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Small biz MoneySaving

Archives for June 2017

First VAT return question
Hi there all, My husband and I set up a new business we have am accountant doing all of our accounts. Can I ask when the first vat return has to be in as I thought it was every 3 months? Thats what it says online also. Business started 8th may, so I thought August? Account has said you get 5 months to put first one in, is…
Using accountant address as business address in the registration form.
I have to register as a sole trader, as I do freelance stuff (I'm also full time employed). I shouldn't use my home address as registered business address, cause I would have change tenancy agreement and my landlord is not very keen on this idea. I've heard I can use accountant address as the registered company address,…
Business rates help please
Could anybody please tell me about business rates for a new startup ie when they kick in . Is there an initial time before you pay and what they are based on ie how much do you pay.
Do we have to take a salary?
Hello! Have been browsing the forum and online for a while but couldn't find a definitive answer. My partner and I are looking to start our own business in the very near future. To begin with, it will only be at evenings/weekends and we will both continue to work full time for the time being. My question is, for the first…
Please deletr
Ignore please delete
No receipts - can I claim expenses?
Hi everyone, I have been trading on eBay for a few months now and it has got to the point where I need to register as a Sole Trader and self-assess. At first, I was just 'trying it out' so I haven't kept receipts for a few large items I purchased, like a printer and some storage units. I do have these items on my bank…
trustees
my local village hall has asked me to be a trustee, but I'm worried whether I'd be financially liable if they went bust. does anyone know how this works please?
Sole Trader: Can I Reclaim IT Costs
So am just about to embark on some freelance consultancy work. I already have a Macbook, which I do not intend to claim for, but I need to buy some software specifically to perform the consultancy, such as Parallels. In total should be less than £100. Is this allowable? Thank you.
Health and Safety
Afternoon people, A property management company wants to see my health and safety policy and statement. Now as I'm a one man band I have no legal need for this, is there anywhere online free where I can get a template and edit it for my needs. Thanks
Commercial & Domestic Cleaning - requesting help
Afternoon All My wife has set herself up as a domestic cleaner and is extremely busy but we've had a couple of low-key commercial enquiries which is a very different ballgame to domestic and not an area either of us know about (I'm an IT Project Manager so nothing I've ever done!) Does anyone have experience or can point…
Insurance for renting items
Hi, I was looking at renting certain gadgets through my small business and wondered if there was a specific type of insurance that would insure the items I rented out? Many thanks Dave
eBay/Amazon Biz
Hi all, like most families nowadays we struggle month to month, we have 2 young babies so the other half is struggling to manage to work due to not been able to afford child care.... I was hoping we could get some info on eBay/Amazon business, do people still make money doing this and if so can yo please give me some…
How to raise profits in a charity shop
I volunteer for a small charity shop that sells mostly £1 items. The shop makes anywhere between £75 to £135 a day. On a nice warm sunny day the profits are on average £75 and on a wet day they are about £45 on average. The manager told me a few weeks ago that the shop was on the brink of closure should sales not improve.…
Selling on Ebay...oh man,what the heck do I need to record for Self Assessment?
So for the last few months I've been selling things on Ebay and keeping zero records. Now I registered for Self Assessment Tax Return I need to tell them some details that I don't really know. What do they need to know and how do I find the information? Do the "Fees" for Paypal and Ebay count as an expense? If so do you…
Tax & Small Business
Evening My partner and I are both health professionals and hope to set up an independent private practice together, but are unsure how to register the business for tax purposes. I work full time for the NHS and my partner works part time - therefore my partner would be doing more work for our business, but I would still…
Shopify
I'm thinking of starting a shopify site to sell my handmade items. I have a Facebook following of about 5000 so I think I would do well if I linked the two. Has anyone found it to be any good or do you know of a site that's better than that except etsy! I need to be able to run it from my phone.
Client won't pay fee fairly due, what can be done?
Hi, We are a small biz and are having issues with a client that won't pay the full amount due. We are a professional design company. We wrote in advance to notify the client of an increased fee that would be due for further work they had requested. They were annoyed by this and terminated all of our services. They did this…
Can I claim mileage?
I work as a self employed dental nurse. I have previously claimed mileage, I submitted all my paperwork to my bookkeeper in April and have been informed I can no longer claim mileage I was wondering if anyone could confirm that this is correct. Many thanks
Self assessment tax help - partnerships
I set up a partnership with a friend 2 years ago when I was 19. We had 0 income or expenditures and it was quickly forgotten about. I have not filed a tax return for both tax years. I have now finally gained access to my tax service account and although I can see there are returns that need to be filed, there is no option…
Commision Sales - Tax Returns
Hi , can anyone please give me some advice on commission sale s. I sell various items online / through contacts ( usually musical instruments ) , recently have been asked to do commission sales from a few of my customers. How would this work in relation with my Tax return as I would only be making a percentage of the sale…

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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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