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News

All the latest news from The Local Bookkeeper...

Is recovery tougher than recession?
London, UK (08/09/2010)
LONDON (Management Today) 80% of businesses say they're having a harder time now than in the downturn. We're not surprised...
UK economy grew at fastest rate for nine years last quarter
London, UK (27/08/2010)
Management Today (LONDON) Q2 GDP growth has actually been revised upwards, to 1.2%. Do the latest data suggest we can keep it up?
Small businesses bear the brunt of slowing bank lending
London, UK (20/08/2010)
Mnaagement Today (LONDON) Business lending by banks dropped £3.5bn in June - and SMEs suffered the most. Surprised?
Inflation slips back toward 2% target
London, UK (17/08/2010)
Management Today (LONDON) UK inflation cooled slightly in July - but we're not out of the hot water yet.
Small business lending crisis not ending yet
London, UK (09/07/2010)
LONDON (Management Today) SMEs risk losing out as banks lent them just £900m last year.
Interest rates held at record low for another month
London, UK (08/07/2010)
LONDON (Management Today) The Bank of England's MPC has kept the base rate at 0.5% for the sixteenth month running.
The Emergency Budget: All The Key Points For Businesses
London, UK (22/06/2010)
LONDON (Growthbusiness.co.uk) Here's a summary of how George Osborne's plans will affect your business.
Small firms warned to prepare for public sector cuts
London, UK (04/06/2010)
LONDON (Management Today) Government contracts could actually become even harder for SMEs to get after the Budget.
SMEs at risk from dodgy customers, says FSA
London, UK (28/05/2010)
FSA report finds SMEs don't have the right due diligence systems in place. But surely that's because they are SMEs...
New government promises lower, simpler business taxes
London, UK (20/05/2010)
LONDON (Management Today) George Osborne promises to cut corporation tax - but no answers yet on how to boost bank lending.
VAT just became easier...
London, UK (16/04/2010)
From April 1, if your company has an annual VAT exclusive turnover of £100,000 or more, you need to do your VAT returns online and pay your VAT electronically.
Budget 2010: Government to decide which industries get a leg-up?
London, UK (25/03/2010)
LONDON (Management Today) Yesterday, the Government suggested that it knows better than the market about where to invest.
Use Budget to slash tax, says small business group
London, UK (19/03/2010)
LONDON (Management Today) Small firms can help the UK recover, says the FPB - with a little help from the taxman.
The Local Bookkeeper hit sixty offices in the UK
London, UK (08/03/2010)
TLBK have over doubled in size in the previous eight months to have 60 offices across the UK from Glasgow all the way down to Lymington.
SMEs forced to resort to the family bank
London, UK (29/01/2010)
US Spurned by the banks, UK business owners have supposedly raised £45bn from 'alternative sources'.
Are SMEs failing to give banks the right information?
London, UK (19/01/2010)
LONDON (Management Today) The FPB suggests banks aren't lending to small firms because they're not presenting their accounts properly.
RBS offers Yuletide credit cheer to small business
London, UK (30/11/2009)
LONDON (Managment Today) RBS is improving its borrowing terms for SMEs. But are small firms still in for a bleak midwinter?
CBI: Why the recession will change business for good
London, UK (23/11/2009)
The trade body predicts less gearing, closer supplier ties, better sustainability, more flexible workforces...
Are you in the dark about the upcoming VAT change?
London, UK (20/11/2009)
HMRC has officially begun to advise businesses to prepare to charge VAT at a rate of 17.5% again signalling the end of the temporary VAT rate cut.
Life not getting any easier for UK SMEs
London, UK (16/11/2009)
LONDON (Management Today) It's Global Entrepreneurship Week - but the Government needs to put its money where its mouth is.
Recovery could be 'worse than recession' for SMEs
London, UK (13/11/2009)
LONDON (Management Today) HSBC says that contrary to popular belief, the problem is that small fims just don't want to invest...
Are you ready for the Self Assessment deadline?
London, UK (04/11/2009)
That time is nearing once again where you must file your Self Assessment Tax Return (SATR) with HMRC!
Entrepreneurs driven by hardship, not hard cash
London, UK (04/11/2009)
LONDON (Management Today) Personal adversity is what motivates many entrepreneurs to build successful companies, a report says.
Who’s looking after your business’s payroll?
London, UK (29/10/2009)
Outsourcing the payroll function of your business is a sensible option. It is a difficult function to do correctly without the correct training and qualifications and, with the confusing and ever changing employment tax laws, very risky.
UK SMEs feeling cheerier about recovery
London, UK (23/10/2009)
LONDON (Management Today) The UK is generally feeling pretty gloomy about recovery - but SMEs are more optimistic than most.
Pound tumbles as recession breaks all records
London, UK (23/10/2009)
LONDON (Management Today) The UKs GDP shrank by 0.4% in the third quarter, confounding expectations of economic recovery.
The recession's behind you! Oh no it isn't...
