Autumn Budget 2018
On 29 October, Philip Hammond gave his autumn Budget speech. With Brexit on the horizon, this was a Budget taking place at a time of uncertainty. Regardless, Mr Hammond claimed that his speech represented the first steps towards the end…
St Leonards Business Receives Prestigious Award
Local business Plastipack Ltd has been awarded the 2018 Institute of Physics Business Innovation Award for the development of EnergyGuard™ Selective Transmission material in collaboration with the University of Surrey. The award recognises Plastipack’s excellence in innovation, delivering significant economical…
Super-Complaint Launched By Citizens Advice Over Loyalty Penalty
Citizens Advice has revealed customers who stay loyal to their providers are losing out on over £4 billion a year. The national charity has lodged a super-complaint with the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA), calling for the regulator to outline…
Tax On Dividends
I run a small limited company with my wife. In previous years we have each taken a small salary then dividends from the remaining profits. This has previously left us with no tax bills. Now I find we both have…
Beware of Fake Bailiff Fraudsters
Small business owners around the UK are being warned about a telephone scam involving bogus bailiffs claiming thousands of pounds, supposedly arising from unpaid fees for online marketing. The alias of “Sam Jones” of Bristol enforcement agency Able Investigations and…
Questions and Answers
In a brief period of unemployment, I did a little bit of self-employed freelance work. I now have another full-time job. Do I need to report this income? If your total income from self-employment was less than £1,000, then you…
No Excuse for Lateness
With the pressure of running a business, it is easy to overlook deadlines. As previously mentioned in these pages, the penalties from missing the tax return deadline can be high. If you run your business through a limited company, then…
Questions and Answers
I’m VAT registered and I have just bought a second-hand vehicle for the business. Is there any VAT I can reclaim on this purchase? If the vehicle you have purchased is a car, it is extremely unlikely you will be…
Who’s Wearing What
There is fashion and there is style and Rebecca Lewison-White has brought them together, along with a good dash of fun, at her St. Leonards boutique, Who’s Wearing What. The modestly-sized premises in London Road belie the range of garments…
Iain Exley Architect
Up to about 10 years ago, architect Iain Exley was living in London. He then decided to move to Hastings with his wife and children. Part of the reason for the move was that it was a good place for…