Hornton Financial Services

05/09/2026

Had enquiries last week around MTD. Some are late trying to get started with things. You are not alone...

Many sole traders, one man bands, small businesses are still wondering what to do, how to get started.

The main thing is just make a start don't worry about it, just get started.

It is not as big a hurdle as you may think. If you are ready to start just get in contact for a free no obligation chat.

DM here.

Email: [email protected]

Website: www.horntonfs.co.uk

Clarity. Insight. Success.

28/08/2026

I recently read something positive regarding small businesses, but it was masking something.

SME profit growth has just hit its strongest level in four years at 7.4% in the first quarter of 2026, according to Sage's latest SME Pulse report. That is a good news story amongst so much bad and we should take heart from it, at just how resilient small business can be.

But looking deeper nearly half of all SME invoices are currently overdue, with businesses waiting an average of 27 days for payment. And there's a knock-on effect those with those same businesses then taking longer to pay their own suppliers too, up to 37 days on average and without cash a business is literally starving.

I've seen this before, in a previous life at much bigger corporate organisations the difference between what your P&L says and what's actually sitting in your bank account. This gap represents cash flow timing. But it's what quietly stresses business owners even when, on paper, everything seems to be fine.

If your profits are up this year but you're still feeling bank balance pressure, you are not the only one, it is very common.

It's worth a proper conversation, not just a glance at the top line and this is part of how we can help. Contact us below for a free no obligation chat.

Website: www.horntonfs.co.uk

Email: [email protected]

Clarity. Insight. Success.

20/08/2026

A new client came to us worried they'd left it too late….

We recently took on a new client they ran a small design studio, they came to us having left VAT registration a little later than they should have, and they were understandably worried about it.

After a good conversation, it was clear the business was growing well and had real potential, so we took them on. Since then, the scheme they've been using has evolved right alongside the business.

When we took them on we got them registered under the flat rate scheme, turnover had just pipped £93k.

The business was small and the overheads were simple, and as they were small they did not need to complicate things, so the flat rate scheme was a good fit.

Below is the list of the main features:
· Available since turnover was under £150,000
· Pay a fixed percentage of turnover instead of tracking every input and output
· Rates run from 4% to14.5% by industry, with a 1% discount in year one
This can be a real time saver and can reduce the amount of VAT you pay over to HMRC, so worth the chat.

As they continue to grow we keep an eye on whether this scheme is still the best fit, there will be a time when they near the £150K ceiling then this will be reviewed again and planned for, making sure they are using the best fit scheme.

Clarity. Insight. Success

Have questions around where you are with your VAT? Then have a chat with us.

Email: [email protected]

Website: www.Horntonfs.co.uk

10/08/2026

An old client a new finance partner...

Graham and I work with a real spread of clients and one of the things we are proudest of is that we tend to keep them with us as they grow, supporting them at every stage of their business journey rather than handing them off once they outgrow where they started.

One of our clients is a good example of what that actually looks like in practice. They came to us as a founder, right at the start what they needed then was the basics done properly, a clean set of books, and the confidence that they were compliant with HMRC. Nothing more complicated than that, and rightly so.

As the business found its footing, the need changed. They wanted regular reporting with the narrative behind it not just numbers, but what those numbers were telling them, so problems got spotted and fixed while there was still time to act.

Then growth kept going, and they wanted answers to different questions not so much "am I compliant" or "what happened last month," but more "how do I actually steer this thing." That is the change from insight to a finance partnership, less about which reports get produced, more about what decisions the numbers get used for.

Here's what that looked like in practice:

Cash flow: diagnosed not just put together we didn't just build a forward-looking cash flow, we dug into what was actually driving it, the debtor days, their creditor terms, stock turnover.
That let them decide where to tighten collection rather than just watch the balance move.

Balance sheet: regular reviews were already flagging issues as they came up. This time we were answering a specific question, could the existing funding structure support the growth plan, or did they need additional funding?

Stress testing a worse case scenario gave them the confidence to answer that with numbers, not guestimates.

P&L: segmented to guide where to invest not just asking are we making a profit but finding the services that were actually carrying the business.
That shaped where to direct the focus for growth.

Forecast: modelling the next 6 to12 months under different scenarios meant they could test a hiring decision before any commitment, not after.

Budget: turned into a ground up actual commitment the plan that could be followed with their goals identified. This enabled any drift to be identified, and corrective action taken.

That is what Finance Partnering for our clients looks like not just more reports, but reports answering specific questions to make the decisions the business was facing.

So, wherever you are on your journey just starting out, or an established small business who require more, please contact us for a free consultation.

Website: www.horntonfs.co.uk

Email: [email protected]

Or DM us here, happy to chat.

