The Spring Forecast 2026
In today’s Spring Forecast, Chancellor Rachel Reeves presented the latest economic and fiscal forecast from the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR), providing an updated outlook for the UK economy. There were no major new tax or spending announcements, in line [...]
What announcements were made in the Autumn Budget 2025?
With so much pre-Budget speculation, we were expecting a long wait for the detail - but events moved faster than anyone anticipated. In an unprecedented slip, the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) accidentally published its Economic and Fiscal Outlook around [...]
What do you need to know about Business Asset Disposal Relief (BADR)
On closure of a company, retained reserves (net profit after the payment of Corporation Tax) in a company can be distributed as a "capital distribution". The owners of small businesses may be entitled to Business Asset Disposal Relief (BADR) - [...]
A guide to the cost of living crisis for Limited Company contractors working at home
Working from home in the UK can be costly, especially considering the current cost of living crisis. It’s therefore more important than ever to review your energy consumption and other costs, so you can keep more of your earnings. [...]
Mini Budget September 2022
The mini budget - what it means for contractorsWell that was a big U-TURN affecting the contracting industry! The (not so) mini-budget delivered by new Chancellor, Kwasi Kwarteng last Friday, had a lot more in it than anyone expected.Repeal of the IR35/off-payroll [...]
How to avoid the most common Limited Company contractor pitfalls
For the most part, contracting through your own Limited Company is great. You get to choose when, where and who you work for, along with your day rate. But whilst there’s plenty of perks to contracting, there could also be [...]
SG’s 7 top tips for Limited Company contractors to reduce your income tax bill in 2022
The tax year is now in full swing and whilst you currently might not be considering tax, it’s still a good idea to understand it’s importance, and how making it work in your favour could ultimately mean more money [...]
Borrowing money from your Limited Company and the associated tax risks
You may find from time to time that you need to borrow money from your Limited Company, but how do you go about it, what are the associated tax risks, and is there anything you need to be aware [...]
A Limited Company contractor’s guide to getting paid your worth and negotiating your day rate
Sadly it’s never been so expensive to live and work in the UK. With a rise in National Insurance, the ever increasing price of energy, fuel, food and other basic commodities, if you’re able to increase your rates in [...]
Can your Limited Company contribute to your pension?
When you’re busy building your contracting empire, you’ll want to rest easy knowing that your future is taken care of, usually in the form of a pension. So is your Limited Company able to make contributions? This blog explores [...]
Seven top tips for Limited Company contractors to reduce your income tax bill in 2021
We’re now well into the new tax year, and whilst tax might be at the back of your mind, it’s still well worth understanding its importance and how making it work in your favour could save you money. In [...]
Your guide to Contractor Mortgages
Making the decision to purchase a property, whether that’s your first home, or if you’re planning on moving up the property ladder, is a huge and exciting step. It can be made more complicated when you throw into the [...]
How can I carry out a credit check on my customers?
Many people love the idea of running their own business but are concerned about the stability of self-employment. In theory, it should be simple; you do the work, you invoice your customer and they pay you. But there may [...]
What is a Director’s Loan Account?
An area that contractor’s often ask about is Director’s Loans. Based on the questions we get, we’ve put together a comprehensive guide that covers everything you need to know, such as who can take a Director’s Loan, guidelines for taking [...]
How are Director’s Loans taxed?
A Director’s Loan can be taken when you need money to cover a personal expense, or if you need to purchase a new piece of work equipment, for instance. In fact, there are no rules detailing what the money can [...]
Can I use company money to pay my personal mortgage?
We get asked lots of questions by our contractors, and this is one that comes up time and time again. Contractors who work outside of IR35, often ask us this because they may have sums of money held in their [...]
Top tips for getting a mortgage when self-employed
According to HomeLet’s Rental Index, the average rent in the UK is £941 per calendar month. Many people see this as ‘dead money’ - going straight into the landlord’s pocket, with little benefit for them. If you’re one of the [...]
Charging interest on late payments
According to the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB), late payments by clients causes 50,000 small businesses to go under each year. This is estimated to cost the UK economy £2.5 billion. For contractors and freelancers, the personal cost of late-paying [...]
Grants and loans available to contractors
Small businesses including contractors and freelancers have become a driving force in the UK. The latest figures by IPSE – the Association of Independent Professional and the Self Employed, puts the number of self-employed at 4.8 million, who contributed £275 [...]
How to improve cashflow in your contracting business
According to research 8 out of 10 businesses fail within their first two years of operating. The number one reason is poor cashflow. The company could be making huge sales, but if their overheads are equally large or if their [...]