Designed for non-VAT registered businesses, we'll do your bank reconciling so you can relax knowing it's done right, and on time.

Bank reconciliation - non-VAT registered companies

A 12-month plan designed for new business owners who may want some extra guidance around business structure, accounting software setup and training, and more.

We will provide you with guidance and support on what you'll need to do to establish and commence running your new business

We can provide advice on the best business structure for your needs and take care of establishment and registrations

Set up your Xero file so it's optimised for you and give you initial training so you start off in the right way

Preparation of a budget tailored to your business and input into Xero so you can track how you're going

Starter Pack

We will help get your business officially incorporated

Company formation

Designed for sole trader businesses, we'll do your bank reconciling so you can relax knowing it's done right, and on time. Take one less task off your plate.

Bank reconciliation - sole trader businesses

A 12 month plan designed for established businesses. Additional support in the form of management accounts and time with your accountant

Completing quarterly management accounts tailored to your business requirements and aligned to your VAT quarters

Quarterly meetings with your accountant to chat business planning, strategy, or questions about your management accounts

Success pack

The initial setup of your Xero accounting software tailored to your business's needs, plus a one hour training session where you'll learn the best practices for bookkeeping and financial tracking.

Xero setup & training

We prepare your quarterly VAT returns ready for you to review and pay.

Prepare VAT

Learn how accountants support business growth through data-driven insights, tax planning, and more.

BUSINESS ADVICE  •  13 FEBRUARY 2026  •  5 MIN READ

Learn how accountants support growing businesses by improving profitability, strengthening cash flow, guiding tax planning, and aligning financial systems with long term growth.

How an accountant helps accelerate business growth

If you've been in business for 5 or 10 years (or even more!), you typically don't need help recording numbers at this point. You want help understanding what those numbers are (quietly) telling you. 

When you have come this far in business, accountants are no longer a service provider but a strategic partner who understands how your business works and finds where opportunities sit. 

Here's how an accountant supports a business that is already past the startup phase and looking to grow.

1. Turn financial data into strategic clarity

Experienced business owners make decisions backed by data. This means that the data should be interpreted correctly. 

Go beyond balance sheets and profit/loss statements

Interpret trend data to forecast cash flow, margins, and operational efficiency

Understand how revenue drivers and cost centres impact future growth

Instead of reacting to numbers, you can gain predictive insights that shape strategic priorities and resource allocations with confidence. 

2. Build financial systems that match the size of your business

A lot of business owners don't realise that they have outgrown their financial setup. This shows up in messy reports that lead to answers taking too long to find. 

What worked when you had a small team, a handful of clients, and simpler transactions often becomes strained once you have multiple revenue streams, more staff, higher expenses, and more complex reporting needs. This is detrimental in the long run.

An accountant can help redesign the reporting environment so that finance connects with operations, sales, and staffing. They help rebuild your financial environment so it reflects how the business operates today. That alone can dramatically improve visibility across the business.

3. Improve profit without needing more revenue

At this stage of business, you might have already come to the realisation that growth often comes from efficiency, not just increasing revenue.

A good accountant ensures you stay efficient by helping you identify which services or products are most profitable. They will also help uncover where small costs are leaking money and how pricing or expense adjustments can improve margins quickly. Over time, these small changes can have a huge financial impact on your business.

4. Use tax planning as part of your strategy

Aside from being an annual task, tax planning might now be part of your long-term thinking as a business owner. Now that you deal with larger profits, retained earnings, asset purchases, expanding teams, and sometimes multiple entities, the decisions you make during the year have compounding tax and cash flow effects that are easy to miss. 

This is where an accountant becomes crucial. They map out how these decisions affect your effective tax position, your available cash, and your ability to reinvest. Accountants also look at how profits are being extracted from the business, whether the current structure is still efficient, and whether upcoming investments or expansions should be timed differently for better outcomes. 

