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Meacher Jones Chartered Accountants and Business Advisers

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Meacher Jones Chartered Accountants and Business Advisers

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Chartered Accountants and Business Advisers

We know that small and medium-sized businesses need a bit more than just an chartered accountant – so we work right alongside you, providing the ‘stepping stones’ to guide you through every stage of growing your business. Whether you’re a business start-up or an established company, or if you’re retiring or selling your business, Meacher-Jones Chartered Accountants & Business Advisers can help both with everyday tasks such as taxation and payroll, through to the more complex issues that keep business owners awake at night.

19/10/2026

Not all software applications for Making Tax Digital (MTD) can file a full tax return for landlord claims, according to software company LetCompliance.

HMRC’s official list of 165 software products for MTD for Income Tax names 128 products that specifically are capable of handling landlords’ British property income. HMRC makes no recommendations.

Of those 128 software products, only 84 are currently capable of sending full returns. While every software application can handle the required quarterly updates, the fourth update finalising the tax year requires a return to be filed electronically, instead of the old online form. Of the 84, only 11 are ready now for all 16 other income types and items HMRC lists, such as bank interest, dividends and pensions.

MTD for Income Tax was launched on 6 April 2026 for landlords and sole traders with qualifying income over £50,000. It extends to those with earnings above £30,000 from 6 April 2027. For the first year, 2026 to 2027, the tax return is due by 31 January 2028.

If you need help with MTD, please get in contact. We're here to help.

15/10/2026

For companies that trade with Northern Ireland or vice versa, the next phase of the Trader Support Service goes live on 20 October 2026.

The Trader Support Service is a free digital platform and contact centre provided by HMRC to help traders submit customs declarations for goods moving between Great Britain and Northern Ireland under the Windsor Framework. It supports businesses by auto-generating Goods Movement References and handling declarations on their behalf.

For businesses already signed up for the outgoing Trader Support Service, they will be automatically migrated to the new service but are expected to need to create a new password and ensure their details and permissions are up to date. They will also receive instructions for accessing a test environment where they can familiarise themselves with how the platform works.

Changes have been made to the way goods move in and out of Northern Ireland and if companies have not already prepared for these changes, they may not be able to move goods.

To sign up to the service, go to https://f.mtr.cool/wz49500rfa

Should you need help with the Trader Support Service, please get in contact with us. We’re here to help.

12/10/2026

New laws from the beginning of the month make it critical for companies that rely on subcontractors, agency staff or complex labour supply chains to review their compliance procedures to identify employees who do not have the right to work in the UK.

Employers can be sent to jail for five years and pay an unlimited fine if found guilty of employing people who the employer knew or had ‘reasonable cause to believe’ did not have the right to work in the UK.

The Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Act 2025 came into force on 1 October 2026 and will extend Right to Work obligations. The new framework means that companies can no longer assume that ‘self-employed’ individuals or subcontracted employee arrangements sit outside the regime.

To protect themselves, companies must have processes for verifying workers’ identities.

If checks are conducted as prescribed by the Home Office in legislation and statutory codes of practice in force at the time the check was made, employers will have a statutory excuse against the liability of a civil penalty.

The Home Office points out that the ability to work without permission is a driver of illegal migration. This can expose individuals to exploitation and abuse, including modern slavery. It may also have an adverse impact on compliant employers and the wider labour market, including through unfair competition and breaches of employment and tax laws.

To find out more see:
https://f.mtr.cool/fdvfg5pf90

05/10/2026

New tool to check tax deadlines!

Small businesses can now use a new online tool to check their tax filing and payment deadlines across several areas. The deadline tool is designed to integrate into most calendar applications and covers:
• Construction Industry Scheme (CIS) contractors.
• PAYE employers.
• Self Assessment.
• VAT.

There is no need to sign in to use the tool and the information entered is not sent to HMRC. HMRC plan to add more taxes to the tool in the future and any feedback provided will be used to improve it.

If you need help with more complex tax deadlines or don’t know which deadlines you need to pay attention to, please feel free to contact us, we’d be happy to help you.

https://f.mtr.cool/m8f4xmw83t

02/10/2026

Do you know about the 159 service?

As online and telephone fraud rockets, employers and employees are being reminded of the 159 dedicated telephone number for helping people to safely contact their bank.

Launched in 2021, the service has received more than one million calls and provides a simple route for people receiving unexpected calls about financial matters to end the conversation and independently contact their bank.

