Moore Accountancy

04/09/2026

Fortnightly Friday at Moore Accountancy – 04/09/26

It’s been another full-on couple of weeks at Moore Accountancy, with plenty happening across client work, local community events, and getting ready for the autumn rush.

On Our Radar: Tax & Business Updates

HMRC Auto-Enrolment for MTD Starts: Following the first MTD for ITSA deadline last month, HMRC is starting to automatically sign up eligible sole traders and landlords who haven’t registered yet. If an HMRC letter lands on your doormat about this, please don’t ignore it or panic—pass it over to us so we can check that your details and turnover figures are correct, and help set you up for future quarters.

Student Lets & University Move-Ins: It’s student season again! Landlords getting student properties ready for September arrivals should ensure all late-summer repairs, safety certificates, and agent fees are logged straight into their record-keeping software. And for any parents sending kids off to uni this month (good luck – I did IKEA last night with 2 of mine!), keep in mind that student loan interest rates for Plan 2 and Postgraduate loans have just been capped at 6% from 1st September.

Back to Routine for Directors: With schools opening back up this week, many limited company directors and small business owners are back at their desks full-time. September is a great time to review your dividend strategy and profit extraction plans ahead of the autumn budget announcements later this season.

Team Updates & What We’ve Been Up To
T Level Interviews: We interviewed prospective T Level students from Trafford College over the past weeks. It’s always fantastic to speak with enthusiastic local students who want hands-on experience in accountancy, and we’re looking forward to bringing our chosen candidate on board.

Full Contingent Returning: With primary and secondary schools starting back up this week, staff members with school-aged children are returning from summer leave. We’ve kept everything running smoothly in the background, but it will be great to have the whole team back together under one roof.

Bank Holiday Catch-Up & Volunteering: Over the bank holiday, I enjoyed catching up with a friend visiting from Germany (my Brieffreundin 😊) —getting into Manchester and taking in a Pulp gig! On the community front, I spent some time volunteering at Tatton Park for the RunThrough “Chase the Sun” event, which was brilliant as always.

Looking Ahead: Sunday’s Altrincham 10k!
This Sunday is the Altrincham 10k. I’m definitely not feeling at peak fitness this year, but it will certainly be an improvement on last year’s event, which I had to walk with a double foot fracture! Upright, mobile, and ready to get round—do wave if you see me on the route! Visit Altrincham

How has your week been? Are you settling back into a normal routine after the summer break?

01/09/2026

Do you know the difference between your Profit & Loss (P&L) and your Balance Sheet?

They both provide important information about your business, but they answer very different questions. Getting the difference right is important, particularly when it comes to recording transactions correctly.

Did you know that dividends, Corporation Tax payments and Director’s Loan repayments are all commonly posted incorrectly in bookkeeping software?

Getting these wrong can affect your reported profit and cause problems when it comes to preparing your year-end accounts.

Read our latest blog to learn more about P&L and Balance Sheets, and some of the common bookkeeping mistakes to look out for.
https://mooreaccountancy.co.uk/2026/09/01/bookkeeping-fundamentals-balance-sheet-vs-profit-loss/

21/08/2026

Fortnightly Friday at Moore Accountancy – 21/08/26

It’s been another busy couple of weeks at Moore Accountancy, with plenty happening in the business, some important MTD developments, and a few personal reasons to celebrate!

📢 MTD – keep an eye out for that HMRC letter
The first MTD for Income Tax quarterly deadline has now passed, and HMRC has confirmed that from September it will start signing up customers who should already be using MTD but haven’t yet registered.

So, if you’re a sole trader or landlord and receive a letter from HMRC saying they’ve signed you up for Making Tax Digital, please don’t ignore it!
If you’re unsure why you’ve received it or what you need to do next, get in touch with us and we’ll be happy to help.

👥 Keeping the team moving
We continued with our annual team appraisals, giving everyone some dedicated time to talk about how things are going, what they’d like to achieve and where we can improve.

Summer holidays have also meant plenty of covering for colleagues who are enjoying some well-earned time off. I’m always grateful for how willing everyone is to step in and support each other.

