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How to ‘furlough’ employees and company directors

How to furlough staff and company directors

We are guiding many clients through the process of ‘furloughing‘ employees. In addition, as we have previously indicated, company directors are also eligible to be furloughed – and we are guiding our clients through this process too.

An update has been made by the Government to the Job Retention Scheme (or ‘80% scheme’) which you can see here and officially confirms:

  • company directors are eligible to be furloughed.
  • the minimum period for each employee to be furloughed is 3 continuous weeks (the word continuous is part of the updated legislation).
  • employees can be furloughed multiple times, but each claim is for a minimum of 3 continuous weeks.

The information required by an employer in making a claim on the HMRC portal is:

  • your ePAYE reference number
  • the number of employees being furloughed
  • the claim period (start and end date)
  • amount claimed (per the minimum length of furloughing of 3 consecutive weeks)
  • your company bank account number and sort code
  • your contact name
  • your phone number

There are still some questions that the update doesn’t answer. Specifically, these are:

  • when the online portal for making a claim will be ‘live’  – HMRC guidance still refers to ‘the end of April’, but is not specific.
  • whether the 3 continuous weeks (requirement) can span a month, so that employees can return to work for short periods of time, but employers can continue to claim furlough.
  • how quickly payments for furlough will be made.

Do you need more help in furloughing staff?

We are looking at launching a new specific service to help clients make their furlough claims in the correct way. If this is of interest please email Murray Patt now so that we can assess the level of demand – and then provide the necessary resource in-house to support you.

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Supporting our clients

We're recruiting in Hale for a new accountant

Murray Patt, our founder, is focused on supporting clients in this challenging period:

“Over the last few weeks we have all been shocked with how coronavirus has had an impact on our respective businesses.

“Whilst we are all in unchartered territory I have some basic rules for you to consider, in trying to get through this period. It may be that not all of these are relevant to you, but there will be some aspects which will help you to think clearly going forward.”

My top-ten-tips are as follows:

  1. “Cash is king”. Businesses do not fail through making losses – they fail when they run out of cash.
  2. Forecast your cashflow. Predict your future cashflow as best you can, & schedule this out using excel/similar tools. I recommend doing this for a 12 week period & monitoring it daily vs actual.
  3. Cash injection. Be prepared to inject monies into your business & talk with your bankers at an early stage for support.  Through fundingcircle.com our clients can secure a discount on standard loan rates, with a rapid decision-making process.
  4. Government loan/grant schemes. Whilst these schemes are very welcome, it will take time for them to get up & running – therefore do not rely on them. Further, if they are administered by the banks/local authorities, who are already struggling for staff, then expect them to be slow & cumbersome.
  5. Loan repayment holidays. Talk with your funder(s) & see if you can arrange a payment holiday on your existing loans.
  6. Employment contracts. Review your staff contracts, & see what scope there is to make changes & save cost. However, please consider the knock-on effect on them.
  7. Paying suppliers. Talk with them &, if you can, agree revised terms in the short-term.
  8. Be selective with cancelling discretionary expenditure. We will eventually come out of the other side of this, & therefore do not terminate arrangements now, which you may regret in a few months time.
  9. Plan in advance. If some form of restructuring to your business is required, then the sooner you take some professional advice the better.
  10. Talk, talk, talk. Don’t be afraid to talk with us, & other business owners. The more we share our experiences the better for everyone.

Murray Patt says:

I suspect that things will get worse before they start to improve again, but they will improve – the uncertainty is the timescale for this. The team at AK&Co are there to support you & we will always make time to speak with you. Every day is a steep learning curve, & we will get through this eventually.

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Coronavirus – an update for clients

With the concerns surrounding the COVID-19 outbreak we wish to reassure our clients and contacts that Alexander Knight & Co remains fully operational and open for business.

  • We are following all appropriate UK Government guidance to ensure the wellbeing of our employees, their families and our clients.
  • We have robust contingency plans in place to ensure that client work can continue with minimal disruption. Our plans will ensure the continuity, integrity and level of service that we provide to help you meet your business objectives and priorities during this time.
  • As part of our business continuity plan all our team have laptops and are able to operate remotely if required. They can be contacted via email or phone in the normal way.
  • We operate in a paperless environment and so all client records and transactional documents are held electronically and can be accessed remotely and securely.
  • We are are still operating face to face meetings and site visits but if you would like to use other methods of communication during this time then we have video and/or telephone conferencing services available.

Alexander Knight & Co are here to support you and your business operations during this time.

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How to stand out from the crowd

Accountants Hale

If you run a business then you’ll know how hard it is to capture the attention of your target audience. Getting people to become aware of your product or service is only the start of the battle. Once you’ve got their attention and they are aware that you exist – how do you actually get them to buy?

It’s often said that we are bombarded by at least 5,000 brand messages every single day.

Consciously or unconsciously you are experiencing the results of somebody’s PR and marketing efforts. In this competitive environment you need to work out what ‘message’ you want to send to the market by defining your own brand identity first and then working out which channels to use to market your services effectively.