5. Keep payroll and workforce costs aligned with growth

If your company now has a bigger workforce with layered roles, senior hires, contractors, casual staff, bonuses, allowances, and rising overhead, labour becomes one of the largest costs in the business. Yet many business owners still look at it as a total figure rather than understanding how it relates to productivity, cash flow, and revenue. 

This is where problems start to creep in. Teams often expand in a way that pushes payroll up faster than revenue, with overlapping roles and uneven contribution only becoming obvious once margins start to feel the pressure. 

An accountant can see this pattern in the numbers long before it becomes a visible issue. They can analyse how labour costs sit against revenue, whether staffing levels make financial sense for the current stage of the business, and highlight when hiring decisions may be better delayed, restructured, or approached differently to avoid unnecessary strain.

6. Free up your time to focus on leadership and growth

Perhaps, the bigger benefit here is mental space. When someone else is managing and interpreting your financial position, you spend less time worrying about reports and more time focusing on customers, strategy, and opportunities. 

For experienced business owners, an accountant should feel like part of your leadership team. They help you understand what the numbers mean and provide insights that assist businesses in moving from stable to scalable.

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How an accountant helps drive business growth

Business advice

Metrics every business should track to improve cashflow, margins, efficiency, and resilience, and turn data into smarter decisions.

FINANCIAL LITERACY  •  12 FEBRUARY 2026  •  5 MIN READ

Key financial metrics every business should track to improve cashflow, margins, efficiency, and resilience, and turn financial data into smarter day-to-day decisions.

Key financial metrics all businesses should monitor

Healthy businesses don't just look at how much money came in. They monitor how money moves, where it's made, where it's lost, and how resilient the business is when conditions change. 

The right financial metrics act as early warning signs. They show problems before cash runs out, margins erode, or growth stalls. They also show where to double down when things are working. 

Here are the core financial metrics every business should be watching consistently.

Profit does not guarantee cash in the bank. What keeps the business operating daily is a healthy cashflow. 

This shows whether the business is generating enough cash from its normal activities to sustain itself without relying on loans and owner injections. 

This is the cash left after covering operating costs and necessary capital expenses such as equipment, vehicles, or technology. Free cashflow shows how much flexibility the business truly has to reinvest, pay down debt, or build reserves. 

How long customers take to pay you. Rising debtor days quietly drain cash and are often missed until pressure builds. 

How long you take to pay suppliers. This needs to be balanced carefully because paying too fast can strain cash. On the other hand, paying too slowly can damage supplier relationships. 

These numbers show whether cash is moving through the business efficiently or getting stuck. 

Revenue can grow while profits shrink. Margins tell the real story. 

This shows how efficiently you deliver your product or service before overheads. If this starts falling, it often means pricing has not kept up with rising costs, discounting has become too common, or jobs are taking longer than expected. 

This reveals how much is actually left after everything is paid for. A healthy net margin usually reflects good cost control and pricing discipline. A shrinking one often means overheads are growing faster than you realise. 

Contribution margin per product or service

Not everything you sell contributes equally to profit. Some offerings bring in revenue but quietly erode earnings once time, labour, and overhead allocation are considered. This metric shows which parts of the business are genuinely profitable and which are simply keeping you busy. 

Total sales alone don't tell you much. The patterns are the ones to look out for. 

Flat or declining growth across consecutive periods is an indicator to review your pipeline, pricing, or market demand. 

If a large percentage of revenue comes from one or two clients, the business carries hidden risk. Losing one key client can create immediate cashflow pressure.

Recurring revenue creates stability. Businesses with stronger recurring streams usually experience less stress during slow periods because income is more predictable. 

When revenue tightens, cost structure determines how much pressure the business feels. 

High fixed costs create risk during downturns because they remain even when sales fall. 

Variable costs make it easier for the business to adjust as circumstances change.

If this percentage rises without revenue rising at the same pace, efficiency is slipping. This usually happens gradually and is easy to miss without tracking the ratio.

