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Small biz MoneySaving

Archives for June 2016

cleaning business questions
I was wondering if anyone got a cleaning company who could pm me. With help in knowing what to charge please I have phoned a few companies locally who use contract cleaners. And explained I was looking into starting. And was wondering about pricing. In fairness they did give me rough invoice prices etc. But I wanted a…
Charge company for home office use
I have a limited company and work from home quite often, weekends, some days and evenings, around 30 hours per week. I was wondering if I can charge the LTD company flat rate working from home charge £312 per year? Do I pay this to my personal account from the business bank account? Would I then need to declare this as…
Importing from China for a charity
I would like to import some (around 350) leads and collars from China for use in animal rescue. I run a registered animal charity. I'm really confused regarding paying import duty and/or tax. Do we get any help/discount as a charity? Thank you all
Small Business - Financial Services Compensation Scheme
Advice and ideas please. I am in the fortunate position of having a small business banking account with a balance, built up over many years, in excess of the £75,000 figure which the FSCS would cover should my bank fail. I use this account to draw a modest but steady monthly salary - I am hoping to draw down my business…
Side Business set up. need HELP!
I am 29 and have been employed since leaving school. I currently have a job which pays me 29500 per year before tax. i know nothing about self employment or tax! i have set up a little business making and selling a product/products which i have in the past few months started selling on big cartel and making a profit on as…
clarification over directors paye
hi all, looking for some advice, having recently set up a ltd company with a friend of mine, we are looking for advice on the paye aspect. the business has work but very few and far between at the moment so we haven't paid ourselves as yet, but have decided on the recommended £155pw, we are all registered with hmrc for…
Re-filling of trademarks and patents
Pincent Mason lawyers have given a heads-up that businesses will have to re-register patents and trademarks as we withdraw from the EU harmonised system (and maintain them separately in Europe). If anyone here has a business relying on IP of any sort, it's worth planning for. It's a shame for sure, London was going to be…
The value of cash in the bank
Don't underestimate the value of money in readily accessible form - bad cash flow is more damaging to a business than a bad deal. Discount by a modest percentage in order to get a buffer in the bank - caviar next week means nothing if you're going to starve this week. I'm currently working on a project where the cash flow…
Losing investment
Cheers, Brexiters, already this morning I know of three local small businesses who have lost investment because of this, the pound is on its knees, and we're going to be spending a fortune to undo decades of work. Has anyone's business been positively affected by the news overnight?
VAT Registration
Hi I'm in the process of buying a business (boarding kennels) that is VAT registered. Accountant advises that I register for VAT. I started down the TOGC route and got as far as "When did the business transfer?" It hasn't yet. I don't seem able to find a way to back out of the system and start again just ot register me…
Online ticket sales for charity event
Hi, I'm trying to organise a charity event, a gig raising money for Macmillan. I would like to be able to direct people to online ticket sales but am baffled by all the sites that offer this and given I want tickets to be £5 they charge a large percentage. Anybody have any experience/recommendations of how I can sell…
Fund raising advice
Posted in Benefits but cross posting here as it maybe someone maybe able to advise This may not even be in the right place but I need to start somewhere - it may need to be in small biz. History I have MS I am fundraising to pay for treatment, (not asking for money here this is not what this is about) I am having very very…
Accepting Paypal for a small business (building trade)
Hi, My partner has a small business in the building trade and usually accepts bank transfers, cash or cheques. However he has been asked if he can accept a credit card or paypal payment. I am assuming there would be fees involved in this? Also i'm worried about the client being able to scam or reclaim the money back in…
Investing in a new small venture
My son-in-law is a Risk Manager with a large finance company. He is planning to start a venture as a silent partner with an old friend (a local builder) which will buy, refurb and sell small properties. His plan was to take out a mortgage on my daughter's apartment of £60k. As I have that amount of money 'spare' earning…
Basic food hygiene certificate
Hi, I'm setting up as self employed doing home help type work, one of the things I'm offering is helping to cook a meal so I want to get a basic food hygiene certificate. I need to do it online, can anyone recommend a company to do it through? There are so many companies and I'm not sure which are legitimate. Thanks
Will home insurance cover a home business?
I'm still in the planning and ideas stage of a small business, working from home. I have no idea if my home insurance will cover the small business (making and selling crafts). Technically it's not MY home insurance, it's under my mother's name (we live together) so would that affect whether my business would be covered?…
VAT query
I have setup a limited company and am registered for VAT. I'm moving all my clients over from my sole-trader business to my Limited, it's the same line of business so they're all happy and prices remain same other than VAT. I am still transitioning from sole-trader to limited so some invoices will be paid to my old…
Work van - lease/hire purchase?
My husband's work van is becoming unreliable and cost us a fortune in repairs recently, so we are looking into leasing or hire purchase. Would really welcome advice and recommendations. Thanks in advance :)
Feedback Please - Starting a Non-Profit Org
Hi all so I've taken a bold step at the age of 25 to start my own company that will focus on being non-profit and impacting the community (Considering going CIC Investment) I would love the feedback of this wonderful community. The idea is to set up a social supermarket in my town as a way to ensure every single person can…
Transfer of Sole Trader business to wife
Hi, just looking for some advice. I've been running a small online business for a couple of months and project it'll make some money. I've got a new job and don't have time to run it. My wife works part-time and she would be keen to carry it on. Is it acceptable for her to register as a sole trader and for me just to sell…

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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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