If you work from home as a sole trader and you pay for things like internet, heating, or cleaning, you’re probably wondering which of those VAT charges you can reclaim — and how to show HMRC you did it properly. I’ve helped dozens of small business owners sort this out in Xero, and it’s easier than it looks once you follow a sensible, documentable approach.What VAT you can (and can’t)...
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I’ve had more than a few clients panic when they get a letter from HMRC asking for their accounting records —...
Year-end can feel like a sprint you didn’t sign up for. As someone who spends a lot of time helping micro and small...
I remember the knot in my stomach the first time a major client missed a payment. It wasn’t just the money — it was...
I remember the first time a new client asked me to recommend a bookkeeper. They were overwhelmed—but also relieved to hand over day-to-day bookkeeping. What many small business owners don’t realise is that finding someone who’s technically capable is only part of the job. The other...
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I work with a lot of businesses that rely on machinery, vehicles or specialist kit — cafés with espresso machines, small manufacturers with CNCs, builders with vans and diggers. One question I get asked more than any other is: how can I plan capital purchases so I don’t pay more tax than I...
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I’ve spent years helping retail shops, cafés and small restaurants tidy up their books, and one lesson keeps repeating: small bookkeeping errors quietly eat into profit until a sudden review reveals a worrying hole. In this post I’ll walk you through the most common, sneaky mistakes I see in...
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Running a small business means living with a certain amount of uncertainty — seasonal demand, late-paying customers, sudden repairs, or an unexpected tax bill can all knock your cashflow off balance. I always recommend building an emergency cash reserve: a dedicated pot of money that keeps you...
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Running a café means cash moves fast — cups of coffee, sandwiches, stock deliveries and wages all need to be tracked closely. I often recommend a simple, free spreadsheet as the first line of defence for weekly cashflow management. It’s flexible, quick to set up and gives immediate visibility...
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Choosing between cash and accruals accounting is one of the first practical decisions every service business faces — and it’s one that affects how you see your cash position, how you manage tax, and how you talk about performance. I help lots of small service businesses make this choice, so...
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I’m often asked by small limited company owners which tax reliefs they should be claiming and, more importantly, how to make sure they aren’t leaving money on the table. Over the years I’ve helped dozens of micro and small companies identify and apply for reliefs that are simple to claim yet...
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Getting your payroll ready for its first PAYE submission can feel like standing at the edge of a cliff — one small slip and HMRC will certainly let you know. I’ve run payroll setups for dozens of small businesses, and the difference between a smooth first Full Payment Submission (FPS) and a...
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I work with a lot of small, seasonal businesses — market stalls, tourist accommodation, pop‑up cafés, Christmas shops and online sellers whose turnover spikes for a few months and trickles for the rest of the year. VAT is one of the most common sources of cashflow shocks for them: a busy...
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VAT inspections are stressful for many small business owners — I’ve been there with clients who suddenly get a letter from HMRC asking for records. The good news is that most inspections are straightforward if your bookkeeping is tidy and you know where your records live. Below I give a...
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