by the Insolvency Service.

There were 4,716 compulsory liquidations and creditors’ voluntary liquidations in total in England and Wales in the third quarter of 2009 (on a seasonally adjusted basis). This was a decrease of 4.7% on the previous quarter but an increase of 14.6% on the same period a year ago.

This was made up of 1,301 compulsory liquidations (which are down 9.8% on the previous quarter and down 12.9% on the corresponding quarter of the previous year), and 3,415 creditors voluntary liquidations (which are … Continue Reading

Over £6.4 billion could be saved by businesses every year by taking simple money saving steps, according to a new Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra) campaign launched today at the WRAP annual conference.

Environment Secretary Hilary Benn will encourage businesses to recognise the benefits of resource efficiency measures for their bottom line and the environment. Research by WRAP shows that 47% of businesses recognise they could make savings of over £100k through low and no cost efficiency measures – such as turning off equipment when it’s not being used – with 17% identifying over £1m of potential savings. … Continue Reading

Offshore tax dodgers are being warned they have one final chance to come clean, or face the consequences, in a YouTube video posted by HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC).

In the two-minute video, Dave Hartnett, HMRC’s Permanent Secretary for Tax, warns that anyone with undeclared offshore bank accounts who doesn’t come forward under HMRC’s New Disclosure Opportunity (NDO) will face much higher penalties and even criminal prosecution.

Dave Hartnett says:

“For some people, offshore bank accounts and tax havens typically conjure up images of exotic and far away places, well out of the reach of the taxman at home. Well, life’s just not … Continue Reading

It’s been a really busy few weeks for Accounts Assist.

During October we appeared in:

• Sunday Telegraph – Cut tax by ensuring you claw deductions back, by Anita Brook
• Buckinghamshire and Winslow Advertiser – Five minutes with Anita Brook
• Home Business Network – Achieving a good work-life balance when working from home, by Anita Brook
• SMEweb – Finance for franchising, by Anita Brook
• BusinessWings.co.uk – What to look for when choosing a franchise, by Anita Brook

You can view our latest press coverage here.

And that’s not all. We’re also delighted to announce that Accounts Assist have been named finalists in the New Business of the … Continue Reading