Brand footprint

Defining a brand in a crowded sector can be daunting task. The very best brands in any marketplace don’t just look good aesthetically – they back it up with great products and brilliant service.

Remember, a brand isn’t just a logo. It’s a promise, it’s your reputation and it’s your personality as a business. It’s these things combined and rolled out across your website, social media, PR and other marketing collateral that defines who you are to you target market.

Defining who you are as a brand is crucial. Most businesses evolve naturally and business personas develop over time It’s important that you define, not just what your brand identity is now  – but where you are going in the future. This is particularly important if you’ve recent acquired a company or merged with another company. Having a cohesive brand identity is essential.

What is your brand promise? 

Are you faster? Are you cheaper? Are you better? Are you more friendly? Are you luxury? Whatever it is that makes you different needs to be clearly understood internally by you and your entire team before you begin the process of externally marketing it.

We defined our own identity at Alexander Knight & Co as the ‘accountants for entrepreneurs’. It has been highly successful in encouraging business owners to contact us, largely because we talk the same ‘language’ and as business owners ourselves we understand the challenges. Our brand is therefore very important to us – and it plays a huge role in not only attracting new clients but also new staff, suppliers and new business opportunities.

In fact, our own brand development has encouraged many new clients to come on board who are in the business of brand-building, marketing and digital services – so we must be doing something right. Our PR company has been very helpful in this process.

Finally, by reading this article, you are experiencing our own PR and marketing efforts to make you aware of our own accountancy practice for business owners like you  – so if you’re in the market for a new accountant – please do drop me a line!

Murray Patt is the founder of accountants Alexander Knight & Co. You can email him: murray@alexanderknightaccountants.co.uk or call (0161) 980 8788.

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Coronavirus tax credits for your business?

Coronavirus tax credits for business

Coronavirus tax credits should be introduced for businesses that suffer from the impact of coronavirus – as well as more measures to assist SMEs.

The Italian government has introduced tax credits for businesses effected by coronavirus and tax experts say the UK should follow suit to lessen the impact for SMEs.

The Government has now announced an action plan which includes help for businesses. In our view, this should include tax credits for firms who have been hit especially hard like in Italy where firms who see a 25% drop in revenue as a result of the virus can secure further tax breaks.

Impact on business

We are in uncharted waters with regards to the impact of the virus on UK businesses. We know that the FTSE100 has been volatile but we also need to look at the impact on SMEs who are the backbone of the economy.

Tax credits should be introduced for firms who get hit hard and they should be announced in the Budget next week. With companies doing their very best to take precautions to protect their staff we must give SMEs all the support and confidence they need.

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Do you want a ‘Budget for the North’ ?

Budget for the North?

It’s good to see some action from the Northern Powerhouse 11 (NP11) which is in the news this week demanding a ‘Budget for the North’.

We know many of our clients will be enthused to hear this influential group of local enterprise partnerships (LEPs) supporting the Northern export market.

All the entrepreneurs, manufacturers and other innovative businesses across the region who we deal with are working hard to ramp up their export activity in 2020.

Let’s hope that the looming Brexit-related trade deals are not going to destroy the hard work already put in and there are very positive negotiations ahead.

Better transport is another key theme the NP11 is pushing. We are in total agreement. We need resources and mobility if we’re going to get anywhere close to southern productivity rates.

However, we were bitterly disappointed to see that the HS2 proposals for north of Birmingham are not forecast to be delivered to passengers in Manchester and Leeds until between 2037 and 2040!

Much of the east to west rail infrastructure was based on HS2 happening. Does that mean our essential transport links aren’t to be improved in the North until that time as well?

What is important right now, is that the Spring Budget on March 11th 2020 is clear and forthcoming with much needed fresh capital for the North. Our team is poised to inform our clients on any good (or bad!) news announced which may affect their business or their personal finances as company directors.

We’d be very interested to hear YOUR views on this. What would YOU like to see in the Budget?

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Electric Car Tax Service by Alexander Knight & Co Accountants

electric car tax guide accountants uk

Rising demand for electric cars amongst our business owner client base – coupled with new tax breaks means we launched the UK’s first dedicated electric car tax accountancy service – back in 2020.

Now, in 2023, our electric car service is popular as increasing numbers of our clients enjoy the generous tax breaks offered to company owners who use electric vehicles on the road.

Electric company car owners will pay hardly any benefit-in-kind on certain fully-electric vehicles, compared to as much as 37 percent on vehicles with high CO2 emissions.

Electric Car Tax Savings

As a result of this, premium electric vehicles could save business owners £1000s – compared to traditional vehicles.

Luxury models such as the Mercedes-Benz EQC, Audi E-Tron, together with Porsche and Range Rover variants follow the success of the Tesla Model 3 which is already considered to be a cult company car for British sales executives

Company cars have been deeply unfashionable for more than a decade now. In that time, most business owners have understood that they were better off buying a car personally and then claiming the associated expenses.

