Managing your business and its customers: Strategic steps to ensure business survival and long term growth in the current economic climate

A joint seminar with business experts Hart Shaw and Wosskow Brown.

We are all aware of the tough economic conditions at present in the UK. What you need to know is how to successfully manage your business through these difficult times in order to come out stronger and grow your business.

Business experts Hart Shaw and Wosskow Brown are teaming up to provide a timely breakfast seminar which focuses on how effective management of customers and suppliers can maximise recovery options and achieve growth. Topics for discussion include:

• Cash flow management
• Understanding your business
• The funding market
• Successful management
• Getting your terms and conditions right
• Effective debt collection
• Business survival strategies
• Recovery options available

Join Steve Bell, Head of Corporate Finance at Hart Shaw, Christopher Brown, Business Recovery Partner at Hart Shaw and Kiley Tan, Head of Commercial at Wosskow Brown over breakfast at Hart Shaw’s offices for a seminar that provides a crucial insight into how a thorough review of your business operations can ensure survival and long term growth.

The details are:

• Date: Wednesday 18^th April 2012
• Time: 8:00am for tea, coffee and breakfast sandwiches, 8:30am start and 9:30am finish with Q&A and optional networking until 10:00am
• Venue: Hart Shaw Building, Europa Link, Sheffield Business Park, Sheffield, S91XU

The seminar is FREE to attend and you are very welcome to bring a guest or a colleague.

To confirm your attendance please contact Brendan Hallat Hart Shaw on T: 0114 251 8872 or email: brendan.hall@hartshaw.co.uk. Places are limited so please book early to avoid disappointment.

We look forward to seeing you there.

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2012 Budget Predictions

There’s a good deal of consensus that government borrowing needs to come down. Increasing tax revenues is part of the solution. But with no sign of a recovery to boost tax revenues, the pressure to raise tax rates remains. So what news will George Osborne deliver in his budget speech on 21 March?

Abolition of the 50p tax rate? This doesn’t affect most of us, but grabs many headlines. Many Tory MPs want it, but will they want to keep their Lib Dem colleagues (and voters) happy?

Raising the income tax personal allowance to £10,000 would be a popular move and the ruling parties have agreed to do this by 2015. It would certainly help low and middle earners, many of the former being in fuel-poverty.

Another option is a cut in national insurance rates. Surely though, a cut in income tax rates would be more “visible” and win more political points. With the latter not being touted, a cut in national insurance must be unlikely.

As for the two big “money spinners”: VAT and fuel duty, it’s anyone’s guess. Promised rises in fuel duty have already been postponed, and VAT rate reduction is contrary to past Tory promises. If I were a betting man I’d be backing something else.

Government think-tanks have been pushing for a further drop in the main rate of Corporation Tax from 26%. It’s already at its lowest I can remember, but last year the chancellor promised a further 3% reduction within 2 years.

What about a tax on expensive homes: often referred to as a “mansion tax”? The Lib Dem leader believes this could pay for tax cuts in other areas. This would be widely popular, but doesn’t get much, if any, support from his Tory colleagues.

My prediction is that whatever we get on 21^st March, most of us will lose more. Perhaps all we can hope for is that the pain is distributed sensibly and fairly.

Steve Vickers, Tax Partner at Hart Shaw

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Employers reminded to use correct employee details

Hart Shaw is reminding employers of the need to ensure that information they send to HM Revenue and Customs about their employees is correct.

The issue is particularly important as the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) will start receiving real-time information on claimants’ employment income from October 2013. This means that HMRC will need to ensure that employee records held on the National Insurance and PAYE Service (NPS) system match those held by employers in order to avoid any errors or discrepancies.

Employers should ensure that details such as names, dates of birth and National Insurance numbers are exactly the same wherever they are used, particularly where employees have double-barrelled surnames or are commonly known by a different first name to that on their official records. When submitting any information to HMRC, employers should make sure they are using the correct details for all staff, rather than simply guessing what these might be.

HMRC has previously said that there are large numbers of missing National Insurance numbers and cases where data has simply been ‘made up’, which it will need to look into.

For further information please contact Steve Vickers, Tax Partner on T: 0114 251 8850 or email: steve.vickers@hartshaw.co.uk.

Hart Shaw Taxation

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Money Matters – Spring 2012 newsletter from Hart Shaw

The Spring 2012 edition of Hart Shaw’s Money Matters newsletter is now available to download from our website via: http://www.hartshaw.co.uk/newsletters.htm.

Hart Shaw Money Matters - Spring 2012

As now is an ideal time to turn your mind to a review of your personal and business tax strategies, this issue includes a special four-page supplement devoted to year end tax planning tips.

In April 2010 HMRC introduced new style penalties for late payments of PAYE and CIS payments, whereby the penalties increase each time you default. Our cover article highlights the need to have a reasonable excuse if you are late paying! On the flip side, HMRC continue to offer ‘Time to Pay Arrangements’ for individuals and businesses which meet the conditions and our summary will tell you more.

HMRC are in the spotlight in this edition of our newsletter as we also include articles on P11D pitfalls and the common areas that HMRC will focus on, and also their collaboration with the Swiss authorities. Swiss bank account holders beware!

Companies which have associates may have to pay higher rates of corporation tax due to the limits being split between the companies. If you or your family members have an interest in more than one company, our article will help to clarify the rules to determine if the companies are associated.

