Articles & Insights (Index)

2nd May 2019

The Use of Holograms in Licensing

For the licensor, holograms help to protect brand integrity by distinguishing between approved products and counterfeits – acting as a form of quality control. Licensees…

2nd May 2019

The need to knows when it comes to royalty auditing in the fashion industry

If you’re a big global brand like, for example, David Beckham, you will be able to sell millions of pounds worth of fashion items like…

2nd April 2019

Tax FAQs for authors

Q: What are the most common mistakes on tax returns? The most common error is to show income after the deduction of agent’s commission and…

2nd April 2019

Top tips for record-keeping on the road

1. If you’re using a car for business purposes, it’s important to keep a log of business miles. If this isn’t possible all the time,…

1st April 2019

Can I be employed and self-employed at the same time?

I'm a journalist on a casual contract and an artist - should I remain on PAYE or become self-employed?

1st April 2019

Conflicts of interest: a timely reminder

Identifying and dealing correctly with a potential conflict of interest within your charity is fundamental to its continuing operation and fundraising ability. It is vital…

1st April 2019

Forget the end of year tax rush, top tax-saving tips for investors in 2019/20

If you can start the new tax year off by saving you will have more flexibility to look around and ask yourself whether certain savings…

21st March 2019

HW Fisher advises The Fattal Group on entry into central London hotel market

20 March 2019, London - top 30 chartered accountancy firm, HW Fisher, has advised The Fattal Hotel Group on accounting aspects for its acquisition of…

20th March 2019

Spring Statement 2019

Chancellor Philip Hammond’s second Spring Statement was delivered against a backdrop of political turmoil, following the voting down of Prime Minister Theresa May’s Brexit withdrawal…

19th March 2019

How to prepare your business for Brexit

How well prepared for Brexit are you? Probably not very if you’re being honest with yourself. Last month the Federation of Small Business (FSB), warned…

12th March 2019

Top tips on tax aspects of your business

In times of political and economic uncertainty, it is more important than ever for businesses to consider the scope for tax savings in order to…

21st February 2019

Thinking about selling your business?

Here are our top tips if you're considering selling your business and what you can expect from the sale process.

4th February 2019

Why are accountants getting their sums wrong?

When bosses at the top four audit firms were asked by Parliament last week whether they were happy with the quality of the audits they…

30th January 2019

Insolvencies on the rise

The official insolvency figures for the fourth quarter of 2018 were released on 28th January 2019. Brian Johnson, business recovery and insolvency partner here at…

7th January 2019

A miscellany of hints, tips and wrinkles for writers based in the UK

UK writers have to cope with income tax, national insurance, sometimes VAT, and record-keeping. This may seem overwhelming at times and professional advice can be…

2nd January 2019

How to manage cash flow: 5 quick tips

If you’ve woken up in the middle of the night in a cold sweat worrying about how you are going to pay the wages for…

2nd January 2019

Capital allowances: a guide for authors

Capital allowances let you claim tax relief on capital expenditure. Relief is available on items such as computers, office furniture and equipment, reference library, vehicles…

17th December 2018

Author expenses – a checklist

It's important to know what expenses you can claim as an author; it may be more than you think, especially if you use your home…

29th November 2018

HMRC preferred creditor status renewal from 2020 a regressive move

Brian Johnson, business recovery and insolvency partner at HW Fisher assesses the impact of the Chancellor's announcement that HMRC will become a preferred creditor in…

31st October 2018

Autumn Budget 2018

Chancellor Philip Hammond has delivered his second Autumn Budget, exactly five months before Britain is due to leave the European Union.

26th October 2018

Autumn Budget 2018 Predictions

Ahead of the Budget next week, two of our partners here at HW Fisher, Tim Walford-Fitzgerald and Toby Ryland consider what the Budget might hold.

12th June 2018

Making Tax Digital for VAT

The first stage of the Government’s Making Tax Digital (MTD) programme is being introduced in April 2019.

14th March 2018

Spring Statement 2018

Chancellor Philip Hammond has presented his first Spring Statement, with something of a spring in his step.

22nd January 2018

Major customer insolvency: how to lessen the impact on your business

When a large company like Carillion becomes insolvent the impact on its supply chain can be devastating, and will leave many suppliers wondering what to…

8th January 2018

Making tax digital: Taxing transformations

Remember the plans for quarterly tax returns? Simon Whaley finds out what writers need to do now, in preparation.

