Blogs

VAT can feel like the moment your business “levels up” … and then immediately starts trying to trip you up. I’ve seen brilliant small businesses grow fast, hit the VAT point, and suddenly feel like they’re working for HMRC instead of for themselves. The good news is VAT doesn’t need to take over your business or your cash flow if you plan for it early and set up a few simple habits from day one.

Below are some of the most useful “real life” tips I see small businesses use when they become VAT registered, including a few that save a surprising amount of stress.

As we head into the 2026/2027 tax year (6 April 2026 to 5 April 2027), it’s worth revisiting how dividend income is taxed and how it should be reported on your Self Assessment return.

This is especially relevant for directors and shareholders of small to medium sized limited companies, where dividends are often part of the overall remuneration strategy.

If you’re thinking about your Self Assessment tax return 2025/26, April is the perfect time to get organised early. The tax year runs from 6 April 2025 to 5 April 2026, and once the year ends, you can start preparing your return right away — which means less stress, fewer surprises, and better tax planning.

At Anlo, we take the worry, anxiety and time out of managing your tax. We’re not the kind of accountants who only appear once a year — we’re here to support you, talk things through, and make the whole Self Assessment process feel a lot more manageable.

In plain English, it means keeping your business records in digital form and sending updates to HMRC through approved software, rather than relying on manual processes and last‑minute paperwork.

For most people, the goal is simple: fewer errors, less stress at year end, and a clearer picture of what’s going on in your business as you go. MTD already applies to all VAT registered businesses. VAT‑registered businesses must keep VAT records digitally and submit VAT Returns using MTD‑compatible software.

We wanted to take a moment to update you on a few regulatory and compliance changes that are either already in effect or coming very soon. None of these are intended to alarm, but they are important, and we believe in keeping you informed so there are no surprises.

As we head toward the tax return deadline, I wanted to share a really simple explanation of capital allowances and some important changes that are coming in from 1 January 2026 and April 2026. I know this topic can feel complicated, but my goal is to make it easy to understand and to show how the rules apply in real situations many of you ask me about every year.

If you’re self-employed, earn untaxed income, or have other income streams besides employment income, now is the time to prepare for the 2024–25 tax year as the deadline is the end of January 2026.

What Period Does It Cover?

The 2024–25 tax year runs from 6 April 2024 to 5 April 2025. The deadline is the end of January 2026 to file for this year and to make the paymen

If you run a company in the UK, you’ve probably heard about People with Significant Control (PSC). This isn’t always the same as being a shareholder. You can read up about this here >> Summary guidance for companies: register of people with significant control (PSCs) - GOV.UK.

It might sound complicated, but it’s really about transparency – making sure everyone knows who owns or controls a business.

Knowing which business expenses, you can claim is one of the most effective ways to reduce your tax bill. These allowable expenses are deducted from your income to calculate your taxable profit. HMRC has one key rule - Expenses must be “wholly and exclusively” for the purpose of your trade or the expense must be in the production of income.

If your limited company operates as a subcontractor in the construction industry, you may be familiar with the Construction Industry Scheme (CIS). But how does CIS affect your company’s payroll and PAYE obligations? And how do you manage it all in accounting software like Xero or FreeAgent? Here’s a quick guide to help clarify things.

If you're working in the construction industry, you've probably come across the term CIS – the Construction Industry Scheme. Recently, we’ve had a few clients needing to register for CIS and set it up in their accounting software, so we thought it would be helpful to share what we’ve learned, especially when using platforms like FreeAgent and Xero.

As social media continues to evolve, more people are turning their creativity into income—whether through sponsored posts, affiliate links, or gifted products. If you're one of them, it's worth understanding how HMRC views this kind of income and what that means for your tax responsibilities.

If your business is registered for PAYE and you run a payroll—even if you only have one employee—you will receive correspondence from The Pensions Regulator. This is part of your legal obligation under the Pensions Act 2008, which introduced automatic enrolment for workplace pensions.

Here’s what you need to know:

If you’ve received an email from Companies House asking you to verify your identity, please take action as soon as possible. This is part of a new legal requirement under the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023, which comes into effect on 18 November 2025. From that date, all company directors and people with significant control (PSCs) must verify their identity with Companies House. This change is designed to reduce fraud and improve transparency across UK companies.

If you’ve been claiming non-domicile status and using the remittance basis, things are about to shift. Here’s the short version: the non-dom status is being scrapped. From April 2025, everyone who lives in the UK and is tax resident will be taxed on worldwide income and gains, no matter where it’s earned or whether it’s brought into the UK.

Many clients often ask what they can claim for home office expenses when working from home, and how the rules differ between claiming as a sole trader versus as a director of a limited company. While the amounts you can claim may be similar, the criteria and evidence required are different depending on your business structure. Here's a breakdown of the key differences and what you need to know for each scenario.

As we approach the end of July, this is a timely reminder for those of you registered for Self Assessment: if your 2023/2024 tax return required you to make payments on account, your second prepayment may be due by 31 July 2025.

I want to bring to your attention some important developments that could impact your business, especially if you're a small or medium-sized enterprise (SME). Recent data from HMRC reveals that SMEs now account for 60% of the UK’s £46.8 billion tax gap—the difference between what HMRC expects to collect and what is actually paid. This marks a significant increase from 48% in 2019/20, making SMEs the only sector where the tax gap is still growing.

What You Need to Know for 2025–26. If you rent out a holiday home or short-term let—whether it’s in the Highlands, Cornwall, or anywhere in between—there’s a major tax change coming in April 2025 that could affect how much tax you pay and how you report it. And this affects individuals, companies, and trusts that own or sell FHL properties, whether in the UK or overseas.

As the world of digital currency and cryptocurrency continues to grow, it's essential to understand the tax implications of your investments. If you've received gains from digital currencies, you need to declare these on your tax return. HMRC requires that any gains or income from digital currencies be declared on your tax return. This includes cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin, Ethereum, and other digital assets. Failing to declare these gains can result in penalties and interest charges.