Recent Posts

Forum Questions

Recent Posts

Struggling to pay back a LTD company tax bill

UK Contractor Accountant
adviceneededh3 said:
HMRC changed the rules around this particular scheme the following year or 2 (can't remember when) and the tax accountant who set it up, liquidated his business and was unreachable.
Click to expand...
Quelle Surprise! They always do a disappearing act when the proverbial sh***t hits the fan.

Just like all those dodgy umbrella companies structuring employment pay as loans..... nowhere to be seen when HMRC close the scheme down and go after the employees.
Click to expand...
Upvote 0

Ecommerce platforms

S
Hey everyone, I'm new here so realise I'm a bit late to the party but found this thread really interesting! There are some B2B specific platforms around these days which are gaining popularity - obviously they're not as established as the likes of Magento and WooCommerce, but they are much more suited to the B2B use case - for example they support multi-site customers, customer-specific pricing, credit limits etc out of the box and they usually integrate well with ERPs and accounting systems, which is a massive plus!
WooCommerce and Magento still dominate the space, but these niche players are definitely worth looking at!
Click to expand...
Upvote 0

Looking for insight into filing a small claim against amazon.com (US) from the UK

Porky
According to AG if they do ultimately compensate you its ONLY for your pure cost price NOT the retail price. BUT if the stock later shows up, they sell your stock at the retail price ahead of your own product stock and KEEP the difference - they profit at your expense!

So you not only lose out on the lost stock, future revenue also hit by the retail value of that stock.

Its absolutely shocking but they have such a strangle hold on retail its hard to ignore them.
Click to expand...
Upvote 0

Location based SEO

web-aviso
Kerwin said:
Sorry for the delay in replying.

I've had a think and have decided this is something to deal with later down the line. I need to read up on SEO first as a subject rather than worry about it now. Thanks.
Click to expand...
I would suggest adding this to your homepage as soon as possible.
With 60% of searches ending without a click, businesses need to move from rankings to citations. Also AI models don’t just index keywords; they index 'Entities' that is to say real-world connections between your business, location, and services. So the best thing you can do is to get a consistent digital footprint (NAP: Name, Address, Phone) across as many platforms as you can. Also implement advanced Schema.org markup in your webcode to hand-feed AI bots exactly who you are and what you do.
Click to expand...
Upvote 0

Looking for Freight Forwarder: China → UK (Electric Forklift)

M
han7681 said:
Hi all,
I need a reliable freight forwarder to ship 1 electric forklift from Shanghai Port to the UK.

Cargo:
- Forklift: 1 unit
- Dimensions: 4.1m × 1.42m × 2.3m
- Weight: 5,200 kg
- Lithium‑ion battery (Class 9 DG)
- Packed in a wooden crate
- Pickup from Shanghai Port

Requirements:
- DG‑experienced forwarder (UN3481)
- Handle DG declaration, UN38.3, MSDS, export customs
- UK import clearance

Please message me if you can handle this shipment or can recommend a forwarder with DG experience.
Click to expand...
Hello
Drop us an email.
[email protected]
Click to expand...
Upvote 0

Starting a business alongside working full time paye

MyAccountantOnline
Ironmad said:
Hi everyone

I am looking into setting up a side business along side working full time paye, I have no idea how this would effect my taxable income while having 2 income sources could anyone advise the most efficient way of doing this?

I would be operating as a sole trader

If I need to give anymore information please ask away
Click to expand...

This is exactly how many small businesses start and its not an issue to have PAYE income and sole trader income at the same time. Your PAYE tax continues as normal through your employer, and you declare the sole trader profits separately on a self-assessment tax return.

The sole trader profit is added to your other income and the tax you will pay will depend on your other income.

There are lots of things to consider as a sole trader including registering with HMRC, paying Self Assessment and keeping records for MTD (Making Tax Digital).

The most tax efficient way of trading will depend on your PAYE income, expected profit levels and personal circumstances, it's not always a sole trade, so it's worth taking professional advice from an accountant when you start.
Click to expand...
Upvote 0

Newbie from Edinburgh

MyAccountantOnline
Nikolemaliavsk said:
My name is Nikolem Aliavsk, and I’m based in Edinburgh. I currently work with Umega Letting & Estate Agents, where I’m involved in property management, lettings, sales and client services.I joined this forum to connect with other business professionals, share insights from the property sector, and learn from your experiences across different industries. I’m particularly interested in topics around small business growth, marketing strategies, customer service best practices, and the challenges facing the current UK property market.

Looking forward to engaging with you all and contributing where I can!


Best regards,
Nikolem
Click to expand...

Hi Nikolem welcome to the forum.
Click to expand...
Upvote 0

very worried about January deadlne for tax return

Daybooks
tracey. said:
yes, maybe thats what happened probably thought registering for self assessment and self employment was one and the same thing.
Ive logged onto hmrc with the UTR and cant see on there where to submit the return, although i can see the 'make a payment' link.
I was just going to submit it on free agent but there s a notice saying that once submitted, the 24/25 figures are locked so i am unsure whether to click submit and just see what happens...bit worried because then if it doesnt go to plan, I am a bit stuck!
Click to expand...
There is no Self Employed Register for you to enrol onto.

An obligation to “notify” HMRC arises from section 7 of the Taxes Management Act 1970, which requires anyone who becomes chargeable to income tax or capital gains tax, and who has not been issued with a notice to file a tax return, to inform HMRC of that liability within six months of the end of the tax year.