For further information see: https://f.mtr.cool/3hxh1h0jv4

The warning comes as the latest UK Finance Annual Fraud Report reveals criminals stole £1.28 billion through payment fraud during 2025, up 4% year-on-year.

Authorised Push Payment (APP) fraud alone accounted for £576.4 million in losses, including £75.6 million in business losses.

29/09/2026

The outline business case for the Holyhead Hydrogen Hub has received approval. The £22 million project will now seek commercial contracts and a full business plan to get more funding.

Current financing comes from a combined £8.6 million of public investment from Ambition North Wales and the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero. Another £13.6 million of private investment is expected and supported by project partner and EDF subsidiary, Hynamics.

A 5MW green hydrogen production site will be developed at Parc Cybi, Holyhead, with the hub having already been given planning permission. It will provide the infrastructure needed to support early hydrogen adoption.

The project has a planned 15-year operating life and is expected to produce 9,000 tonnes of green hydrogen, giving about 88,000 tonnes of carbon savings. It will also produce more jobs for North Wales.

21/09/2026

Calling all property landlords!

Our monthly newsletter helps keep you up to date with issues that may affect you.

You can read the September issue here:

https://f.mtr.cool/vqe7naijsr

15/09/2026

The Apprenticeship Levy has undergone its biggest overhaul since its introduction, with major changes taking effect from 1 August 2026.

For Small to Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs), the most significant development is the expansion of what levy funds can be used for under the new Growth and Skills Levy. This expansion comes alongside tighter funding rules, making planning more important than ever.
The two headline changes are the removal of the government top-up and that levy-paying employers can now use their funds for a broader range of approved training, not just traditional apprenticeships.

Alongside full apprenticeships, the Growth and Skills Levy can now support foundation apprenticeships and approved apprenticeship units. This gives businesses greater flexibility to address specific skills gaps, upskill employees more quickly and access shorter, targeted training programmes without committing staff to a full apprenticeship.

For further information see:

https://f.mtr.cool/j5axqz4yck

10/09/2026

The UK government has unveiled its comprehensive response to the consultation on the post-2025 rollout of smart meters for non-domestic sites.

The initiative targets approximately three million smaller businesses and public sector locations across Great Britain, aiming to accelerate the adoption of smart meters as a cornerstone of the Clean Power 2030 Mission.

From January 2027, suppliers must begin communicating upcoming changes. By September 2027, all new fixed-term contracts for designated premises must include a smart meter installation clause. Suppliers will also be required to adhere to a legally binding consumer protection code, ensuring transparency, fairness, and flexibility - especially for customers facing financial difficulties or those needing additional works before installation.

An assessment accompanying the policy estimates significant net benefits, with anticipated smart meter uptake reaching 88% of non-domestic sites by 2030 and annual bill savings of up to £29 million.

07/09/2026

HMRC has begun writing to landlords where the information it holds from third parties does not appear to match the taxpayer's records. The letters encourage recipients to review whether all rental income has been declared and remind them of their obligations under Making Tax Digital (MTD) for Income Tax.

HMRC receives information from a variety of sources, including tenancy deposit schemes and other statutory reporting systems. This data is increasingly being used to identify landlords whose tax returns may not accurately reflect their property income.

If you receive one of these letters, it is important not to ignore it. HMRC asks landlords to review their position and take action by the deadline stated in the correspondence. Where there is undeclared rental income, HMRC expects the taxpayer to make a disclosure. If there is nothing to declare, HMRC should still be informed using the contact details provided.

The stakes can be significant. HMRC warns that if it later opens a compliance check or criminal investigation, any disclosure made at that stage may be treated as a "prompted" disclosure, potentially leading to higher penalties.

The letters also remind landlords to consider whether they have any capital gains tax obligations following the disposal of a rental property and whether they fall within MTD for Income Tax.

For landlords, the message is clear: ensure rental income is fully declared and maintain accurate records. If you receive such a letter, please notify us as soon as possible, as we can help.

Address

6 St John's Court Vicars Lane
Chester
CH11QE

Opening Hours

Monday	9am - 5pm
Tuesday	9am - 5pm
Wednesday	9am - 5pm
Thursday	9am - 5pm
Friday	9am - 5pm

Telephone

+441244401001

Website

http://www.meacher-jones.com/

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