Learn About Accounting
Free guides and resources to help you understand your taxes, manage your finances, and make smarter business decisions.
Practical small-business guides
Self-Employed Allowable Expenses: Complete UK Checklist
A practical category-by-category guide to allowable expenses for UK sole traders, including mixed-use costs, simplified expenses, records, and common exclusions.
Read guideLimited Company Expenses: What Can You Claim?
Understand common limited-company expenses, capital versus revenue costs, director reimbursements, benefits, VAT, and records for Corporation Tax.
Read guideCash Basis vs Traditional Accounting for UK Sole Traders
Compare cash basis and traditional accounting, see how invoice timing changes profit, and understand records, eligibility, switching, and Making Tax Digital.
Read guideSmall-Business Bookkeeping Checklist: Weekly to Year End
A practical bookkeeping routine for UK small businesses, organised into weekly, monthly, quarterly, and year-end tasks with controls and handover guidance.
Read guideUK VAT Schemes Compared: Standard, Flat Rate, Cash and Annual
Compare the main UK VAT accounting schemes, eligibility limits, cash-flow effects, record keeping, and questions to test before choosing or switching.
Read guideProfit and Loss vs Balance Sheet vs Cash Flow
Understand what the profit and loss account, balance sheet, and cash-flow forecast each show—and how to read the three together.
Read guideAllowable Expenses for UK Landlords
A practical guide to rental-property expenses, repairs versus improvements, residential finance-cost relief, replacement items, records, and the property allowance.
Read guidePrefer to work with the numbers?
Build a 12-month cash-flow forecast and download the spreadsheet template.
More accounting guides
How to Choose the Right Accountant for Your Business
A practical guide to comparing accountants by service fit, experience, fees, software, and communication style.
Complete Guide to Self Assessment Tax Returns
Who needs Self Assessment, what records to prepare, common deductions, deadlines, and when an accountant is worth it.
When and How to Register for VAT in the UK
Understand VAT registration triggers, voluntary registration, VAT schemes, digital records, and when to get help.
Setting Up a Limited Company: Step-by-Step
A plain-English walkthrough of company formation, tax registrations, records, banking, and first-year compliance.
Tax Guide for UK Contractors and Freelancers
A practical guide to contractor tax, IR35, limited companies, expenses, VAT, salary, dividends, and record keeping.
Self Assessment Deadlines for 2025/26: What to File and When
Key Self Assessment dates for the 2025/26 tax year, including registration, paper filing, online filing, and payment deadlines.
What Records Does an Accountant Need for Self Assessment?
A practical checklist of income, expense, employment, rental, dividend, pension, and capital gains records to prepare before asking for Self Assessment help.
Making Tax Digital for Sole Traders: 2026, 2027 and 2028 Rules Explained
What sole traders need to know about MTD for Income Tax, qualifying income thresholds, digital records, quarterly updates, and accountant support.
Making Tax Digital for Landlords: What Property Owners Need to Prepare
How MTD for Income Tax affects landlords, rental records, qualifying income, quarterly updates, and property bookkeeping workflows.
Salary vs Dividends 2026/27: A Guide for Company Directors
How directors should think about salary, dividends, Corporation Tax, National Insurance, pensions, and distributable profits in 2026/27.
Construction and CIS Accounting: What Contractors and Subcontractors Need to Know
A practical guide to CIS registration, monthly returns, subcontractor verification, CIS deductions, repayment claims, and construction VAT issues.
HMRC Investigation: What to Do Before Speaking to HMRC
How to respond to HMRC compliance checks, what records to gather, when to use your accountant, and when specialist investigation support is sensible.
How to Switch Accountants in the UK Without Missing Deadlines
A practical handover checklist for changing accountants, including professional clearance, records, software access, deadlines, and open HMRC work.
How Accountants Get Better Leads in the UK
How UK accounting firms can improve lead quality with clearer positioning, service pages, local search, proof points, and better directory profiles.
Local SEO for Accountants: A Practical UK Checklist
A focused checklist for accounting firms that want to improve local search visibility without relying only on broad national keywords.
Accounting Firm Profile Example: What to Include Before You Claim a Listing
A checklist for creating a stronger accounting firm directory profile, from services and niches to credentials, pricing signals, software, and client fit.