Looking ahead, we’re preparing to support T Level students, with interviews for potential candidates taking place next week. We’ve really enjoyed having students join us previously, so I’m looking forward to welcoming some new faces.
And, of course, there have been cakes in the office for birthdays! 🎂

🎓 A very proud mum moment
Last week was A Level results day, and I’m absolutely delighted that my youngest smashed her results and secured her place at her first-choice university to study Chinese.

There has been a lot of hard work behind those results, so we’re incredibly proud. Now we just need to get our heads around the fact that she’s actually going — and we’re going to have no children in the Moore household (for at least 8 weeks!) 😭

🩸 Finally, I managed to give blood!
I tried a few months ago but my iron levels weren’t quite high enough. After plenty of spinach and a little more attention to what I’m eating, I finally managed it on my second attempt!

So, as August starts to wind down, there’s plenty keeping us busy — MTD, students, clients, holidays and everything in between.

What’s keeping you busy at the moment?

07/08/2026

Another fortnight has flown by at Moore Accountancy, and as always, it’s been a mix of client deadlines, team development, and looking ahead to the future!

Here is a quick round-up of what’s been happening here in Altrincham and across the industry:

On Our Radar & In the News

MTD First Deadline Cleared: Today (7th August) marks the very first official submission deadline for MTD for Income Tax. While HMRC has implemented a 'soft landing' penalty regime to help everyone adjust, getting into the rhythm of quarterly digital filing is a huge shift for sole traders and landlords.

HMRC Tech Under the Spotlight: Unsurprisingly, the HMRC portals have been under immense strain this week with the combined pressure of the MTD deadline and quarterly VAT submissions. It is a practical reminder of why getting bookkeeping done early saves so much stress.

Tackling Late Payments: Late payment reform is back at the top of the agenda for small business policy. With cash flow being the lifeblood of micro-businesses, any movement towards tougher penalties for late-paying larger corporations is something we will always champion.

What We’ve Been Up To

Volunteering at Wilderness Festival: I was out of the office for three days volunteering for Child.org at Wilderness Festival. It was a privilege to give my time to help raise funds for maternal and child health programs for mothers and babies in Kenya. A brilliant cause I am proud to support each year; and a great experience to boot.

Team Appraisals Done: We completed our annual team appraisals this week. We run a very flat structure at Moore Accountancy, especially with many of our team working part-time, but I think it’s so important to carve out dedicated time once a year to sit down, chat through aspirations, and address any niggles. How do other small business owners approach appraisals—do you keep them formal, or go for an informal catch-up?

MTD Success & Looking to 2027: I’m delighted to say we successfully filed all our required MTD returns ahead of today's deadline! Even with the soft penalty regime in place, we wanted to ensure our clients got straight into the habit of quarterly filing. We’ve also had a team strategy meeting to start preparing for the April 2027 wave, which will bring in landlords and sole traders earning over £30k. Early preparation makes all the difference.

Fresh Newsletter Out Now: Our latest email newsletter landed in inboxes today! We’ve packed it with updates for employers, companies, and key deadlines. If you are a client or subscriber, do have a read and let us know your thoughts.

As always, I would love to hear how your fortnight has been. Enjoy the weekend, whatever you have planned (We’ve got a trip to Newborough Forest parkrun, having drinks with friends and a Sunday night family outing to watch Spiderman 😊 )

Child.org works with communities and government health officials in Kenya to spark progress in maternal and neonatal health.

06/08/2026

Our August Newsletter Has Arrived!

We know summer is a busy time, so we’ve kept this month’s newsletter short, practical, and packed with the updates that matter most.

This month’s edition includes:

📌 Mandatory Payrolling of Benefits in Kind (BIKs) – the latest HMRC update

⚡ VAT on residential electricity reduced from October 2026

🏢 Companies House filing changes delayed

📅 Important tax and filing deadlines coming up

🏖️ A quick update on our summer team availability

Whether you’re a limited company, sole trader, landlord or employer, our monthly newsletter is designed to help you stay informed without the jargon.

If you’d like to receive our monthly newsletters, simply email us and we’ll be happy to add you to our mailing list.

If you have any questions about any of the updates, we’re always happy to help.

Enjoy the rest of your summer!

