Business advice
Business Planning
Plans and forecasts play an essential role in enabling you to make effective business management decisions. They can assist with decisions regarding future growth and development, as well as offering a benchmark against which to measure your success in achieving your business objectives.
Your business plan will also form a key part of any lending decisions made by financial providers.
In addition, proper business planning will help with longer term issues, such as exit and succession planning, by helping to ensure that you have a comprehensive strategy in place to minimise your tax liabilities, maximise your gains and ensure a smooth transition.
Business Start-ups
We understand that starting a business can be a very stressful and expensive process, which is why we offer an initial one hour consultation free of charge. This enables you to discuss your plans, queries, concerns and book-keeping requirements with us, and allows us to tailor our services to suit your particular needs.
As well as helping you to assess the legal structures available and assisting you in choosing the one most suited to your needs, we can help with all of the necessary documentation required by HM Revenue & Customs.
Being involved from the outset enables us to have a good understanding of your business and your personal aims. This in turn enables us to work with you and focus our services on those areas which will have the most beneficial impact, and to build a long and constructive relationship.
Company Formations
We can form your company in line with your specific requirements, dealing with such areas as the appointment of directors, company secretary, allotment of shares, and submitting the necessary documentation to Companies House.
To ensure that you have all of the elements in place to commence trading, we can assist with VAT registration and the opening of a payroll scheme and a construction industry scheme, if required. We can offer the peace of mind that all of the necessary areas have been covered.
Company Name Checks
We can check the availability of your preferred limited company name.
Company Searches
We can check the information regarding your current and prospective customers and suppliers, including their latest accounts, directors and shareholder information.
Company Secretarial Services
We can help with all of your company secretarial requirements, from preparing minutes and resolutions to dealing with statutory returns, company formations and company searches. Let us take the pressure off, so you have one less thing to worry about.
Consultancy Services - Management Consultancy
To assist in the development, growth and success of your business we offer consultancy services on a variety of issues, including:
- cash flow planning
- costing and budgets
- financial information systems.
VAT advice
VAT is a very complex area of taxation, and many businesses unintentionally over or underpay the tax as a result. This is particularly the case when dealing with land and buildings.
The frequent changes made by HM Revenue & Customs mean that business owners often need professional assistance to ensure that they are complying with the appropriate requirements. This is where we can help, providing specialist services that can help to guide you through the VAT maze.
We can provide an efficient and cost-effective VAT service, which includes:
- Assistance with VAT registration
- Advice on VAT planning and administration
- Use of the most appropriate scheme
- VAT control and reconciliation
- Help with completing quarterly VAT returns
- Planning to minimise future problems with HMRC
- Negotiating with HMRC and representing you at VAT tribunals
- Additional services for our business customers
- Credit Control and Account Monitoring.
Using a business database containing over 7.5 million records on every business in the UK, from sole traders through to limited and quoted companies, we can monitor the performance of your competitors, suppliers and customers.
Developed by the UK’s leading insolvency service provider, the database utilises their expertise and knowledge of the behaviour of previously insolvent businesses and new directors to provide a comprehensive health rating. The benefits include:
- Minimising the risk of financial loss
- Protecting your business from bad debt and failing suppliers, and promoting a healthier and more profitable relationship
- Identifying opportunities for growth and winning healthy new business
- Web-based solutions, including direct mail notifications and warnings
We can provide one-off credit reports, ongoing monitoring and details of potential new customers by postcode, trade, new companies, year ends etc.
Human Resources
We have access to an innovative and comprehensive HR solution, provided by Smith Partnership Solicitors, that delivers excellent value for money.
This online service, which can be accessed across the UK, provides up-to-date documents including contracts, handbooks, letters, policies and procedures. There is also a range of HR guidance notes explaining in non-legal, easy to understand terms, the key areas of employment law that affect employers on a daily basis.
The subscription costs £250 per year and provides:
- Unlimited access to the service
- 30 minutes of advice from the Smith Partnership Helpline
- Discounted additional advice if required
- Regular e-mail bulletins on key areas of employment law
- Invitations to a Smith Partnership seminar programme.
We only recommend a service if we believe it offers value, and this service has our full support. Please contact us for more information.