https://knoxaccounting.co.uk/ Plain-English finance for UK small businesses en Sun, 08 Nov 2026 14:51:05 GMT https://knoxaccounting.co.uk/first-employee-payroll-90-day-countdown-uk-2026/ https://knoxaccounting.co.uk/first-employee-payroll-90-day-countdown-uk-2026/ Hiring your first employee is a big step, but payroll admin can trip up even the most organised sole trader. Here is a practical 90-day countdown covering PAYE registration, RTI, auto-enrolment, the Employment Allowance and the first payday deadlines. Knox Accounting Payroll & Employers Sun, 08 Nov 2026 13:20:49 GMT https://knoxaccounting.co.uk/january-payments-on-account-sole-trader-guide-2027/ https://knoxaccounting.co.uk/january-payments-on-account-sole-trader-guide-2027/ If your self-assessment bill felt like a surprise, the next one can feel worse: HMRC asks for a payment on account before you have even filed. Here is how the January and July instalments work, how to budget for the 31 January 2027 hit, and how SA303 can reduce the bill if profits have dipped. Knox Accounting Bookkeeping & Compliance Sun, 08 Nov 2026 13:20:49 GMT https://knoxaccounting.co.uk/first-vat-return-checklist-2026/ https://knoxaccounting.co.uk/first-vat-return-checklist-2026/ First VAT return? It is mostly a case of matching what you charged to what you paid, then filing before the deadline. Here is a plain-English route through the boxes, the records and the common traps. Knox Accounting Bookkeeping & Compliance Sun, 08 Nov 2026 09:20:26 GMT https://knoxaccounting.co.uk/kitchen-table-sideline-trading-allowance-2026/ https://knoxaccounting.co.uk/kitchen-table-sideline-trading-allowance-2026/ The £1,000 trading allowance gives plenty of side projects room to breathe, but it is not a permanent invisibility cloak. Here is how to spot the moment your hobby becomes a taxable trade — and what to do before the January deadline creeps up. Knox Accounting Expenses & Allowances Sun, 08 Nov 2026 09:20:26 GMT https://knoxaccounting.co.uk/mulled-wine-minus-paperwork-150-christmas-party-rule-2026/ https://knoxaccounting.co.uk/mulled-wine-minus-paperwork-150-christmas-party-rule-2026/ The £150 annual party exemption is generous, but guests and upgrades can turn a festive perk into a taxable benefit. Here is how the rule works for the 2026 Christmas do, with realistic scenarios and a booking checklist. Knox Accounting Expenses & Allowances Sun, 08 Nov 2026 05:24:33 GMT https://knoxaccounting.co.uk/paper-trails-digital-dust-record-retention-calendar/ https://knoxaccounting.co.uk/paper-trails-digital-dust-record-retention-calendar/ A practical UK record-retention guide for sole traders and limited companies. Work through the finance drawer, VAT shoebox, payroll folder and company cupboard — then use the pin-up calendar to know what to keep and when to shred. Knox Accounting Bookkeeping & Compliance Sun, 08 Nov 2026 05:24:33 GMT https://knoxaccounting.co.uk/lock-it-down-handover-changing-accountants-mid-year/ https://knoxaccounting.co.uk/lock-it-down-handover-changing-accountants-mid-year/ Switching accountants halfway through the year should not feel like losing the plot. Use the Knox Box handover checklist to keep records, deadlines and HMRC filings moving while you change adviser. Knox Accounting Bookkeeping & Compliance Sun, 08 Nov 2026 01:23:31 GMT https://knoxaccounting.co.uk/mtd-tidy-up-fix-before-january-filing-rush/ https://knoxaccounting.co.uk/mtd-tidy-up-fix-before-january-filing-rush/ Seven months into Making Tax Digital for Income Tax, the cracks usually show in the paperwork rather than the software. Here is a plain-English tidy-up plan for sole traders and landlords before January gets busy. Knox Accounting Making Tax Digital Sun, 08 Nov 2026 01:23:31 GMT https://knoxaccounting.co.uk/mtd-itsa-april-2027-countdown-sole-traders-30k-50k/ https://knoxaccounting.co.uk/mtd-itsa-april-2027-countdown-sole-traders-30k-50k/ From 6 April 2027, Making Tax Digital for Income Tax reaches sole traders with qualifying income above £30,000. If your turnover sits between £30k and £50k, here's a plain-English plan for the five months you've got left — what to buy, what to set up, and what usually goes wrong. Knox Accounting Making Tax Digital Sat, 07 Nov 2026 21:27:32 GMT https://knoxaccounting.co.uk/deductible-expenses-uk-small-business-12-missed-3-not-to-claim/ https://knoxaccounting.co.uk/deductible-expenses-uk-small-business-12-missed-3-not-to-claim/ Most small businesses overpay tax not because they're doing anything wrong, but because they never claimed what they were entitled to. Here are twelve legitimate expenses that quietly go unclaimed every year, plus three claims that tend to attract unwelcome letters from HMRC. Knox Accounting Expenses & Allowances Sat, 07 Nov 2026 21:27:32 GMT