Gold Stag Accounts

17/03/2026

You may have seen the recent Companies House news.

The good news is that this doesn’t affect our systems or client filings. Everything on our side remains secure 👍

That said, it’s still worth taking a couple of minutes to check your Companies House record, just to be safe.

We’ve explained everything clearly here 👇
https://goldstagaccounts.co.uk/resources/companies-house-security-issue

09/02/2026

💻 Earning money online? Here’s what you really need to know about tax

More people than ever are generating income through subscriptions, fan platforms, and paid online services. It’s flexible, scalable, and exciting — but it also comes with tax responsibilities that often aren’t explained early enough.

HMRC still expects online income to be:
✔️ declared correctly
✔️ supported by proper records
✔️ reported on time

From Self Assessment and record keeping to Making Tax Digital and knowing when to review your business structure, staying compliant doesn’t have to be overwhelming — but it does require the right information.

We’ve put together a practical, no-nonsense guide for online creators and digital professionals covering:

- how to organise your finances properly

- common tax mistakes we see (and how to avoid them)

- what’s changing with Making Tax Digital

- when it might make sense to review sole trader vs limited company

👉 Read the full article here:
https://goldstagaccounts.co.uk/resources/youre-earning-online-but-clueless-about-tax-heres-what-you-really-need-to-know

If you’re earning online and unsure where you stand with tax, this is a good place to start.

Earning money from subscription-based content or fan platforms? Here’s what UK online content creators need to know about tax, Self Assessment and staying compliant.

03/02/2026

📢 Scottish Budget 2026 Update (Sorry it’s a bit late!)
Apologies for this being published a little later than planned, but here are the key changes for 2026/27 👇

💷 Income Tax: What’s Changing?

From 6 April 2026, Scotland is making a small income tax “cut”… by slightly increasing two thresholds.

✅ Basic + Intermediate bands rise
❌ Tax rates stay the same
❄️ Higher/Advanced/Top thresholds remain frozen

So it’s not a big giveaway, more like easing the effect of frozen bands elsewhere.

Scotland is making a tiny income tax “cut” by nudging up two thresholds. It’s not a big giveaway, more like taking the edge off a quiet tax rise caused by frozen thresholds elsewhere.

30/01/2026

☕️ 🧾 Wishing all accountants and finance professionals the very best ahead of tomorrow’s self-assessment deadline.

January has been an intense month, and with April already on the horizon, it’s important to recognise the hard work happening behind the scenes across the profession.

To anyone with an accountant in their life, a little patience goes a long way this week. They’ve truly been working assets off ✨️

22/01/2026

🏡 Landlord Mini-Update 2026 (Freelancers with a rental on the side)

Got one rental alongside freelancing? 2026 is the year HMRC & housing rules stop being “casual”. 👀

✨ What’s changing?
📋 More landlord paperwork & registration
🐾 Pets harder to refuse
📈 Rent rises limited (once a year, formal notice)
🏠 Higher standards expected – even for one property

💻 MTD is coming for landlords
From April 2026, if your freelance + rental income tops £50k, HMRC wants:
📊 Digital records
📆 Quarterly updates
🧾 Year-end confirmation
No more “I’ll fix it at tax return time”.

💸 Costs you can usually claim
✔️ Compliance & registration fees
✔️ Letting / management costs
✔️ Safety checks & admin
✔️ Repairs & like-for-like replacements

⚠️ Common mistake
🔧 Fixing = usually deductible
✨ Upgrading = usually not (yet)

🧾 Biggest win for 2026?
Treat your rental like a mini-business:
🏦 Separate bank account (if you can)
📂 Separate records
📆 Think in quarters, not years

👉 You don’t need to be a property mogul, just organised.
📖 For the full breakdown https://goldstagaccounts.co.uk/resources/2026-landlord-mini-update-for-freelancers-with-a-rental-on-the-side

17/01/2026

You don’t suddenly start “earning less” at £100k.
HMRC just starts eating your cake. 🍰

Here’s why that famous “60% tax” exists and how to keep more of your slice 2026/2027 edition 👇

👉 https://goldstagaccounts.co.uk/resources/the-tax-cake-trap-202627-edition

17/01/2026

Big tax bill due 31 January?
Deep breath. You’re not the first — and HMRC won’t send the bailiffs on 1 Feb.

There are official ways to spread the cost (and a few funding options if needed).
Here’s what actually works 👇
👉 https://goldstagaccounts.co.uk/resources/got-a-tax-bill-due-31-january-and-cant-pay-it-all-at-once

16/01/2026

NI has changed again.
Yes, again. 🙃

Lower rates, missing pension years, and employers still footing a chunky bill.
Here’s the straight-talking guide to what matters for 2025/26 👇

👉 https://goldstagaccounts.co.uk/resources/national-insurance-202526-whats-changed-who-pays-what-and-why-it-still-matters

14/01/2026

Mandatory Payrolling of Benefits: Now Pushed to 2027 - What It Means for You 🔗 👉
https://goldstagaccounts.co.uk/resources/mandatory-payrolling-what-small-businesses-need-to-know-and-how-to-avoid-a-double-tax-hit

08/12/2025

💷 Companies House hikes the confirmation statement fee to £50

From 1 February 2026, Companies House will start charging £50 for a confirmation statement (the CS01 form). That’s up from £34, which itself was up from £13 back in May 2024. A triple-jump worthy of Olympic status.

So… what’s going on, and is it fair?

https://goldstagaccounts.co.uk/resources/companies-house-hikes-the-confirmation-statement-fee-to-ps50

04/12/2025

🧾 Have you had an email from [email protected]? Don’t panic 👇

We’ve seen lots of these recently. They look serious, but here’s what you need to know:

⚖️ ✅ It might be genuine
HMRC sometimes uses [email protected] to send general awareness emails known as “nudge” messages.
They’re reminders to keep your records accurate, not formal compliance checks.

🚫 ❌ It’s NOT a formal investigation
If HMRC really opens a compliance check, you’ll get:
📄 A letter by post (not just an email)
👤 A named officer
📅 A specific tax period or return mentioned

Generic “you may be looked into” wording = not a live case.

🔍 Check before you click
✅ Only follow links that go to www.gov.uk
🚫 Never enter personal or banking details
📤 Unsure? Forward the email to [email protected]
🧑💼 Or send it to us, we’ll verify it for you.

💬 Our advice
These messages are part of HMRC’s wider compliance awareness campaign; they’re meant to educate, not intimidate.
Stay alert, keep good records, and don’t let vague wording worry you.

04/12/2025

From 1 April 2026, the rates are set to increase to:

⚪ Aged 21 and over (National Living Wage): £12.71 per hour
⚪ Age 18 to 20: £10.85 per hour
⚪ Aged 16–17: £8.00 per hour
⚪ Apprentices: £8.00 per hour

So if you’re planning pay rises, hiring, or budgeting for 2026, it’s worth building these increases in now - especially if you run tight margins or employ part-time/casual staff.