This duty applies equally to self‑employment income, rental income, gains, or any other taxable source. However, where HMRC has already issued a notice to file a return under section 8 TMA, the duty to notify does not arise: you simply include the new income (such as newly‑started self‑employment) on the return you are already required to submit.

Conversely, if no notice to file has been issued and you begin self‑employment that gives rise to a tax liability, section 7 requires you to notify HMRC by the statutory deadline — but this is not a requirement to “register as self‑employed,” since no such register exists; it is purely the statutory duty to notify chargeability.
Click to expand...
Upvote 0

What have been your best website builders to get up and running quickly whilst being efficient enough to scale long term?

Direct Digital
Dannydee said:
I think I have an idea for an online business that may be a mix of courses and/or services. I have been chatting with ChatGPT all afternoon about my experience and skills in marketing and CMS operations, and it has helped me to narrow down some potential paths to follow.

It has suggested that we use Framer, Carrd, or Webflow to get an MVP and landing page up and running quickly. Carrd isn't much good since branding is very limited. Framer and Webflow appear much better on the surface, but a quick Google search brings up a lot of negative trust pilot reviews, which is disheartening.

What website builders would any of you recommend? I have some experience with WordPress, Wix, and Shopify. Some of which can be quite complicated (especially WordPress and Wix), even tho they sell them as being "easy to use".

I believe there are faster and more efficient alternatives these days (even AI-driven ones where you just enter some info and it builds the site in seconds).

What are the best site builders?

The more functionality, the better. CMS, SEO, payments, email, etc. Everything one would need to build and scale.
Click to expand...
Did you ever build that website?
Click to expand...
Upvote 0

US Drop Shipping & State Nexus Thresholds

sabian1982
  • I have a new ecommerce store that is primarily aimed at the US market (at least for now)
  • I've created a UK based Ltd that the ecom brand operates under to ensure no personal liability
  • All products are sourced, fulfilled and shipped by drop shipping providers in the US
What do I need to know (and do) about US tax and nexus thresholds?

Is it worth (or important) to get an EIN now? I believe this is free and simply a case of a phone call!

Should I simply keep track of the nexus threshold for each respective State, and when I'm 80-90% of the way to reaching that threshold, then look at registering in the respective state?
Click to expand...

FCA fines former Carillion finance directors

Y
Agreed — cases like this matter beyond the headlines. Enforcement at senior finance level sends an important signal that accountability doesn’t stop at the boardroom door, even years after the fact.


While it won’t undo the damage done to employees, suppliers, and pensioners, it does help reinforce that misleading disclosures aren’t just “commercial judgment calls” but regulatory breaches with personal consequences. Consistent follow-through like this is essential if trust in financial reporting is to mean anything.
Click to expand...
Upvote 0

Good managed automated franchises like self-service lockers or laundry

Y
I’d also add that beyond talking to existing franchisees, it’s important to dig into the unit-level economics. Ask for anonymized P&Ls, payback periods, average downtime, and how much revenue is truly “hands-off” versus requiring local intervention (maintenance, customer support, site acquisition).


For automated models like lockers or laundries, service SLAs and maintenance response times are critical — a “passive” franchise can quickly become very active if machines are down. I’d also check how much control the franchisor keeps over pricing, locations, and capex decisions.


If the brand is new to a location, a discount or additional support (reduced fees, guaranteed marketing spend, or buy-back clauses) seems reasonable, as the franchisee is effectively de-risking market entry for the brand.


Ultimately, reliability shows not just in reviews, but in transparency and how willing the franchisor is to share uncomfortable data.
Click to expand...
Upvote 0

Regional Magazine distribution - Menzies? EDI? is the hassle worth it?

J
I feel your pain with Menzies—dealing with big distributors can be a proper nightmare. If you’re only quarterly and regional, the "big distributor" route can definitely eat into your margins quickly, but getting into Tesco is a massive win for brand visibility, so I can see why you’re tempted.

Regarding the EDI side of things, it’s worth looking at TrueCommerce. I’ve seen them handle this kind of setup quite well; they’re generally much more approachable than the big legacy systems and make the whole process feel a lot more manageable for smaller publishers who aren't tech experts. If you can get the EDI side streamlined and affordable through them, it might just make the Tesco deal worth the hassle.
Click to expand...
Upvote 0

Shopify store sole trader

alamest
Yes, this is covered by your tax return categories.


• Shopify/PayPal transaction fees usually go under Bank, credit card and other financial charges.
• Shopify monthly fees, domain and account costs are typically Office costs or Other business expenses.
• Payments to EU freelancers are normally Wages and other staff costs, or Professional fees if they’re contractors rather than employees.


As long as everything is wholly for the business and you keep good records, you don’t need to overcomplicate it. If unsure, an accountant can confirm.
Click to expand...
Upvote 0

Have you ever outsourced admin support? How did it work for you?

P
On the other side of things (as the VA), I've found it works best when there are clear SOPs. If you want things done a certain way then be upfront with this, We don't mind (Well i don't!) some of my clients use Looms to show how they like it done. Means I can go back to it without bothering them.

The flip side, I've had a client say they had so much admin that needed doing but didn't actually want to hand anything over. That became difficult and we ended up deciding it wasn't the right time for them.

Some people don't feel they need it because they handle it themselves, but what's important to be aware of is it eating into evenings and weekends when you should be focusing on growth... or life!
Click to expand...
Upvote 0
Load more

Filter

Top Bottom
Community
Articles
Menu