Motorsport Accountant Harris & Co

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Motorsport Accountant Harris & Co Harris & Co’s professional motorsport team advises some of the biggest names in the motorsport world and is headed up by Managing Director Phil Harris.

Phil grew up in Towcester, close to the world famous Silverstone; where he attended the local comprehensive school before attending Lancaster University where he gained an Economics and Accountancy degree. With a background in accountancy and an interest in motorsport, it is no surprise that Phil developed a real passion for rallying. His father Les an engineer, used to rally both nationally and internationally back in the 1950s and 1960’s until his retirement in 1974. Phil coaxed his father out of retirement in 1981 to help him ignite his rally career, and after a few seasons at club level, Phil made his debut in the Lombard RAC rally in 1986. Using his skills as a businessman, accountancy specialist and rally driver Phil Harris has managed to build a successful accountancy practice, he is back in competition competing in the 2015 Historic Rally Championship. The Harris & Co-branded car made its debut at the Red Kite Rally in Wales earlier this year. Thanks to Harris & Co’s extensive motorsport client base they now have an enviable portfolio of clients and have acted for several well-known national and international racing drivers. More recently they have advised a group of investors looking to buy a Formula 1 team, as well as prospective purchasers of both an historic race team and one of the world's leading restorers of classic cars. For the last few years, Phil has also been invited to speak at Silverstone to an invited audience of drivers and teams about motorsport finances and tax. Phil has also been asked by the MIA to speak at a national series of seminars with HMRC throughout 2015 on R&D tax credits for the industry. Phil’s experience of providing expert accountancy advice means that he has first-hand knowledge of the motor industry's accounting requirements, both on day-to-day bookkeeping, payroll and taxation needs and for more specialist needs. Away from the office Phil enjoys spending time at his home in Northamptonshire. He is also a keen sportsman and as well as rallying also enjoys golf and keeping fit. Harris & Co’s website can be found at www.harrisandco.biz

16/10/2026
🏆 CLASS WINNERS – TOUR DE CORSE HISTORIQUE 2026! 🏁🇫🇷45 years of motorsport passion. Specialist accountants to the motors...
12/10/2026

🏆 CLASS WINNERS – TOUR DE CORSE HISTORIQUE 2026! 🏁🇫🇷

45 years of motorsport passion. Specialist accountants to the motorsport industry. And still competing at the sharp end!

We are delighted to celebrate another international motorsport success for Harris & Co, following a class victory in the 2026 Tour de Corse Historique in our Harris & Co-backed Vauxhall Chevette HSR.

Widely regarded as one of the world's great historic rallying events, the Tour de Corse Historique is a formidable test of driver, co-driver and machinery, tackling the spectacular but unforgiving mountain roads of Corsica.

With only 50% of cars making it to the finish, simply completing this demanding event is an achievement in itself. To come away with a class win makes it particularly special!

This latest success adds to our previous award-winning performances on this internationally renowned event in two other iconic rally cars — our 1963 Morris Mini Cooper and 1971 Ford Es**rt RS2000.

🏎️ Motorsport isn't just something we sponsor. It's part of our DNA.

At Harris & Co Chartered Accountants, we have been actively involved in motorsport for over 45 years. That experience gives us something rather different from most accountancy practices: a genuine, first-hand understanding of the industry, its commercial challenges and the passion that drives the people working within it.

From racing teams and specialist engineering businesses to competitors and companies supporting the motorsport industry, we combine professional accountancy, audit, taxation and business advisory expertise with decades of practical motorsport experience.

We understand motorsport because we're part of it.

And while winning trophies is immensely satisfying, we're equally proud of helping businesses in this exciting industry achieve their own success.

🏆 Harris & Co – Driven by passion. Backed by experience.

🌐 www.harrisandco.biz

ONS statistics show government is borrowing more than expected Data released by the Office for National Statistics (ONS)...
25/09/2026

ONS statistics show government is borrowing more than expected
Data released by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) on 22 September 2026 showed the UK borrowed £18.3 billion in August 2026, up £2.9 billion on the same month last year.