London, UK (21/10/2009)
LONDON (Management Today) Small businesses are optimistic about the economy, says one survey. There's worse to come, says another.
UK business failures could reach fresh record in next year
London, UK (09/10/2009)
LONDON (Financial Times) The number of UK business failures will rise by more than a third this year from the historically high levels seen during 2008 and could hit a fresh record over the next 12 months, a leading recovery and restructuring specialist has forecast.
TLBK feature in the FT in Mike Southon's column: 'Find the fun in the figures'
London, UK (18/09/2009)
LONDON (Financial Times) The successful entrepreneur has many attributes, including energy, ambition, confidence, perseverance and charm. My experience as a mentor leads me to suggest another characteristic – an almost pathological fear of the spreadsheet.
Late payers get creative with the truth
London, UK (11/09/2009)
LONDON (Management Today) Small firms are suffering as debtors come up with imaginative excuses for not paying bills...
100,000 SMEs under threat from business rate plans
London, UK (21/08/2009)
LONDON (Management Today) The abolition of business rate relief will put 1 in 20 small firms out of business, figures suggest.
The best ways to improve your business credit rating
London, UK (17/08/2009)
LONDON (Business Link) Unfortunately, nearly two thirds of UK small firms are carrying a credit rating which may negatively affect their ability to obtain credit finance and favourable credit terms from suppliers, according to research by a leading credit insurance supplier¹.
How to persuade banks to finance your business
London, UK (17/08/2009)
LONDON (Business Link) Managing business finance and ensuring your business has sufficient funds is challenging at the best of times. In the current economic climate these challenges are even more difficult. The Bank of England's latest “credit conditions survey” showed that demand for both secured and unsecured lending from small businesses declined over the three months to June 2009¹.
Swine flu: Is your business prepared? A guide from Business Link
London, UK (21/07/2009)
LONDON (Business Link) Only 37% of the South East’s small and medium sized enterprises have plans in place to deal with a major emergency.
The Top Eight Must Do’s for Claiming Expenses
London, UK (20/07/2009)
It is your responsibility as the employer to inform HMRC of the value of the benefits and expenses you have provided. Claiming tax back on expenses can be a complicated business and, as the business owner, you are responsible for calculating it. How do you know what counts as an expense and what doesn’t? Can you be sure you have worked out what is due correctly? The Local Bookkeeper has put together a top 8 must do’s for business expenses.
Need more cash for your business?
London, UK (01/07/2009)
You are not alone. A recent poll by The Local Bookkeeper found 75% of businesses are currently seeking funding for their business. But do you really know what all of your options are?
The Local Bookkeeper sponsors “Business Planning Workshop” by Company Partners
London, UK (30/06/2009)
The Local Bookkeeper is sponsoring a Business Planning workshop at the British Library on 30th June that will help those who are starting up businesses on the essentials they will need to make their venture a success.
Bank of England has bad news on SME lending
London, UK (22/05/2009)
LONDON (Management Today) Falling demand, tighter credit conditions, higher rates... Getting a loan is still a nightmare for SMEs.
SMEs: financing not the biggest problem?
London, UK (14/05/2009)
LONDON (Management Today) The Government should focus on stimulating demand, not bullying the banks, a new survey claims.
How to Choose a Trustworthy Bookkeeper
London, UK (06/05/2009)
When appointing a bookkeeper for your business, the two most important qualities are their skill and trustworthiness. You can gain an idea of their level of skill by their experience and qualifications but how can you tell if they can be trusted with your sensitive financial information?
How you can outsource the bookkeeping for your business
London, UK (06/05/2009)
Outsourcing your bookkeeping is a sensible option. Your time will be freed up so you can focus on running your business and you will have the reassurance that you are making business decisions based on the correct information and your documents and/or returns are correct when you file them with HM Revenue and Customs. The next big question is how do you know who you should be outsourcing your bookkeeping to?
Pre-Budget report fails the small to medium-sized business
London, UK (20/04/2009)
The Budget Report that is due to be presented by the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Alistair Darling, on April 22nd is scheduled to deliver the small to medium-sized businesses in the UK increased taxes for the short, medium and the long term.
The Local Bookkeeper and British Business Angels Association have joined forces to help small businesses gain funding
London, UK (08/04/2009)
The Local Bookkeeper has been granted associate membership to the organisation that will allow them to support small businesses through the process of gaining new funding from business angels as well as provide a follow up service after the investment has been granted.
Be Prepared, Taxman Now Has Powers To Check And Search Your Business Without Your Consent
London, UK (02/04/2009)
From this Wednesday, Revenues & Customs will be able to view any details of your tax records and files and carry out inspections of your business premises without your permission.
Economic News - 18/03/2009 to 24/03/2009
London, UK (27/03/2009)
LONDON (Legal and General Wealth Management) A round up of the week's economic news.
Banks cut credit to one in three small firms
London, UK (25/03/2009)
LONDON (Daily Mail) A third of small firms are struggling to access credit, a report said yesterday.
