Walter Dawson & Son

22/07/2026

The Summer 2026 edition of Prosper is here — our free quarterly guide to growing and protecting wealth from the WDS Wealth Management team.

This issue covers what is happening in global markets right now, why inheritance tax is becoming a concern for more UK families than ever before, and how surplus pension income could play a role in your estate planning.

Download your free copy using the link below 👇

https://acrobat.adobe.com/id/urn:aaid:sc:EU:095b863e-a0c6-4475-9342-17a60eddb8e5

For general information only. Not personal financial or tax advice. WDS Wealth Management is authorised and regulated by the FCA. FRN: 112543.

16/07/2026

Big congratulations to Sophie Hoggard on her promotion to Assistant Audit Manager! 🎉

Sophie's worked hard across audits, accounts and more since joining WDS, and is now stepping up to support our audit team across all six offices.

Read more about Sophie's journey on our blog: https://www.walterdawson.co.uk/sophie-hoggard-promoted-audit-assistant-manager/

14/07/2026

💷 Did you know? You can give unlimited £250 gifts, tax-free!

On top of your £3,000 annual exemption, you can give up to £250 to as many people as you like each tax year — with no Inheritance Tax to pay. Just make sure you haven't already used another exemption for that same person.

It's an easy way to start passing on wealth to family and friends, year after year.

Got questions about gifting and Inheritance Tax? Our team is here to help — drop us a message or give us a call.

02/07/2026

Big news — we've placed 10th in this year's UK Top 50 SME Apprenticeship Employers rankings! 🎉

It's our third year running on the list, and our biggest jump yet — up from 31st last year. Not bad for a firm that's been running apprenticeships for over 50 years!

This kind of result doesn't happen by accident; it's down to the mentors, managers, and colleagues across our six Yorkshire offices who genuinely invest in developing our apprentices. Massive thank you to every one of you 💙🩵💜

29/06/2026

The P11D deadline is almost here — 6 July! 📋 If you provide perks like a company car, health insurance or a season ticket loan to your team, you'll need to report them to HMRC. Don't leave it last minute. Get in touch and we'll take it off your plate.

26/06/2026

Did you know your accountant can do way more than just your tax return? 🤔 From cash flow forecasting to funding applications, automation tools to business strategy — we're here all year round, not just at deadline time.

Find out what we can do for you → walterdawson.co.uk

12/06/2026

Muj is in the press! 🗞️

Mujahid Khan, apprentice accountant at our Bradford office, has been featured in the Huddersfield Hub following his nomination at the West Yorkshire Apprenticeship Awards 2026.

A lovely piece — well worth a read.
🔗 https://huddersfieldhub.co.uk/apprentice-accountant-mujahid-khan-tipped-to-go-far-after-excelling-and-being-nominated-for-an-award/

An apprentice accountant at Kirklees College has big hopes for his future career after being nominated for an award

09/06/2026

Hospitality businesses and visitor attractions should take note of a new temporary VAT measure announced by the Chancellor to support family activities over Summer 2026.

From 25 June to 1 September 2026, VAT will reduce from 20% to 5% on eligible family-related activities and admissions, including:

✅ Children’s restaurant meals

✅ Child and family tickets for cinemas, theatres, concerts, shows and exhibitions

✅ Admission tickets (adult and child) for attractions including amusement parks, museums, zoos, soft play centres, circuses, adventure parks, nature reserves, wildlife parks and observation decks

The temporary reduction applies across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

This feels similar to the changes many businesses had to implement during the Eat Out to Help Out scheme after Covid, meaning businesses may need to prepare operationally as well as commercially.

⚠️ Action for businesses:

Hospitality venues, visitor attractions and leisure operators should review whether they will need to update VAT rates on tills, EPOS systems and booking platforms to accommodate the temporary 5% rate during the qualifying period.

The Government has also indicated an expectation that businesses pass the VAT saving on to customers, and some businesses may choose to refund the VAT difference on advance bookings where the admission date falls within the qualifying period.

Definitely one for our hospitality and visitor attraction clients to keep on the radar over the coming months.

02/06/2026

Did you know the annual allowance for pension contributions can be as much as £60,000 per tax year? Tax relief is available on this contribution!

For Directors receiving employer contributions, the full £60,000 is available in spite of drawings with full corporation tax allowable as a business expense. For employees, the allowance is 100% of your taxable earnings (capped at £60,000 whichever is lower). Tax relief at basic rate is available at source. For higher and additional rate taxpayers, you can claim further tax relief up to your marginal rate via your self-assessment tax return.

Any unused allowances from the three previous tax years may also be carried forward in some circumstances.

29/05/2026

Did you know that all VAT-registered businesses are required to submit their VAT returns through MTD-compatible software? 💡

It's been the rule for a while now — but you'd be surprised how many businesses are still not fully confident their processes are compliant. VAT returns are typically due one month and seven days after the end of each VAT period, and late submission attracts penalties under HMRC's points-based system.

If you're unsure whether your software and processes are up to scratch, it's worth getting it checked sooner rather than later.