PJG Accounting

09/10/2026

🚀 Thinking of starting a business?

You've had the idea.

You've decided to give it a go.

And then come the questions...

🔹 Sole trader or limited company?
🔹 Do I need to register with HMRC?
🔹 Do I need a business bank account?
🔹 What records do I need to keep?
🔹 What expenses can I claim?
🔹 Do I need to think about VAT?
🔹 What about payroll if I take someone on?
🔹 And how much should I be putting aside for tax?

Starting a business is exciting.

The admin that comes with it... perhaps slightly less so. 😅

That's where we can help.

We'll talk through what you're actually planning to do, explain the different options in normal English, and help you get things set up properly from the beginning.

And then, as the business grows, we're still here.

Bookkeeping, accounts, tax returns, payroll, VAT, limited companies – and all those little "I've got a quick question..." moments that inevitably crop up along the way.

You concentrate on building the business.

We'll help you look after the numbers.

– Anne

06/10/2026

02/10/2026

💷 Could your partner give you some of their tax allowance?
Yes. Really.

If you're married or in a civil partnership and one of you earns less than the Personal Allowance, you may be able to transfer some of that unused allowance to the other person.

For 2026/27:
💍 You must be married or in a civil partnership.
💷 The lower earner will normally earn less than £12,570.
📈 The other person must normally be a basic-rate taxpayer.
🔄 You can transfer £1,260 of Personal Allowance.
💰 That can reduce your tax bill by up to £252 a year.

And here's the bit people often don't realise...
You may be able to backdate the claim for previous tax years too. HMRC currently allows eligible claims to be backdated as far as 2022/23.

So, if one of you earns considerably less than the other, it's worth checking.
It's called Marriage Allowance – and despite the name, HMRC doesn't automatically send you £252 as a wedding present. 😄

– Anne

25/09/2026

🎄 Apparently, we're talking about Christmas...

It's September.

September.

And yet Anne and Kira have already started talking about Christmas plans in the office.

I was appropriately horrified.

However — and I'm reluctant to admit this — they might actually have a point. 🙄

Running a business means thinking ahead.

Christmas might feel ages away, but the next few months have a habit of disappearing remarkably quickly.

So now is a pretty good time to think about:

🎄 When will your business close over Christmas?
💷 Will you have enough cash set aside for a quieter period?
🎁 Are there Christmas parties, gifts or bonuses to budget for?
📅 Are payroll dates going to change?
🧾 What needs doing before everyone disappears for the holidays?
💰 And, of course... January's tax bill isn't far behind it.

A little planning now can make December considerably less stressful.

Apparently that's called "being organised" rather than "talking about Christmas far too early."

I'm still not entirely convinced.

But if Anne and Kira are going to insist on mentioning Christmas in September, we may as well get a useful Facebook post out of it.

Plan early. Enjoy Christmas later.

And absolutely no Christmas music in the office yet.

– Paul 😒🎄

18/09/2026

Making Tax Digital – the simple version 📱

We get a lot of questions about MTD, so here are the basics:

🔹 Who does it affect?
Sole traders and landlords with qualifying income from self-employment and property.

🔹 When does it start?
Over £50,000 – already started from April 2026
Over £30,000 – April 2027
Over £20,000 – April 2028

🔹 Is that profit?
No. It's your qualifying income before expenses.

🔹 What changes?
You'll need to keep digital records and send updates to HMRC using compatible software.

🔹 How often?
Quarterly – plus your usual end-of-year tax return. The quarterly updates are summaries, not four tax returns!

🔹 Do I have to work all this out myself?
Nope. That's where we come in. 😊

If MTD applies to you, or you're not sure whether it does, speak to us.

We'll explain what you need to do, get everything set up and help you manage it going forward.

No panic. No jargon. No need to become an accountant yourself.

– Anne