Accounting Blog

Learn when UK business travel expenses are allowable, including rules on commuting, temporary workplaces, mileage, trains, hotels, and subsistence. This practical guide explains what employees, sole traders, and company directors can claim, common pitfalls to avoid, and how to keep records that stand up to HMRC scrutiny and compliance clarity.

Learn what VAT registration really changes for your bookkeeping. This guide explains the records VAT-registered businesses must keep, from sales invoices and purchase receipts to bank reconciliations and VAT returns. Understand audit trails, VAT rates, and compliance best practices to avoid errors and stay confident during reviews and inspections audits.

Unsure whether work clothing is tax deductible? This guide explains when uniforms, branded workwear, and protective clothing can be claimed, why everyday office wear is usually excluded, and how cleaning, replacements, allowances, and reimbursements are treated, with practical examples and checklists for employees, contractors, and the self-employed worldwide tax rules.

Hybrid working between home and client sites creates complex tax issues. This guide explains commuting versus business travel, home office deductions, meals, mileage, and reimbursements for employees, contractors, and freelancers. Learn how work status, temporary workplaces, and recordkeeping affect what you can claim safely and avoid common compliance mistakes legally.

Sole traders in the UK often wonder whether they must register with the ICO. This guide explains when the ICO data protection fee applies, common exemptions, and how GDPR compliance differs from registration, helping sole traders decide if they need to pay and what practical steps to take today confidently.

Can childcare ever count as a business expense for tax purposes? This guide explains why childcare is usually treated as a personal cost, not deductible, even when it enables you to work. It covers common misconceptions, rare exceptions, business travel scenarios, and alternative childcare tax reliefs.

Estimating tax with variable income can feel unpredictable, but the right system makes it manageable. This guide explains how freelancers, contractors, and anyone with fluctuating earnings can project annual tax, manage cash flow, adjust for brackets, and avoid surprises using rolling estimates and practical, real-world methods.

Receiving an HMRC compliance check letter can feel intimidating for sole traders, but it does not automatically mean wrongdoing. This guide explains what compliance checks really involve, why HMRC may contact you, and how to respond calmly, organise records, meet deadlines, and reduce stress while protecting your tax position.

Confused about tips and gratuities as a sole trader? Learn how cash, card, and platform tips are taxed, when they count as business income, how VAT or sales tax may apply, and practical record-keeping tips to stay compliant, avoid mistakes, and report confidently at tax return time for self employed.