4th January 2018

How to fill out your self-assessment tax return online, claim expenses and the allowances you need to know about now

It's nearly that time of year again: the dreaded self-assessment tax deadline falls in little over a month and more than 10 million of us…

2nd January 2018

HW Fisher & Company broker deal to save football news site Squawka

HW Fisher & Company has successfully brokered the sale of the football news site Squawka to the global media firm Catena.

23rd November 2017

Budget 2017 highlights

Philip Hammond’s second Budget as Chancellor has the unique distinction of being the second Budget to be delivered in one year.

14th November 2017

No respite for tax relief – where the Budget axe could fall

Chancellor Phillip Hammond takes to the Despatch Box in November to deliver his second Budget of 2017.

3rd November 2017

Interest rate rise will haunt Britain’s army of zombie firms

It’s the stuff of economic nightmares, but this week’s interest rate rise brought it a step closer to reality.

3rd November 2017

Bracing for Brexit – Event review

In November HW Fisher & Company assembled a panel of leading thinkers from the worlds of business, politics and journalism to assess the impact Brexit…

1st November 2017

Business confidence in Brexit negotiations evaporates – yet the first casualty is perception rather than profit

A clear majority of business leaders are worried – but increasingly fatalistic – about Brexit, according to our new analysis.

21st August 2017

Corporation tax: The race Britain can never win

Like it or not, Brexit is beginning and the effects are impacting businesses in the UK. But, while we are starting to see the fallout,…

15th August 2017

Accounts and tax: A small business guide to managing your finances

You’ve decided to branch out on your own. Your business plan is solid and you’ve chosen how to trade. You’ve sorted your bank account, insurance…

15th August 2017

Why tech firms shouldn’t panic about Brexit and the hung parliament

Ross Fabian, partner at accountancy firm HW Fisher, explains why we shouldn’t worry about Brexit – the UK tech industry is strong enough to stand…

15th June 2017

Thinking of setting up a financial business? What you need to know.

If you’re ready to go it alone in the financial services sector, you’ll understand the need for a comprehensive business plan backed up by incisive…

28th May 2017

Outsourcing Vs Insourcing – when should your financial firm resource on demand?

Financial firms are outsourcing an increasing variety of tasks, from IT and fintech to lead generation and customer relationship management, back-office functions, and accounting.

17th May 2017

How the new IHT rules are confusing families

These days, you don’t have to be hugely wealthy to be affected by Inheritance Tax (IHT). House prices have risen steadily over the years, meaning…

16th May 2017

Trusts and keeping wealth in the family

For the average person, the sums reported in the annual publication of the Sunday Times Rich List are beyond imagination.

11th May 2017

What small businesses want from Brexit

Now that Theresa May has triggered Article 50, the UK looks set to enter a lengthy period of debate and speculation as to what the…

27th April 2017

HW Fisher creates six new partners as growth strategy expands both team and expertise

HW Fisher & Company has promoted five existing staff to partner and appointed Ross Fabian as an audit partner within their corporate team as part…

12th April 2017

Reforms and red tape: How small charities could feel the burden of third sector governance changes

In the wake of some very public third sector scandals there have understandably been calls for reforms in the way charities operate and the information they…

11th April 2017

How will Brexit impact financial services firms?

Short answer: no one really knows. Brexit remains a moving feast and we won’t have all the answers for some time. But the financial sector…

4th April 2017

Compliance calendar. The key financial regulation to prepare for now.

The City is no stranger to legislation. The financial sector is one of the most heavily regulated in the world. And it never stands still.

30th March 2017

Did you know? Tax and accounting rules and efficiencies for financial firms

Is your financial firm missing out on margin opportunities? Following our previous quick guide to meeting your tax obligations, we highlight some of the key…

23rd March 2017

New ‘benefits in kind’ rules hit generous businesses the hardest

From April 6th 2017 a host of tax-free employee benefits are to be restricted.

23rd March 2017

Spotlight on… Kate Lyall Grant

We speak to our client, publisher Kate Lyall Grant of Severn House Publishers.

