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Small biz MoneySaving

Archives for February 2016

Cloud based storage for applications
I wonder if anyone could recommend a provider of this please. I have a small business and need to have an application hosted in the cloud (along with some file storage) so that I can access it from office or home (possibly via RDP) but I dont want to have to leave office pc on all the time. It will only be for one user so…
Late payments of Invoices by NHS
hi all, OH has recently started providing services to the NHS. She invoices them monthly (low amount) and gives 30-day term for payment. They tend to pay 2-3 months late. We checked HMRC's website to understand "interest on late commercial payments" and "claim debt recovery costs on late payments" The interest is…
Opening business bank account problems
Hi all I am selling my business, it's a convenience store. I have a buyer, he has never run a business before and is a sole trader. He needs a bank account to run the business of course and also take over the services such as the lottery and needs to provide Camelot with a bank account and sort code. He has tried a few…
Accountancy service for very small business
I've been running a small business for a little while by selling apps on the Apple App Store. I make the apps myself in my spare time with no costs, I upload them to Apple, and then every month Apple make a payment to the bank account I provided, from which they have already taken out their cut and VAT. The business is…
Finance lease or lease purchase on new van ?
Hi , I'm hoping someone can advise on my current situation , I'm a sole trader , non vat registered , do my own sa , but looking into getting an accountant after this coming april . My question is as above , which option would be best for me ? I ideally would like to own the van at the end of the term , obviously after…
Rent a shelf shop
I run local craft and wedding fayres. One of my regular stall holders is opening a vintage tea room with a smaller lockable shop next to it and they have offered to sublet it to me for £35 per week all in as a rent a shelf shop. The shop is roughly 21ft by 21ft. It's too good an opportunity to miss so I've decided to give…
Am I better of flat rate vat?
Hi. I run a business supplying a product to the customer which is 90 percent general public. I'm not at the vat threshold yet but probably will be in my next year's trading as the business is growing rapidly, I've just gone from sole trader to self employed. I'm having a mental block on whether I should go vat reg and if I…
Limited Company Buying a Van
I have just set up a limited company and trying to understand some of the tax rules. Am I able to buy a van as part of the business (it's a building company) and claim back the full amount? I read something about the AIA (Annual Investment Allowance) but don't fully understand how it works. If the answer is yes, how do I…
Selling shares of business and settin up new one with "poached" clients
I was looking for some general advise. My husband has a 40% share of an Electrical company, his partner has the remaining 60%. This has worked for 3 years now but my OH does majority of the running of the business and has gotten pretty fed up of his partner. Recently, their main client has gotten so fed up of the business…
Late Payment Of Invoices By Local Council
Hi I run my own small transport firm and invoice the council on a regular basis, they are now getting to be later and later with payments, I have a 30 day standard agreement with them. I have started to invoice them for late payments but they are now saying that they class me as having been paid when they make a BACS…
Starting up a House clearance/recycle business
Hi, I am looking for some advice/help/information, me a friend and a couple of family members are looking into starting up a House Clearance business, along with offering other services, garden clearance, carpet cleaning etc. I have only just started to look into this, and seen that we will need to obtain a waste deposal…
small business phone/broadband packages
Not sure if this is the right place to get the best response but I can't find any other area for business utilities I am setting up a mortgage brokerage, initially from home (for the first 12 months) I need some help with phone numbers. I don't know the difference between 0345 0845 0300 etc. I want to install a phone…
NI Class 2 - when to pay?
Hi, I registered as self employed in autumn 2015. Things are going OK and I expect to do my self assessment for this tax year on or after April 6th, but, I'm confused as to the wording on the govt site regarding when I can/should pay Class 2 National Insurance. In my mind, I expect to get a payment request from HMRC for NI…
Registering a Business
Hi All, I have recently been made redundant but have an opportunity to work as a freelancer doing some legal reports for some solicitors. I have been asked to register at Companies House as a limited company, for no other reason than for due diligence purposes and looking more professional. I don't mind any of this but…
Funding a business purchase
Whats the best way, we have some cash but not enough, it's an already trading business with what looks at first glance of the accounts as a good gross profit/net profit. We have plenty of equity in the house. This would be a business for my OH so only looking at replacing her wages, though we could survive for a couple of…
Free logo/design software
Does anyone know where I can design a logo and obtain vector files for free? I keep going on the "free" sites via google and when I've finished my design they want me to pay loads. I really don't have the budget to pay a lot and I have to do my own web design so if anyone could recommend a site I'd be very grateful MM
Software developer entrepreneurs - what is your toolkit?
I was looking into what tools I would need to buy to develop an app: 1) visual studio community edition - free 2) sql server developer edition - about £50 I would be interested to hear what other developers have in their toolkit. How much do you spend per year on tools? How long have you been in business? Do you have any…
Payments from Abroad, Charge Fee or Not?
I'm trying to figure out how not to lose a bit of money on my next payment for a client. The client is based in the US, and the first payment was a bit of a pain. My first bill for the client was £670, unfotunately they sent me a cheque in the dollars equivalent taken on the day they sent the cheque to the UK, even though…
recycling initiatives to raise money for charity
I am a manager of a Leeds based charity shop. I am trying to find additional sources of income for the shop and in turn the charity as a whole. I know it is possible to do things such as recycle damaged or old jewellry (not specifically gold or silver) for cash and I would love to know if anyone had any suggestions or…
Un-incorporated society committee Minutes & Agendas
An un-incorporated society, how public should the Committee meeting Minutes & Agendas be? It is a membership based group that invites the public to join, & produces public performances. I assume members should have access to the minutes, but what about the Agenda for a future meeting? Or should they both be as public as…