Increased debt levels were partly attributed to the impacts of inflation causing a greater increase in spending than receipts received from taxes and elsewhere. Overall borrowing in the financial year to August 2026 was £77.3 billion, £2.2 billion less than the same period last year but £8.1 billion above the OBR forecast in March.

Nick Redpath, Research Economist at the Institute of Fiscal Studies warned against reading too much into any one set of monthly figures due to revisions being commonly made but stated:

‘Both higher borrowing costs and higher inflation make life harder for a Chancellor who is looking to bring down borrowing and to spend more on government priorities.’

Economic uncertainty and increasing cost pressures are significantly constraining the growth ambitions of UK SMEs, with ...
23/09/2026

Economic uncertainty and increasing cost pressures are significantly constraining the growth ambitions of UK SMEs, with many businesses focused on maintaining stability rather than pursuing expansion. According to recent research by Flagstone, 43% of SMEs are uncertain whether they can sustain current trading conditions for more than two years, highlighting the need for greater support to safeguard employment, investment, and long-term business resilience.

The findings show that cost-related pressures dominate the challenges facing UK businesses. In addition to ongoing concerns around energy costs and wider economic uncertainty, organisations are increasingly impacted by rising labour expenses (28%), escalating operational costs, including premises and IT infrastructure (26%), and higher expenditure on materials, stock, and inventory (25%). Collectively, these factors are placing considerable strain on business profitability and limiting opportunities for growth and investment.

Business group urges Chancellor to ‘restore business confidence’The Institute of Directors (IoD) has called on Chancello...
18/09/2026

Business group urges Chancellor to ‘restore business confidence’

The Institute of Directors (IoD) has called on Chancellor John Healey to help restore confidence amongst UK businesses in the upcoming Autumn Budget.

The IoD recently published its Autumn Budget submission in which it urged the Chancellor to restore confidence, encourage private investment and create the conditions for stronger long-term economic growth.

It argued that persistent weaknesses in investment, productivity and business confidence ‘risk undermining future prosperity’.

The submission identified five priority areas where the Budget can help strengthen the UK’s growth prospects. The IoD urges the government to:

create a competitive and predictable tax environment
mitigate the investment and employment consequences of the Employment Rights Act
sequence devolution to support productivity across the UK
deliver economically productive infrastructure
accelerate responsible AI adoption across the business population.

Anna Leach, Chief Economist at the IoD, commented: ‘This Budget must restore confidence and provide a clear signal that the UK is committed to being one of the most attractive places in the world to invest, grow a business and create jobs.’

Chancellor Urged to Reverse Family Business Inheritance Tax ReformsThe Chancellor has come under increasing pressure to ...
16/09/2026

Chancellor Urged to Reverse Family Business Inheritance Tax Reforms

The Chancellor has come under increasing pressure to reverse controversial inheritance tax changes affecting family-owned businesses, amid concerns that the measures could hinder economic growth and investment across the UK.

More than 200,000 businesses have signed an open letter calling for the abolition of reforms to Business Property Relief (BPR), which were introduced by former Chancellor Rachel Reeves. Under the revised rules, relief is capped at £1 million, with assets exceeding this threshold subject to an effective 50% inheritance tax charge.

Industry leaders argue that the changes place additional financial burdens on family-run enterprises and could discourage long-term business ownership in the UK.

Neil Davy, Chief Executive of Family Business UK, said that reversing the reforms would demonstrate the Government's commitment to supporting domestic businesses and entrepreneurship.

“Reversing these changes would send a powerful message that Britain wants businesses to stay here,” he said.

The letter has also received support from several leading trade organisations, including UK Hospitality, the British Independent Retailers Association, Build UK, and the Country Land and Business Association.

The renewed campaign follows comments from former Labour minister Lord Blunkett, who described the inheritance tax changes affecting family farms as a mistake. His concerns have been echoed by former Prime Minister Lord Cameron, adding further political pressure for a review of the policy.

Business groups are now urging the Government to reconsider the reforms, arguing that maintaining favourable tax treatment for family-owned businesses and farms is essential to supporting investment, protecting jobs, and sustaining long-term economic growth.