17th March 2017

Quick guide to your financial firm’s tax obligations

Most people are aware of their general tax obligations. Especially those who work in financial services. But good intentions don’t file returns. Equally, conscientiousness alone…

10th March 2017

Blended families and Inheritance Tax – the issues

Thousands of UK households around the UK are now made up of blended families, often comprising children belonging to different partners, grown-up offspring, new babies,…

16th February 2017

Financial skills we should pass on to the next generation

It seems it’s never too early to start introducing children to the concept of money management, helping them develop good financial habits that will stand…

14th February 2017

Billions tied up in small business disputes

Disputes may be seen as an inevitable part of doing business, but many small firms are struggling as they don’t have the time or resources…

7th February 2017

The Apprenticeship Levy – what employers need to know

Over the last decade, huge strides have been made in reforming apprenticeships and making them fit for purpose. The government sees them as a vital…

26th January 2017

Government help for exporters post-Brexit

With international trade firmly at the centre of the UK’s exit negotiations with the EU, the old slogan “export or die” is taking on renewed…

16th January 2017

A best-practice guide for SMEs in 2017

For SMEs, this is the perfect time of the year to set some best-practice objectives that will help make 2017 prosperous and profitable.

12th January 2017

When the cheque isn’t in the post – how late payment affects UK businesses

As many small and medium-sized businesses know only too well, large companies can often take far longer than they should to pay them for goods…

4th January 2017

Financial resolutions for a happy new year

It’s that time of the year again. The post-Christmas period can be a good opportunity to take stock of your finances and make some simple…

16th December 2016

Buy-to-let landlords facing more taxing times

With house prices rising steadily over the last few years and interest rates remaining low, many investors opted to put their money into property and…

15th December 2016

How Bletchley Park will help in the UK’s war against cyber crime

With worldwide cybercrime continuing to make the news headlines, and a recent spate of allegations levelled at countries like Russia and China, the government has…

12th December 2016

The journey to a digital future

With so many of our daily tasks routinely conducted over the internet, it’s hardly surprising that statistics from HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) show that…

1st December 2016

The Autumn Statement – Hammond’s plans for a ‘match fit’ economy ahead of Brexit

In what was to be his first and last Autumn Statement the Chancellor, Philip Hammond, began by striking an upbeat note, announcing that the UK's…

28th November 2016

Brexit: Where do we go from here?

The High Court ruling that MPs must give their go-ahead before Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty can be triggered has thrown an enormous spanner…

24th November 2016

No mercy for non-doms: Another tax hit looms for those who own UK property through offshore structures

In August the Treasury confirmed that the UK inheritance tax (IHT) advantages enjoyed by non-UK domiciled owners of UK residential property will end, as planned,…

24th November 2016

HMRC’s digital future – death of the tax return?

By 2020, the government plans to introduce a digital tax system for all UK taxpayers.

24th November 2016

Brexit may mean Brexit, but what will it mean for business?

The process of Brexit will be neither quick nor easy, with even the Chancellor warning that British businesses face a “rollercoaster.” Corporate tax partner Toby…

16th November 2016

America enters the Trump age

The announcement that Donald Trump would be taking up residence in the White House from January was met with loud gasps of disbelief from around…

14th November 2016

Is UK broadband in need of a reboot?

At the Conservative Party Conference, Theresa May pledged her government to improve the state of the UK’s broadband remarking that “half of people living in…

7th November 2016

UK skills shortage – how can the gap be filled?

In June, figures from the Office for National Statistics showed that unemployment had dropped to its lowest rate since 2005, and the employment rate was…

27th October 2016

Trump v Clinton – who’s best for the economy?

The US election is intriguing on many levels. On the one hand, you have Democrat Hillary Clinton, a long-serving and high-ranking politician with a working…

19th October 2016

Is a universal basic income a step nearer?

In June, Switzerland became the first country to hold a referendum on the potential introduction of a universal basic income. Although it was defeated by…

12th October 2016

Pensions: Don’t put off until tomorrow what you can do today

When will you reach your peak earning potential? Many people assume it will be towards the end of their careers, perhaps at some point in…

4th October 2016

The ‘Bank of Mum and Dad’ – is it set to go overdrawn?

It’s a familiar scenario faced by many parents: their children want to spread their wings, move out of the family home and buy a property,…

22nd September 2016

Could SMEs and start-ups be the key to post-Brexit success?

It’s long been acknowledged that small to medium-sized businesses (SMEs) are the engine room of the economy, employing more than half of all private sector…

15th September 2016

Are we being served? UK service industries bounce back

The Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI), long regarded as a barometer of the health of various key sectors of the UK economy, has produced more good…

5th September 2016

The Bribery Act – doing business a favour?

Before the passing of the Bribery Act 2010, offering prospects or clients lavish corporate hospitality ahead of an important deal or contract might not have…

5th September 2016

Pension Funds: Mind the gap!

The recent demise of BHS and the issues surrounding the potential sale of Tata Steel UK both served to highlight the significance of pension liabilities…

26th August 2016

End credits roll for film partnership investors – or do they?

