Figures recently published by the Office for National Statistics show that unemployment has dropped below 7% for the first time since the recession and employment has seen the biggest annual jump in a generation. Unemployment fell by 77,000 in the last 3 months, taking the unemployment rate to 6.9% for the first time since 2009. […]
Government announces extension for pension decision period
The government announced recently that people who have recently taken a tax-free lump sum from their defined contribution pension will be given 18 months rather than 6 months to decide what they wish to do with the rest of their retirement savings, and will not be put at a disadvantage should they wish to wait […]
Radical proposal to change private residence relief
At present, it is possible to make an election, in certain circumstances, allowing owners of more than one residential property to choose which property is their main residence. In this way a measure of Private Residence Relief (PRR) can be achieved for the elected property. This process of swapping properties for tax purposes achieved notoriety […]
Social Media Marketing is not a 9 – 5 Process
The growth of social media means that business is now 24 hours a day, seven days a week – what’s more, when a customer complains it’s now laid bare on social media for all to see. So how do companies and brands respond to the new ‘vocal consumer’? Here are a few top tips to […]
Avoid Running your Business by Committee
While large businesses are often run by boards of directors, that approach doesn’t work for a small or medium sized business. A business isn’t a democracy. When it comes to politics, we want leaders who believe in democracy and free enterprise. But in a business, you need a clear-cut leader who makes the final decisions. […]
Why too Much Automation is Not Always a Good Thing
Thanks to advances in technology, there is a constant drive towards the automation of processes within businesses. From running the monthly payroll to producing reports for customers, there is usually a process that can be automated by a system. Managers are focusing on doing more with less in this constant drive towards increased business efficiency. […]
Avoid Issues in Managing your Team
Managers act as the front-line between chief executives and their employees. They are tasked with not only ‘getting the job done’, but are also expected to motivate their employees, act as role models for staff, promote a positive work environment and transmit the vision and mission of the firm. Managers are also expected to make […]
Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) issues conflicted information
It would seem that economic indicators confuse economists as well as the rest of us. The first two paragraphs of the recently published Executive Summary of the OBR makes for interesting reading. Here’s a bullet point summary: The UK economy has continued to recover. In the final quarter of 2013, GDP growth matched our December […]
Don’t forget to claim Employment Allowance
Employers are reminded to claim the £2,000 Employment Allowance which commenced 6 April 2014. Basically, employers can reduce their National Insurance contributions by a maximum £2,000 in the current tax year. Here’s the instructions on claiming the allowance as posted on GOV.UK’s website: “You can use your own 2014 to 2015 payroll software (see your […]