Chancellor pledges to make Great Britain ‘growth Britain’   In a speech ahead of the Autumn Budget on 28 October, Chance...
11/09/2026

Chancellor pledges to make Great Britain ‘growth Britain’
In a speech ahead of the Autumn Budget on 28 October, Chancellor John Healey pledged to make Great Britain ‘growth Britain again’ by strengthening the UK’s economic growth trajectory.

Mr Healey said that he understands that small businesses in the UK are facing significant cost pressures, from rising energy bills to higher labour costs.

He stated that growth is the only way to combat cost increases for businesses and the public. The Chancellor intends to make the UK a ‘country of wealth creation’ by ensuring government policies help generate confidence in British businesses.

In his speech, the Chancellor also stated he won’t respond to speculation regarding tax rises ahead of the Autumn Budget. He said the government is focused on ‘doubling down’ on growth, calling it the ‘first economic priority’ of this government.

Mr Healey said: ‘On my first day in the Treasury, I said that fiscal discipline was my first priority as Chancellor. It underwrites every promise this government makes.

‘And the Prime Minister and I are in lockstep in our commitment to meeting the fiscal rules at the upcoming Budget, from balancing the books with a buffer to protect against uncertainty to controlling borrowing to bear down on inflation and reducing long-term pressures on our public finances.’

BCC: Tax hikes would put firms on a 'road to ruin'The British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) has cautioned Chancellor John H...
09/09/2026

BCC: Tax hikes would put firms on a 'road to ruin'
The British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) has cautioned Chancellor John Healey against tax increases in the upcoming Budget, warning that hikes would lead the UK towards economic decline. Director General Shevaun Haviland emphasised the need for cost reductions to support businesses, saying: "Piling more taxes on firms would be a road to ruin." She stressed that pro-growth decisions "have never been more urgent," arguing that they are crucial for job creation and economic recovery. The BCC has proposed measures such as cutting employer National Insurance Contributions for under-25s and reducing business rates to alleviate financial pressures on firms.

Like many of our politicians, our Prime Minister views the EU through rose-tinted spectacles and ignores the actual numb...
02/09/2026

Like many of our politicians, our Prime Minister views the EU through rose-tinted spectacles and ignores the actual numbers. Today he blamed the UK's slow GDP growth rate for the past 10 years on "Brexit".

Three problems with that.

The first is that from 2016 to 2021 we were technically still part of the EU and didn't actually leave until 2021.

The second is that the numbers don't really back up his statement. From 2016-2024 (his "decade") the UK GDP grew at 1.46% pa whereas the two largest economies in the EU, Germany and France, GDP grew at 0.81% and 1.25% pa respectively. From 2021 to 2024 (when we were truly out of the EU) the UK GDP grew at 1% pa and again outperformed Germany at 0.04% annual GDP growth and France at 0.96% annual GDP growth. Anyway you look at it the UK is economically outperforming the major EU economies.

The third is that eye wateringly high Government requiring excrutiatingly high levels of taxation that destroy all incentives and an employer hostile environment (with added tax burdens, new emploment rights etc) are conventiently ignored. Given that 83% of SME's do not trade with the EU, these are far more likely to be holding growth back!

Prime Minister refuses to rule out tax rises in upcoming Budget   Prime Minister Andy Burnham has refused to rule out ta...
28/08/2026

Prime Minister refuses to rule out tax rises in upcoming Budget
Prime Minister Andy Burnham has refused to rule out tax rises in the upcoming Autumn Budget.

Mr Burnham recently stated that he ‘won’t be unrealistic’ in regard to the nation’s finances, adding that the public ‘needs to understand we are in a challenging position’.

The government will take a ‘careful approach’ to the economy, the Prime Minister confirmed. Economists have previously warned that the Chancellor will have little room to manoeuvre in the Budget on 28 October.

The Prime Minister has already taken action to help ease the cost of living by capping bus fares and cutting VAT on household electricity bills.

Mr Burnham said: ‘I will always take a careful approach to things. I ran Greater Manchester for ten years and we ran a very tight ship with rock solid finances.

‘Nothing will change as I come into this role as prime minister. I won't take risks with people's jobs or their livelihoods or their family finances.

‘I will try to help them in whatever way I can, I have already done some things that will help them.’

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NN47SL

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

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