09/07/2026

HMRC wants to make your life easier. But will there be a catch…

In a recent government tax update is a promise, a full review of the "end-to-end customer journey" for small businesses.

There is the aim for simpler guidance, fewer pain points and a smoother path from start-up to steady state.

It sounds really encouraging but you have to marry this with what is also running alongside the plans. Here's what's also happening:

- Corporation tax late filing penalties have doubled from April 2026 https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/corporation-tax-increases-to-late-filing-penalties/increases-to-corporation-tax-late-filing-penalties

- HMRC is recruiting 5,500 extra compliance caseworkers over the next five years

- Small businesses already account for 40% of the UK's unpaid corporation tax

So, while the front door is getting a new coat of paint, the back office is getting a lot more serious about who's falling behind.

This pattern has been seen before, "Simplification" coupled with "Stricter Enforcement" which tends to arrive hand in hand and the businesses that get caught out aren't usually the ones deliberately cutting corners. They're the ones who assumed a friendlier system meant a more forgiving one.

However, it doesn't, it means there will be fewer excuses.

If your compliance is solid, none of this changes much for you .

But if you are not sure and you don’t have clarity, that uncertainty is exactly what gets expensive.

What's your experience been, are HMRC getting easier to deal with, or just louder about trying?

16/06/2026

We just spoke to a new client, they were looking for a smaller, more personal practice to look after their accounting.

They have been with the same accountants for a number of years but found that they were not receiving the service they once did as the company was bought out by a larger firm. They are passed to different contacts each time they call or email and when they have a query the turnaround can be slow.

They were after a more personal approach with a practice that values the relationship with their client. They want to know who is looking after their business' finances, and who they will be speaking with from one week to the next. They want accountants that know their business and don't have to rely on uninformed generic responses.

We find this more and more, founders and business owners coming to us wanting a smaller practice offering a closer relationship knowing they have the relevant real life experience having worked within corporates and SME's.

Anyone else out their finding this? it seems that there is a growing need for this in our industry?

Email: [email protected]
Web: www.horntonfs.co.uk

01/06/2026

This marvellous young lady is RUNNING FOR JAMES in aid of Katharine House Hospice who went above and beyond for our son James in the 6 months before he passed, Forever 19, and who continue to support our family and many others.

We are so very touched, thank you Catriona Reid

Please give what you can as hospice care is enormously important and makes a huge difference.

This June I’ll be taking part in my third half marathon. This time it’s personal and I’m raising funds… Catriona Reid needs your support for Running for james

26/05/2026

We met a local new client recently….

It’s a good family business and it was impressive what they have achieved over the last couple of years. They have been growing quickly and their enthusiasm really shone through.

After about ten minutes we asked a question, we always ask our prospective clients as it’s a really important one: "What percentage of your revenue comes from your biggest client?"

They said its "About sixty percent, I think. Maybe more."

Not saying anything too dramatic we just pointed out that this was a risk as it can be viewed as a dependency which doesn’t show up in their reporting.

The business is making healthy profits, and they are working really hard, but it felt like this client held too many cards and it needed looking into.

Identifying risks even when things are going well can help sure things up so that you can grow with confidence. We're working on that now.

If your top client walked out next week, how long could you keep going?

Email: [email protected]

Website: Horntonfs.co.uk

19/05/2026

Accounting for Small Businesses is changing....

We talk to a lot of SME owners and what we find is most of them are so focused on running their business day to day, that some of the bigger shifts in how finances can be managed are passing them by.

Here are 4 things to highlight that are changing right now and why they matter to you.

1) Making Tax Digital isn't going away, HMRC now requires digital software for most businesses. Spreadsheets won't cut it much longer. If you haven't switched yet, it's worth doing sooner rather than later.

2) Automation/AI is assisting with the boring stuff, Invoicing, reconciliation, chasing payments. Having good accounting software handles more of this than most people realise. Meaning less admin, fewer errors, more time back.

3) Real time numbers are available and not a luxury anymore. Costs have gone up and margins are tighter, The NIC rise and minimum wage increase hit a lot of small businesses hard.

4) A good finance partner is worth more than compliance. SMEs that work closely with their accountant grow faster on average 11.5% more revenue.

The best financial relationships aren't just about filing returns.

5.7m SMEs in the UK that's 99% of all businesses.

30% of businesses make it past 5 years. Financial visibility is a big part of why.

The businesses that treat their finances as a tool for growth not just a compliance box to tick are the ones that tend to still be here in 5 years' time.

If any of this resonates, we'd love to have a chat.

Questions about your business? We'd love to help.

Email: [email protected]
Website: horntonfs.co.uk

Or message us here.