31/07/2026

Not sure what business expenses you can claim? 🤔

Whether you’re self-employed or running a limited company, knowing what’s allowable (and what isn’t) can save you money and stress.

We’ve put together a clear, practical guide covering:
• Common allowable expenses
• What HMRC won’t allow
• Key differences between sole traders and limited companies

Take a look here 👉 https://mooreaccountancy.co.uk/what-business-expenses-can-i-claim-uk/

If you’re still unsure, we offer a free 30-minute consultation for new clients.

What Expenses Can I Claim? A Guide for UK Small Business (Self-Employed and Limited Companies)   If you run a small business, understanding allowable expenses is the easiest way to legally reduce your tax bill. Every legitimate business expense you claim lowers your taxable profit, meaning you pay ...

24/07/2026

What a varied, productive, and fast-moving fortnight it’s been at Moore Accountancy!
Here is a quick look at what we’ve been up to across local networking, government discussions, software updates, and regional developments:

On Our Radar & In the News
• Devolution & Regional Growth: Being based in Manchester, it’s been impossible to miss the buzz around Andy Burnham and the official opening of 'No. 10 North' right here in the city centre! With local economic growth and devolution taking centre stage, we are keen to see how this translates into real-world support for local firms.

• Eyes on the Treasury: With John Healey stepping into the role of Chancellor, we’re keeping a close eye on what the Treasury has planned next for small business tax, SME lending, and economic stability.

• Side Hustle & MTD Reminders: HMRC has been out in force reminding anyone making extra income from a side hustle (over £1,000) to check their Self Assessment obligations. Plus, a reminder that the very first MTD for Income Tax quarterly deadline (7th August) is just around the corner for sole traders and landlords earning over £50k!

What We’ve Been Up To

• Local Networking in Altrincham: We had a fantastic session at Alex and his sisters. The refreshed interactive format allowed us to delve deeper into local business operations and discuss the real challenges firms are facing right now.

• Feeding Back to Government: I was delighted to join the ICAEW NW Small Business Regulatory Discussion Group. While larger firms focused on ESG and packaging tax, I made sure the voice of our smaller clients was heard—focusing on the real day-to-day pressures of rising employer costs, business rates, Companies House changes, and MTD.

• Work Experience Success: We welcomed Alex McBain for a week of work experience. We love giving local students hands-on, practical experience in how a small business operates. Alex embraced every task, and we wish him all the best as he heads into his second year at university!

• Bright Summer Roadshow in Liverpool: I joined a great group of peers to chat directly with project managers from Bright Manager and BTC/Bright Tax. It was a brilliant opportunity to share feedback on software features—and the summer BBQ was a lovely bonus!

• Expanding Our Software Toolkit: Drew from FreeAgent paid us a visit for a dedicated training session, with the team rearranging their schedules to take part. While Xero and QuickBooks remain firm staples for us, we are delighted to officially add FreeAgent to our recommended software list—especially as it's completely free for clients with a NatWest or Mettle business account!

And finally...
I am typing this update from our campervan up in the Lakes this morning while Mike heads off on a long bike ride! Working on the go certainly has its perks.

What are your thoughts on the recent economic and cabinet developments? Let us know in the comments below, and enjoy your weekend whatever you are up to!

15/07/2026

Our July Newsletter is Here!

We've given our newsletter a fresh new look and filled it with important updates to help you stay ahead of the latest tax and business changes.

This month's highlights include:
✅ Major tax changes for landlords from 2027
✅ Making Tax Digital quarter-end reminders
✅ New Companies House filing requirements for small businesses
✅ Key HMRC deadlines for July and August
✅ A summer update from the Moore Accountancy team

Whether you're a limited company director, sole trader or landlord, there's something in this month's edition for you.

Read the full July Newsletter here:
https://nsi48.r.bh.d.sendibt3.com/mk/mr/sh/SMJz0ACyFvfrdK9lK9BbIfov0krJ/-wz3kvauKI7J

If you have any questions after reading, we'd be happy to help. Get in touch to arrange your free initial consultation.

For our regular readers, you will notice we have given our newsletter a fresh new look this month. We wanted a cleaner layout that makes our updates much simpler and more comfortable to read on your phone or computer.