A good film has the power to transport the viewer to another place, with the spell only breaking when the end credits appear.

26th August 2016

Could Brexit trigger a tax bonanza for UK business?

The prospect of tax cuts – or at the very least, the freedom to cut taxes unfettered by EU rules – was one of the…

26th August 2016

No mercy for non-doms: Another tax hit looms for those who own UK residential property through offshore structures

In the end, there was no eleventh hour reprieve. In August the Treasury confirmed that the UK Inheritance Tax (IHT) advantages enjoyed by non-UK domiciled…

22nd August 2016

Rail fares derailed by inflation

The announcement of July’s inflation figure spells further bad news for rail commuters.

16th August 2016

Auto-enrolment: The tortoises and the hares

Auto-enrolment is arguably one of the most fundamental changes to UK working practices to be introduced in the last few decades.

28th July 2016

Brexit: The wait begins

When the result of the EU referendum was announced in the early hours of Friday 24th June it was undeniably a tremendous shock to many…

18th July 2016

The modern face of personal bankruptcy

Getting into debt was once viewed as a shameful state of affairs, with faintly Dickensian overtones of penury followed by the prospect of life in…

14th July 2016

Auto-enrolment set to create a new cohort of younger savers

When it comes to seriously engaging with savings, it had been widely assumed that it was the older generation who were best at making provision…

8th July 2016

Retirement – why we need a new and broader definition

There was a time, not so long ago, when many people’s lives fell neatly into three distinct stages – they were educated, embarked upon a…

8th July 2016

Pension freedoms – a year of thinking differently

The new pension rules introduced a little over a year ago were rightly heralded as a revolution. Gone are the days when, on reaching 65,…

30th June 2016

Annual Tax on Enveloped Dwellings (ATED) on £500,000+ Properties

ATED was first introduced in 2013 on high-value UK residential properties worth over £2 million which are owned by companies, partnerships with corporate members and…

16th June 2016

IR35 – The government ups the ante for contractors working in the public sector

The government’s long-running drive to limit the ability of individuals to avoid tax by working through personal service companies has stepped up a gear.

16th June 2016

New limits on the tax deductibility of corporate interest – Could they trigger a switch from debt to equity finance?

Debt finance is the lifeblood of many companies, and arguably the banking system’s greatest contribution to the continued functioning of UK Plc.

16th June 2016

Shoot first, ask questions later – Help is at hand for those who fall foul of the VATman’s “get tough” regime

The decision to penalise a business for making an error on its VAT return is supposedly at HMRC’s discretion.

16th June 2016

Buy-to-let landlords – Time for smart planning, not a siege mentality

Media coverage of the recent tax changes affecting buy-to-let landlords has talked breathlessly of the Exchequer “declaring war” on the estimated two million people who…

27th May 2016

Journey to the East – Setting up operations in China

China’s progress over the past few decades has transformed the economic might of hundreds of millions of Chinese households.

27th May 2016

Could royalty audits be the golden ticket for business revenue?

Licensing can be a complex process, and misinterpretation or miscalculation can cost businesses alarming sums.In the past, the receipt of royalties was largely confined to…

27th May 2016

No more power without responsibility – Shadow Directors’ duties defined

A gradual tightening of the rules on shadow directors has imposed greater transparency and responsibility on those who influence companies but are not appointed directors.

27th May 2016

New data protection laws turn up the heat on charities

In the midst of several high profile funding disputes, cases of vulnerable individuals being targeted by aggressive cold callers and increasing press criticism of ‘telephone…

27th May 2016

The end of abbreviated accounts

Many small companies choose to place only “abbreviated” accounts on the public record. This option has now been replaced by a new regime which has…

27th May 2016

Buy-to-let limited – should landlords consider a company?

UK landlords are facing a series of radical tax changes which are hitting the buy-to-let market.

27th May 2016

Client interview… Nick Ferrari

Radio presenter and journalist Nick Ferrari talks about his successful career in the media, from door-stopping Princess Di to hobnobbing with the stars.

27th May 2016

Been there done VAT mitigating the costs of VAT errors

It’s a safe bet that whoever coined the phrase ‘you learn from your mistakes’ obviously never received a VAT penalty from HM Revenue & Customs…

27th May 2016

Fisher Performance Improvement: Our new expert consultancy service for SMEs

Fisher Performance Improvement is a service designed to help small and medium-sized enterprise (SME) owners boost their performance and profitability without the usual financial burden.