The balance sheet shows how prepared the business is for pressure or opportunity. 

This measures short-term liquidity. A ratio below 1 can indicate difficulty meeting short-term obligations. 

This shows how much the business relies on borrowed funds versus owner investment. Higher leverage increases risk when interest rates rise or cashflow tightens. A high ratio is also a risk signal for lenders and investors, so aim to keep this as low as possible. 

Low turnover often means cash is sitting on shelves instead of working in the business. It can indicate overstocking or slowing sales.

Not all risks show up in your internal numbers first. 

These affect loan repayments, investment decisions, and cashflow planning. 

Business confidence, housing activity, or commodity prices relevant to your sector often indicate changes before they appear in your reports. 

Watching these helps you plan ahead rather than react late.

Individually, these numbers are useful. Together, they tell a clear story about how healthy, efficient, and resilient your business really is. 

Are we truly generating cash or just reporting profit?

Which parts of the business deserve more focus?

How prepared are we for economic changes?

The strongest businesses review these monthly or quarterly and use them to guide decisions. 

These metrics are not about producing more reports. They are about using financial data as a management tool instead of a compliance requirement. 

When you understand what these indicators are telling you, you can adjust pricing, improve processes, reduce risk, and plan growth with confidence. 

That's where good accounting support makes a difference. Beany can help turn your financial data into practical insights you can actually use. If you're looking for an accountant that can help with not just compliance but your numbers, get in touch with us today. 

Financial literacy

Strategies for Australian seasonal businesses to manage peaks and slow months for year-round financial stability.

BUSINESS ADVICE  •  12 FEBRUARY 2026  •  5 MIN READ

Practical cashflow strategies for seasonal businesses to manage busy periods and prepare for slower months with confidence.

Strategic Cashflow Management for Seasonal Businesses in the UK

Seasonality is part of running many businesses across the UK. Tourism cycles, weather, school terms, retail cycles, and construction slowdowns all create predictable peaks and quieter trading periods. 

The challenge is not removing these cycles, but planning for them in a way that keeps the business steady, compliant, and financially comfortable throughout the year. These practical steps help seasonal businesses stay in control. 

A rolling 12 to 18-month cashflow forecast gives visibility across at least one complete seasonal cycle. 

This broader view makes it easier to understand how strong trading periods must support slower ones and highlights where pressure may appear well before it becomes urgent. It's useful to model expected, optimistic, and cautious scenarios so you know how much buffer is required if revenue dips or costs increase. 

In the UK, your forecast should also factor in the timing of: 

PAYE and National Insurance Contribution (NIC) payments

Self Assessment payments on account (if applicable)

These obligations continue regardless of how quiet trading becomes. 

A cash reserve allows the business to cover essential expenses during slower periods without resorting to short-term fixes. 

During peak months, set aside part of the profit specifically to support the low season. Many UK seasonal businesses aim to reserve around 20% to 30% of peak earnings to cover several months of fixed costs such as rent, wages, repayments, and insurance. 

Keeping this money in a separate account creates a clear boundary between operational funds and stability funds. This reserve reduces stress, supports better decisions, and prevents rushed borrowing.

3. Adjust costs to match seasonal reserve

Some costs do not need to remain fixed throughout the year. Identifying where expenses can scale up or down helps ease pressure when income slows. 

Areas where flexibility is often possible include: 

Certain tools or campaigns that are valuable in busy periods may not be necessary year-round. Planning ahead to reduce or pause them preserves cash without affecting long-term performance.

While seasonality cannot always be removed, some businesses can reduce volatility by creating income outside peak periods. 

This might include off-season services, advanced booking incentives, maintenance work, consulting, or limited-time offers aimed specifically at quieter months. 

Payment structures also play a role. Annual pricing, retainers, subscriptions, deposits, or staged billing can spread customer payments more evenly across the year. Even partial smoothing reduces reliance on reserves or short-term finance.