Economic News - 11/03/2009 to 17/03/2009
London, UK (20/03/2009)
LONDON (Legal and General Wealth Management) A round up of the week's economic news
The Local Bookkeeper Have Teamed With Franchiseek To Support The Revolution
London, UK (16/03/2009)
International franchise website, www.franchiseek.com, and The Local Bookkeeper have joined forces to offer exceptional bookkeeping and financial management services.
Which qualifications should you be looking for in a bookkeeper?
London, UK (02/03/2009)
You have found your business needs the help of a professional bookkeeper and, after shopping around to find out who is best equipped to look after the finances of your business, you find yourself swamped by a list of bookkeepers that it is impossible to distinguish between. There are a lot of qualifications and suffix's out there but which one really counts for your needs?
M&S Tax Victory Takes The Biscuit
London, UK (06/02/2009)
LONDON (Management Today) M&S has finally won its 13-year battle over the VAT status of the chocolate-covered teacake.
Decisions: Fred DeLuca – Founder of The Sandwich Chain, Subway
London, UK (06/02/2009)
LONDON (Management Today) The best and worst decisions of his very successful career.
50% of Small Businesses in the UK will Fail in next 12 Months : How to Ensure Your Survival
London, UK (27/01/2009)
Britain is now officially in a recession after suffering over six months of negative growth according to the Office for National Statistics.
Government To Launch Help For Small Firms
London, UK (13/01/2009)
LONDON (Reuters) The government on Wednesday will launch measures to ease the flow of credit to small and medium-sized businesses in the economic downturn, the business ministry said on Tuesday.
Marketing Budgets 'Should Not Be Cut'
London, UK (12/01/2009)
Firms should make sure they do not slash sales and marketing budgets during the economic downturn, the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) has said.
5 Ways to Improve the Financial State of Your Business
London, UK (24/12/2008)
Even the most efficient businesses need to make regular assessments of their finances and check they are still in good health, so why not take a few minute to go through this list, to improve your business’s prospects for 2009!
The Difference between an Accountant and a Bookkeeper
London, UK (22/12/2008)
An accountant and a bookkeeper both perform the essential tasks needed to manage the finances of a business.
Small Businesses are Suffering, Receivership is up by 238% in a Year
London, UK (10/12/2008)
Small businesses are being forced into receivership at a frighteningly high level as a result of the current financial crisis, according to statistics released by The Insolvency Service. Inevitably, fear is at an all time high for small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) who are enduring market conditions that are only set to worsen.
Small Businesses Are Out of Pocket by £18.6 Billion: Recover it Quickly With Effective Credit Management
London, UK (10/12/2008)
It is estimated that small businesses (SMEs) are owed on average £30,000 each in late payments, which is crippling their cash flow. This is a massive figure that brings an immense strain to their finances which could be easily avoided. An effective system of credit control is essential to a small business’s survival, currently they suffer from more than 50% of their customers failing to pay on time; a problem that is becoming increasingly worse as people and business’s are struggling and are simply just delaying paying their bills. The recession is beginning to really bite and the smart small businesses are devising their survival plans.
Lord Mandelson Declared That “Banks are No Longer Functioning as Banks”, So Who Should Small Businesses Turn to?
London, UK (09/12/2008)
Small- to medium- sized businesses (SMEs) are suffering from appalling treatment from the banks, even after the £37 billion bailout of taxpayer’s money.
Business Failures Set To Rocket by 50%
London, UK (08/12/2008)
The number of business failures is predicted to increase by almost 50% next year, according to business advisors BDO Stoy Hayward LLP.
34% of Businesses Are Not Confident Their VAT Return Is Correct
London, UK (05/12/2008)
In a recent poll conducted by The Local Bookkeeper, 34% of businesses stated that they are not confident their VAT return is correct.
What Do You Need To Look For In A Bookkeeper?
London, UK (04/12/2008)
Your accounts are one of the most important functions of your business. Choosing the right bookkeeper can help you save money and develop a successful business.
The VAT Change: Now The Dust Has Settled, Is Your Business Ready For The New Rate?
London, UK (28/11/2008)
The Pre-budget Report has announced that VAT will be lowered from 17.5% to 15% from the 1st December 2008 but what effect will this have on the small-to-medium sized businesses (SMEs)? The initial reaction is very favourable, anticipating increased spending from consumer’s, therefore increasing business but under further scrutiny it is not as simple as that. The implications of these changes may put SMEs in a tricky predicament.
Small Businesses are Suffering, Receivership is up by 238% in a Year
London, UK (28/11/2008)
Small businesses are being forced into receivership at a frighteningly high level as a result of the current financial crisis, according to statistics released by The Insolvency Service. Inevitably, fear is at an all time high for small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) who are enduring market conditions that are only set to worsen.
Simple Steps to Surviving the Credit Crunch
London, UK (20/09/2008)
As the economy squeezes, many local businesses will find themselves under threat.
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