10/07/2026

The beautiful Greek sunshine seems to have followed me back to the UK!

After a fantastic two-week family holiday in Rhodes, I had a quick day and a half in the office before heading off to volunteer my time for Oxfam and a hospice local to Fylde at the Lytham Festival. I loved supporting charity by giving something back, and Pitbull actually summed it up perfectly on Sunday night when he told the crowd: "Time-rich and money-poor is better than money-rich and time-poor." That definitely resonated!
It has been a busy return to the desk this week:

A Flurry of New Leads: HMRC is pulling more individuals into the Self Assessment net due to higher interest income on savings. With interest rates being where they are, many people are suddenly crossing the threshold where they receive more than £10,000 in untaxed savings interest or dividends, triggering an unexpected requirement to file. If you are unsure whether your savings or other income mean you need to register, we have a handy guide on our blog to help you check: https://mooreaccountancy.co.uk/do-i-need-to-submit-a-self-assessment-tax-return/

MTD Quarter One Complete: The very first mandatory quarter for Making Tax Digital for Income Tax has passed. We have a real mix of clients—some hit the ground running with their bookkeeping and we'll be filing their very first digital returns early next week! For those who are still finding their feet or getting their heads around the new software, don't worry—this is exactly what we are here to help you navigate.

New Newsletter Look: We have officially switched over to a brand-new newsletter provider and designed a fresh format. Keep an eye on your inboxes to see how it looks!

A Direct Line to Westminster – What do you need?
I am proud to share that I’ve been invited to join an ICAEW roundtable to provide direct insight to the government's newly formed Small Business Regulatory Taskforce.
I believe we are the only professional body sitting on this taskforce, so this is a unique opportunity to get the voices of small businesses across the North West heard directly at Westminster. Our main goal is to look at ways to slash the ridiculous regulatory red tape holding back small firms and micro-businesses.
I want to make sure I am representing our business community accurately, so I'd love to hear from our clients and peers: What is the single biggest administrative or regulatory headache holding your business back right now? Let me know in the comments or drop me a message, and I will gladly bring it to the table.
Wishing everyone a fantastic (and not too hot!) weekend ahead

12/06/2026

What a whirlwind of a fortnight at Moore Accountancy!

With team holidays in full swing, the rest of the office has been absolutely brilliant at stepping up to cover. We’ve been focusing heavily on Making Tax Digital (MTD) preparation—proactively reviewing client data mid-quarter to ensure everyone (especially those using cloud software for the very first time) is firmly on the right track.

A few big highlights from the last two weeks:
Work Experience Win: We hosted a fantastic sixth-form student from a local school. (Jodie Stevenson) She threw herself into absolutely everything we gave her including standing up and speaking at a local networking event! (Thanks Altrincham HQ for letting her attend) Watching her confidence grow was brilliant.

25 Years Qualified: I was incredibly touched to be mentioned at the recent ICAEW annual event to mark 25 years since I qualified with the ICAEW . I honestly can’t quite believe where the time has gone, but I’m as passionate about supporting our clients today as I was on day one.

In the News & On Our Radar: All this mid-quarter software review work isn't just for fun—it ties directly into two massive compliance changes that are landing right now:

For Landlords & Sole Traders: We are officially in the first-ever mandatory quarter for MTD for Income Tax (for individuals with gross income over £50,000). Your first-ever digital quarterly submission is due by 7 August 2026. This is exactly why our team is working so hard this month to get your cloud data squeaky clean early, so there is zero scrambling come August. (And a heads-up for smaller portfolios/businesses: the threshold drops to £30k next April, so the net is widening!)

For Small Companies: Companies House has confirmed the official implementation details for the upcoming corporate reporting overhaul. They’ve confirmed that all small companies will have to submit full Profit & Loss accounts, but you can opt out of having those pages published on the public record to protect your commercial privacy. Crucially, the final deadline has been set for April 2028, and all filings must be software-based as they are shutting down their manual web portal.

And finally...
It's a massive week ahead in our household. My youngest is sitting her final A-level exams, and the suitcases are officially out. By this time next week, I’ll be on our family holiday to Rhodes and looking forward to some very well-deserved sunshine.

Wishing everyone a fantastic, productive week ahead!