5. Tighten credit control during peak periods

High sales volumes can hide cashflow problems if invoices are not chased promptly. Invoices should be issued immediately with clear payment terms that are consistently applied. 

For larger jobs, deposits or upfront payments can protect cashflow. Some businesses also encourage faster payment with small early-settlement incentives. Strong credit control during peak periods makes quiet periods far easier to manage.

The timing of payables can influence cashflow just as much as incoming revenue. Where possible, negotiate payment terms with suppliers that better align with when revenue is received. Extended or staged payments can ease pressure without harming relationships. 

Bulk purchasing ahead of busy periods can be effective, but only if it does not tie up cash needed later. Reviewing stock and purchasing schedules ensures money remains available during slow trading.

Overdrafts and short-term working capital facilities can support seasonal businesses when they are part of a plan. They work best as bridges between busy and quiet periods, not as an emergency response once cash is already tight. 

Long-term borrowing is more appropriate for investments in equipment, premises, or growth initiatives rather than covering short-term gaps.

The periods between peak and quiet trading are when regular reviews are most valuable. Comparing actual results to the forecast each month highlights small issues early. Monitoring metrics such as debtor days, creditor days, margins, and stock levels provides early warning signs if cashflow begins to tighten. 

Early adjustments are far easier than last-minute decisions.

Seasonal income can make tax feel unpredictable, particularly when VAT or Corporation Tax is due during slower months. 

Setting money aside as revenue is earned prevents these payments from becoming a shock later. Treating tax as a routine cost simplifies cashflow management and reduces the likelihood of needing time-to-pay arrangements with HMRC. 

Seasonality doesn't have to create instability. With the right systems in place, busy periods can strengthen the business and support the months that follow. 

Beany supports UK businesses with cash flow forecasting, tax planning, and financial clarity, helping owners make informed decisions all year round. If you're looking for an accountant for your business, get in touch or book a call with us.

Strategic cashflow management for seasonal businesses in the UK

Changing shareholders in your company? Make sure you know the key implications before implementing the change.

BUSINESS ADVICE  •  15 JANUARY 2026  •  6 MIN READ

Thinking of changing shareholders in your UK Limited Liability Company? Learn the key accounting, tax and legal steps to take before transferring shares to avoid costly mistakes.

Changing Shareholders: Key Accounting & Tax Implications

Bringing in a new shareholder, rewarding a key employee with equity, or passing the business on to family are all big moments for any company. It can feel like a straightforward admin task. Update the records, issue new shares, move on. 

In reality, changing your company's shareholders is a significant legal and financial step. Even a small shift in ownership can affect how profits are taxed, how future exits are treated, and how your company is viewed by HMRC and Companies House. We often see directors focus on the deal itself, only to discover later that something simple was missed and now needs to be unwound. 

In the UK, shareholder changes are governed by company law, tax rules, and reporting requirements that do not always line up neatly. What feels like a private agreement between individuals still needs to be reflected correctly in your statutory registers and filings, and valued properly for tax purposes. 

Before you make any changes, it is worth taking a step back and understanding what is involved. A bit of planning now can prevent unnecessary costs, delays. and uncomfortable conversations later. 

Changing shareholders has direct tax consequences for the company and the individuals involved, and is often where problems can surface later.

Some of the key areas to consider include:

When shares are sold, transferred, or gifted, the person disposing of them may be liable to CGT. This is usually calculated based on the difference between the original purchase price and the market value at the time of transfer, even if no money changes hands. In certain circumstances, Gift Holdover Relief may be available, allowing the gain to be deferred rather than taxed at the time of the gift.

If shares are transferred for more than £1,000, stamp duty applies at 0.5% of the value. The stock transfer form must be submitted to HMRC and stamped before the transfer is fully recognised. There are, however, specific stamp duty exemptions and reliefs that may apply in certain circumstances.