Electric cars are a game changer for the humble company car. The new tax breaks laid out by the Government have reversed this trend and we predict there will be an upward swing in demand for electric vehicles, not least from business owners but also socially responsible fleet managers in the business world.

murray patt electric car tax accountant

Murray Patt of Alexander Knight & Co charges up his own electric car.

Huge tax savings

One client of ours saw more than £10,000 knocked off his tax bill because he plumped for the Range Rover hybrid model over the diesel version.

With these tax breaks about to kick in, more e-charging points being installed across the country, improvements to the range of electric engines and a steady fall in the price we are predicting a renaissance of the company car.

Get your FREE electric car tax guide here.

Download our electric car tax guide for entrepreneurs and business owners.

Download our FREE electric car tax guide for entrepreneurs and business owners.

Watch our video about electric car tax breaks for company directors:

If you are a business owner and you want to get a tax-free electric car – speak to us first and we will help you. Call us on 0161 980 8788 or email cars@alexanderknightaccountants.co.uk  

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Are you a Newly Qualified Accountant? Join our team!

Newly Qualified Accountant Jobs Manchester

Newly Qualified Accountant (ACA / ACCA)

Since launching Alexander Knight & Co in 2012, we have developed a reputation for being the “accountants for entrepreneurs” & our client base includes some of the leading private (and publicly- listed) businesses in the UK & Europe.

We are now looking for an Newly Qualified Accountant to join our fast growing team in 2023. This is a senior position within our team, ideally suited to you if you are professional looking to fast track your career to management level & beyond with your next career move.

The multi-disciplinary structure at Alexander Knight & Co means that this role is flexible and we are happy to tailor it to meet your skills and career aspirations if you’re the successful candidate. Initially, we see the role as focusing on audit and accounts but it will certainly evolve over time.

Essentially the role involves:

– Working proactively in the best interests of our clients & delivering a high quality audit & compliance service.
– Working both independently and in collaboration with other members of the team.
– Reporting directly to senior colleagues, including the founder of Alexander Knight & Co

Specifically, you should have confidence in your ability to:

– Plan and lead on complex audits – both remotely and on-site ✅
– Coordinate across different disciplines within the Alexander Knight & Co team ✅
– Deliver complex assignments through to completion ✅
– Prepare and report on group consolidated accounts both in FRS & IFRS ✅
– Liaise with overseas parent company auditors & advisers ✅
– Share knowledge across the wider audit and tax teams ✅
– Oversee the “onboarding” of new clients ✅
– Recommend positive courses of action for our clients to support them to grow their business & meet their compliance objectives ✅
– Act as a role model for junior members of staff, helping to develop their own skill sets and supporting them to deliver audit assignments professionally, on time and on budget ✅

Prospects

  • Full support for achieving your own career ambitions ✅
  • Flexible working benefits ✅
  • Market-leading salary according to experience ✅

About Us
We are a modern, progressive and forward-thinking accountancy practice & are always looking to develop our practice to best suit the needs of our brilliant team & incredible, loyal clients. A boutique-style firm (ie focusing on advice for owner managers & experienced entrepreneurs), we have developed a reputation as a specialist in working at board level alongside our owner-managed clients.

Largely located in the North West of England (including international clients with UK subsidiaries based in the region), our client base has grown substantially during the past twelve months – thanks to our good reputation for delivering high quality work & having a friendly, proactive approach to accountancy.

We are well connected as a practice & we have excellent professional relationships with other professional advisors, including law firms, financial advisors & banks who recommend clients to us on a regular basis.

We are also active members of MGI Worldwide – one of the world’s largest accounting networks – which enables our team to be universally connected & enjoy working relationships with other members across the globe.

We are based at our own Grade A office in Hale village (Hale Road). We are proud of our modern, vibrant premises & feel that this investment in our surroundings helps to promote a positive & professional culture for our clients & staff & other professional contacts in Cheshire & Greater Manchester who we work with regularly.

We offer a supportive & flexible approach for all our colleagues. Currently we are operating on a “hybrid” basis – a sensible mix of home-working & office-based working which is an agile approach appreciated by our staff & clients. It also enables our team to manage their own work-life balance & support their families during these times. Having been impressed by the success of this, we are passionate about retaining this culture into 2022 & beyond.

Disclaimer 

Alexander Knight & Co is an equal opportunities employer and no terminology in this advert is intended to discriminate on the grounds of a person’s gender, marital status, race, religion, colour, age, disability or sexual orientation.

All candidates will only be assessed in accordance with their merits, qualifications and abilities to perform the role expected. Only successful applicants will be invited to the next stage consisting of an interview and assessment.

To apply for this role please email your CV and a covering letter to Alison Spier.

In addition, if you would like a confidential chat about your current position and to see if this next step is suitable please call Alison Spier in confidence on (0161) 980 8788.

Accountants Hale

Accountants in Hale

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