HLAS

Cyber Essentials has extended the certification grace period to April 2023, to coincide with the next technical requirements refresh. In January 2022, the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) announced an update of the Cyber Essentials technical controls. At the time, organisations who were looking to be assessed against the new standards were given a grace period of up to 12 months for some of the requirements. This grace period was due to end in January. The decision has now been made to extend the grace period for a further three months until April 2023. The new deadline will coincide with the next, [...]

Enterprise Nation has partnered with Adobe to bring “Small Business Goes Big”. It’s a chance to pitch your small business to retail buyers, with the possibility of getting stocked. You could also win a share of £10,000 cash grants. If you are a small business, micro-business, freelancer or sole trader, are based in the UK, have fewer than 20 employees, and operate in the following sectors then you’re eligible to apply: Food and drink Homewares Fashion and jewellery Beauty Health, leisure and wellbeing To enter, you will simply create a two-minute pitch video with the free Adobe Express app. You [...]

Whether you are an aspiring or existing entrepreneur, the StartUp Show is a chance to not only discover everything you need to know about starting a business, but also to connect with advisers and business experts who’ll help take your enterprise to the next level. The event takes place on 28 January 2023 at King's College London, with early bird tickets costing £10 (register by 31 December 2022). By registering for the event, you will receive access to the recordings captured from the Keynote stage, featuring top tips from inspirational entrepreneurs. See: StartUp Show: The biggest start-up event in London [...]

As winter takes hold, you can find helpful advice from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) on keeping people as comfortable as possible when working in the cold. The guidance has been refreshed to make it easier to find and understand advice on how to protect workers in both low and high temperatures. The Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations require employers to provide a reasonable indoor temperature in the workplace. The guidance explains how you can assess the risks to workers and put controls in place to protect them. There is a workplace temperature checklist to help you carry out a basic [...]

The UK Government has launched its ‘Help for Households’ campaign. The campaign aims to help people through the cost of living this winter. Some of the topics include: Cheaper broadband and phone packages - Social tariffs are cheaper broadband and phone packages for people claiming Universal Credit, Pension Credit and some other benefits. For further information please select the following link Cheaper broadband and phone packages - Ofcom Discounts and offers – To find out what discounts and offers are available from businesses to help with the cost of living, please select the following link Discounts and offers - Help for Households [...]

From tax year 2024/25 unincorporated businesses will be required to compute their profits on the new ‘tax year’ basis, i.e. those arising between 6 April and 5 April. Many businesses are considering changing their accounting period end to align with the tax year but those that choose not to will need to apportion their profits and may need to estimate some of the figures in order to meet the 31 January filing deadline. For example, a business with a 31 December accounting year end would need to include nine months of the profits from the year ended 31 December 2024 [...]

Andrew Griffith, the UK City of London minister, has stated the UK government’s intent to revamp the regulation of the investment and insurance sectors. Earlier this month he unveiled over 30 reforms “to unlock investment and turbocharge growth in towns and cities across the UK”. Last week the Chancellor, Jeremy Hunt, set out plans to repeal and replace EU retained laws governing financial services. This will establish a new regulatory framework for the UK with the aim of making it more agile, less costly, and more responsive to emerging trends. These plans included a commitment to make substantial legislative progress [...]

If you are looking for some new business ideas, then ask us for a copy of our guide called “57 Ways to Grow Your Business”! Our publication is packed full of bright ideas for the Serious Entrepreneur and starts with the four basics of growth. All the ideas in this guide ultimately revolve around four basic insights about growing a business: Increase the number of customers, Increase the number of times each one does business with you, Increase the average value of each transaction, and Increase your own effectiveness and efficiency. Here are some other business principles that we explore in [...]

Making tax digital (MTD) for income tax self-assessment (ITSA) was originally scheduled to start in 2018 and was then put back to 2023 and then 2024. It was announced just before Christmas that the new system of submitting digital information quarterly to HMRC has been delayed yet again! The start date will now depend upon the gross business receipts of the individual. Self-employed individuals and landlords with annual gross receipts above £50,000 will need to follow the rules for MTD for ITSA from 6 April 2026. Those with annual gross receipts between £30,000 and £50,000 will be mandated into the [...]

Creative Catalyst, run by Innovate UK, provides end-to-end innovation support for high-potential businesses in the creative sector. The first £10 million funding call opened on the 5 December 2022. UK registered micro and small businesses in the creative industries sector will be able to apply for funding up to £50,000 with a package of support to grow their business. To be eligible, proposals must: be from the creative industries or support the creative industries; demonstrate clear benefits for the UK creative industry and the wider UK economy; focus on a clear opportunity and the proposed innovation which addresses it; and [...]