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Welcome to the accountancy blog from ZincBooks
We love to share the latest news, views and advice with our clients and the weekly blog gives us the ideal opportunity to do this.
Feel free to get in touch with us if you wish to discuss any of the blog topics in more detail.
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Autumn Budget 2025 – High Value Council Tax Surcharge
Starting in 2028-29, the government will introduce a High Value Council Tax Surcharge (HVCTS) for residential properties in England valued at £2 million or more. This surcharge will be collected by local authorities, but
Autumn Budget 2025 – Minimum Wage increases
The Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rachel Reeves announced increases to the Minimum Wage rates on the eve of the Budget. The Chancellor confirmed that the government has accepted in full the proposals of the Low Pay
Autumn Budget 2025 – Pension changes
The Chancellor has kept the main pension allowances unchanged but has confirmed a new cap on salary sacrifice arrangements that will apply from April 2029.
There had been heated speculation that the Chancellor would
Budget Summary 26 November 2025
The degree of speculation about this year’s Budget announcements was further compounded when the Office of Budgetary Responsibility uploaded their report on Budget changes prior to Rachel Reeves announcements to
The link between planning and progress
Most business owners know that progress matters, but many still hesitate when it comes to planning. It can feel like an extra task or something that only large companies need to worry about. Yet, in practice, steady
How a business grows financially by retaining profits
Many business owners focus on sales as the main driver of growth. Sales matter, but they are only part of the story. Real financial growth happens when a business retains profits. Keeping a portion of earnings inside the
National Insurance credits and Child Benefit
Claiming Child Benefit can provide an important benefit by granting National Insurance credits.
If you claim Child Benefit and your child is under 12, you will automatically receive National Insurance credits. This in
Claim flat rate expenses for work clothing and tools
If you use your own money to buy items for work, you may be eligible to claim tax relief as long as the items are essential for your job and are used solely for work purposes.
Flat rate expenses (also known as a flat
MTD – qualifying income
Making Tax Digital for Income Tax (MTD for IT) will become mandatory in phases from April 2026. If you are self-employed or a landlord and have over £50,000 in qualifying income you need to start preparing to submit
Taxable & tax-free state benefits
While there are many state benefits available, it is not always clear which of these are taxable and which are tax-free.
HMRC’s guidance outlines the following list of the most common state benefits which are taxable,
Christmas crafters and tax
If you earn fees or sell goods as a side hustle, you may need to pay tax on your profits.
HMRC has launched a new press release encouraging Christmas crafters and anyone with a fee earning hobby to check their tax
What is a demerger?
A demerger involves splitting the trading activities of a single company or group into two or more independent entities. This can be facilitated by distributing the assets of a holding company to its shareholders.
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