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MSE News

Ofgem proposes new 'no standing charge' Price Cap – but Martin Lewis warns vulnerable customers need to be opted in or it won't work
Ofgem has today launched detailed proposals for a major shake up to its Energy Price Cap that dictates the price over 80% of homes in England, Scotland and Wales pay for their energy bills.
Lloyds, Halifax and Bank of Scotland to cut overdraft rates for millions but hike them for others – here's what's happening and full help
If you're a Lloyds, Halifax or Bank of Scotland current account holder, the interest rate you're charged for using your overdraft could change soon as part of a fees shake-up. The Lloyds Banking Group, which owns all three brands, says millions of its customers will pay less after the changes – but a "few" will pay more.
Warm Home Discount expansion confirmed with millions more eligible for the £150 top-up this winter – here's what we know
Around 2.7 million more low-income households, including 900,000 families with children, will become eligible for the £150 Warm Home Discount this winter, as the Government has confirmed it will remove the existing 'hard to heat' eligibility criteria. The extension has only been confirmed for winter 2025/26, with further changes possible for future years.
Martin Lewis: At last a chance to fix Council Tax flaws impacting millions – debt collection, difficulty challenging your band, discounts and more
Major flaws in the Council Tax system in England could finally be fixed in future, as the Government has launched a wide-ranging consultation to review hideous debt collection practices, the difficulty of challenging your band, the overly complex and horribly-named Severe Mental Impairment discount and more. MoneySavingExpert.com founder Martin Lewis, who has long campaigned on these issues, shares his response and analysis.
Energy complaints to be dealt with more quickly and Energy Ombudsman to get new powers under Government plans
If you have a complaint about your energy firm, it may be resolved more quickly in future, as the Government has announced a raft of proposals to strengthen consumer protections in the energy market. The planned changes include giving the Energy Ombudsman new powers to force firms to comply with its decisions – but it's still very early days. Here's what we know so far.
Warm Home Discount expansion confirmed with millions more eligible for the £150 top-up this winter – here's what we know
Around 2.7 million more households, including 900,000 families with children, will become eligible for the £150 Warm Home Discount this winter, as the Government has confirmed it will remove the existing 'hard to heat' eligibility criteria. The extension has only been confirmed for winter 2025/26, with further changes possible for future years.
Base rate held at 4.25% – here's what it means and when it might be cut next
The Bank of England has held the base rate at 4.25%. Below we explain why, when it might be cut, plus what it means for your mortgage and savings.
Applied for South West Trains 'boundary fares' compensation? Act now to claim it
If you applied for compensation from South West Trains before the deadline in January 2025, you now need to provide your bank details to the claim administrator so it can be paid to you. Here's what you need to know.
Winter Fuel Payments to be reinstated for millions – Martin Lewis explains how it'll work, what it means and if it's an improvement
All State Pensioners in England and Wales will receive a Winter Fuel Payment this winter, though those who earn over £35,000 will see it clawed back through the tax system. It means nine million pensioners will get the £200 or £300 top-up. Here MoneySavingExpert.com founder Martin Lewis shares his instant response and analysis, and we include answers to your key questions.

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Small biz MoneySaving

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