After the change, dividends will be taxed based on each shareholder's personal tax position. Introducing new shareholders or new share classes can alter how profits are distributed and how tax-efficient those payments are. 

When shares are gifted to individuals, IHT can apply if the person making the gift dies within seven years. This is most relevant for family succession planning and long-term ownership changes.

Issuing shares to employees often falls under specific employee share scheme rules. If shares are issued below market value, the discount may be treated as taxable income for the employee. 

Schemes such as the Enterprise Investment Scheme (EIS) and Seed Enterprise Investment Scheme (SEIS) can offer valuable tax reliefs for investors, including CGT benefits. However, changes to share structure or ownership can affect eligibility, so these should always be reviewed before proceeding.

Getting these points right upfront helps avoid unexpected tax bills and keeps future plans (such as dividends or exits) on track.

While the tax and accounting side is critical, there are a few practical and legal steps that often get overlooked when shareholders change. These are the details that make the difference between a clean transition and one that causes issues later.

1. Updating the Companies Office: In the UK, a person legally becomes a shareholder when their name is entered into the company's register of members. This register is the company's primary record and should always reflect the current ownership. If a company issues new shares, this must be reported to Companies House within one month. Any other changes to the company's share structure must be reported within 21 days.  Making sure this information is accurate and up to date avoids confusion and ensures the public record matches the company's reality.

2. Shareholder Agreements: The shareholder agreement is a legally binding document that sets out what happens if someone wants to sell their shares, passes away, or if there is a dispute between shareholders. If you do not already have one, a change in ownership is often the right moment to put one in place, as it protects the business and the people behind it. 

3. Get Legal Advice: Your accountant will help with valuations, tax, and reporting, but a solicitor should review and handle the legal side of the process. This includes share transfer documents, board resolutions, and any updates required to company records. Having the right advice at the right time helps ensure the change is properly documented and stands up to scrutiny in the future. 

Changing shareholders is one of those decisions that can feel simple on the surface but carries long-term consequences if it is rushed. Once shares are transferred and records updated, reversing a mistake is rarely straightforward and can be costly. 

Taking the time to plan the change properly helps you understand the tax impact, confirm the right share structure, and make sure your legal and statutory records are in order. It also gives everyone involved clarity on what they are agreeing to, both now and in the future. 

Getting professional advice early usually makes the process smoother. With the right guidance from your accountant and solicitor, a shareholder change can be handled cleanly, compliantly, and without unpleasant surprises down the line. 

Important considerations before changing your company shareholders

Get your business ready for year-end with our preparation checklist.

Get your business ready for year-end. Learn what records, VAT, payroll and asset checks Ltd Companies should prepare in advance.

Company year-end preparation for UK business owners

Preparing for your company year-end isn’t just about closing the books. It also sets the clock ticking on your post year-end obligations. In the UK, your Corporation Tax return must be filed within 12 months of the end of the accounting period, but the filing deadline for accounts is 9 months after your company’s year-end, and Corporation Tax is due 9 months and 1 day after. 

Getting organised early reduces pressure, avoids penalties, and gives you more control over cash flow decisions before deadlines hit. To help you prepare, we've put together a checklist of key areas that are worth reviewing before your financial year closes.

1. Review and reconcile your income and expenses

As you approach year-end, your bookkeeping should be fully up to date. Check that all sales invoices for the year have been raised and all expenses have been accurately recorded.

This means reconciling bank accounts, ensuring receipts are uploaded or attached, and checking that transactions are categorised correctly. Incomplete records can destroy your profit figure and create delays when accounts are being prepared.

Before the year ends, review outstanding customer invoices and confirm which amounts are still expected to be paid. 

If a debt seems genuinely irrecoverable, it may need to be written off. Writing off bad debts at the correct time ensures you are not paying tax on income you are unlikely to receive.

Prior to year-end, it's also important to check that all liabilities for the financial year are recorded and up-to-date (even invoices that have not yet been paid).

Accurately recording all your creditors ensures that expenses fall into the correct financial period and can have a direct impact on your taxable profit.

Your fixed asset register should reflect what the business actually owns and uses. Review assets such as equipment, vehicles, and electronic devices, paying attention to items that may have been upgraded, sold, or disposed of. 

If assets are no longer in use or have been sold, this needs to be recorded so depreciation and capital allowances are handled correctly. Asset reviews are a common area where errors creep in if preparation is skipped. 

If your business holds stock, a stocktake at or close to year-end is vital. Stock values directly affect your reported profit, so accuracy matters. 

Obsolete, damaged, or unsaleable stock should be identified and recorded appropriately rather than carried forward at full value. 

6. Check vehicle logbooks and mileage records

If vehicles are used for business, logbooks should be checked before year-end. A valid logbook records business and private mileage over a qualifying period and supports business use claims. 

Without an up-to-date logbook, claims can be restricted, which can make a noticeable difference to year-end outcomes. Ensuring records are current before the year closes avoids issues later. 

7. Ensure VAT submissions and records are up to date

If your business is VAT-registered, all VAT returns covering the financial year should be submitted and aligned with your bookkeeping.

Unfiled returns, inconsistencies, or missing documentation can delay accounts preparation and trigger follow-up work.

Payroll records should be reviewed ahead of year-end. This includes checking that payroll reports are complete, submissions have been made on time, and employee records are accurate. You should also ensure that all payroll journals have been posted for the year. 

If your business operates under the Construction Industry Scheme, CIS records and submissions should also be up to date. CIS compliance issues are far easier to address before year-end than after. 

Some costs relate to the year just ended but have not yet been paid, while others may have been paid in advance. These need to be identified so accruals and prepayments can be applied correctly. 

Preparing this information helps ensure your accounts reflect the true financial position at year-end. 

10. Organise any documentation that you (or your accountant) will need to complete your accounts

While most of the information required for year-end should be in your accounting software, there might be other documents that your accountant will need to prepare the company accounts, such as loan agreements or copies of receipts for large asset purchases. 

Being organised and keeping these sorts of documents stored in an easily accessible location is always useful to avoid any scramble later on.

11. Consider professional tax support early

Year-end preparation is also an opportunity to check that your business is making full use of available allowances and deductions. 

Consulting with a tax professional before accounts are finalised can help identify tax reliefs or claims that might otherwise be missed. Addressing these points early is far easier than trying to revisit them months down the track or after filings have been submitted.

12. Reflect on performance and plan ahead

Preparing to close off the financial year is also a chance to step back and assess how the business has performed. Reviewing income, costs, and cash flow patterns can highlight trends that are easy to overlook during the year. 

Many business owners use this point to produce a high level budget or forecast for the next financial year. Even a simple one can help guide decisions as the new year begins. 

Getting ready for year-end does not have to be stressful. Beany works with UK businesses to prepare accounts, handle filings, and keep everything compliant with HMRC and Companies House. If you want an accountant who supports your business, get in touch or book a call with us today. 

Before charging rent to your company for use of home costs, it's important to understand all the implications.

TAX  •  16 DECEMBER 2025  •  8 MIN READ

Learn how directors can claim homeworking costs through flat rates, actual expenses, or a formal rental agreement, and understanding the income tax and PPR implications of the rental method.

Use of Home Rental Agreement for Limited Companies

Many directors use their homes as part of running their limited companies, with HMRC providing several ways to account for this. Some approaches are straightforward, while others require more structure and evidence.

Before deciding how to handle the use of home, it's necessary to understand how each method works and the implications of choosing one approach over another. 

The three methods of claiming use of home expenses

Directors have three recognised methods for accounting for the company's use of their home. Each operates under different tax rules, and the choice affects the costs for both the company and the director.

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