‘A game of location’ looks at Enterprise Zones, the latest Government initiative to drive growth and create jobs. Whilst there are conditions that need to be met, it may be of interest to know more, regardless of where you are based. It is important that business owners also understand the tax rules surrounding sponsorship so we have included a review that looks at the tax position.

Planned changes to tax credits continue to be a hot topic. To help you understand the latest position and to see if you or your family will be affected, we have written a summary on the planned changes.

Included with the newsletter you will find special briefing where we look in more detail at:

Employer update
An overview of recent developments and topical issues

Every year there is more red tape for employers to comply with. We have produced this briefing to provide employers with a practical summary of recent and forthcoming changes. The focus is on the key areas that may have an impact on your business and any associated costs you need to be aware of including the progress on the introduction of pensions auto-enrolment.

Seed Enterprise Investment Scheme (SEIS)

In the Autumn Statement the Chancellor announced that a new relief is to be introduced from 6 April 2012 – the Seed Enterprise Investment Scheme (SEIS).

The aim of SEIS is to encourage individuals to invest in small companies by providing income and capital gains tax (CGT) incentives. Two key incentives on offer are the possibility of up to 50% income tax relief on a qualifying investment and the availability of a CGT exemption.

This briefing provides a useful summary of the proposals, in particular, how the scheme will operate and the key qualifying conditions that have to be met to obtain the reliefs available. It considers the key questions that need to be considered if you feel you would like to take advantage of the scheme.

Please contact us if you have any questions regarding any of the articles or tax planning tips we have included in our newsletter or if you would like further information on a topic we haven’t covered. Your views are always important to us and we would welcome any feedback you could give us.

Brendan Hall, Marketing Co-ordinator

Email: brendan.hall@hartshaw.co.uk.

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Employment law and online filing: Is your business ready for the new tax year?

A FREE joint seminar with business experts Hart Shaw and Banner Jones Solicitors.

Do you engage people on a self-employed basis? Are you self-employed but generally do work for a single or a small number of clients or customers? Are you sure about yours and your contractors’ tax status? Will HMRC regard them or you as employees? If so what are the consequences?

Problems often arise in this complicated area of tax and employment law and getting it wrong can have costly consequences. A person’s status can be different depending on whether it is considered from an employment law or tax point of view.

With new laws being introduced affecting all businesses in 2012, it is essential that your business is fully prepared in the lead up to the new tax year.

This seminar highlights the key areas your business needs to be aware of and the risks involved when engaging people in your business. Topics for discussion include:

• Employment V’s Self Employment
• Personal service companies and ‘IR35’
• Current issues and dealing with HMRC
• Payroll commons errors and mistakes
• Redundancy procedures
• Redundancy compensation payments
• Compromise agreements
• Agency workers and the new rules

Join Adrian Dunkley, Tax Manager at Hart Shaw and Trevor Hughes, Head of Employment Law at Banner Jones over breakfast at Hart Shaw’s offices for a seminar that provides a crucial insight into the benefits and risks of online filing and the different types of employment status.

The details are:

• Date: Wednesday 29^th February 2012
• Time: 8:00am for tea, coffee and breakfast sandwiches, 8:30am start and 9:30am finish with Q&A and optional networking until 10:00am
• Venue: Hart Shaw Building, Europa Link, Sheffield Business Park, Sheffield, S91XU

The seminar is FREE to attend and you are very welcome to bring a guest or a colleague.

To confirm your attendance please contact Brendan Hall at Hart Shaw on T: 0114 251 8872 or email: brendan.hall@hartshaw.co.uk. Places are limited so please book early to avoid disappointment.

We look forward to seeing you there.

Hart Shaw events

Re-vamped website for Hart Shaw

Hart Shaw has undertaken a significant round of changes to improve our website, which can be viewed at www.hartshaw.co.uk.

On here you will find updated content and resources along with better navigation for ease of use.

Please take a look and tell us what you think!

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The Adviser – Winter 2011/12

Please follow this link to download your copy of the latest edition of Hart Shaw’s newsletter, The Adviser.

The Adviser - Winter 2011/12

 

In this issue we talk about the online filing laws which now affect all businesses, how to successfully manage your business in the current economic climate, what to consider if marketing your business for sale, tax penalties and a review of a recent seminar which focussed on the issues surrounding acquiring funding for business growth.

In lighter news, we would also like to introduce you to our Sheffield based charity, the Sheffield Royal Society for the Blind, our sponsorship of Westbourne School’s Maths Award and our involvement in the Derwent Wye Fine Art sculpture exhibition.

Please also see below for details of a special offer to Hart Shaw clients from Sugarcane Creative, one of Hart Shaw’s business partners.

Should you have any questions about any of the articles you can contact The Adviser by email at: adviser@hartshaw.co.uk or you can reach the authors directly via the contact details at the end of each article.

To download Hart Shaw’s other newsletters and client briefings please visit the newsletters page of our website at: www.hartshaw.co.uk/newsletters.htm.

We hope you find our latest articles of interest and we welcome your feedback on any aspect of The Adviser, or any suggestions for future editions. 

Brendan Hall, Marketing Co-ordinator

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Marketing offer to Hart Shaw clients

Sugarcane Creative, the Sheffield based Graphic Design and Marketing Agency are pleased to launch their new logo design packages, available until end of February 2012. You can find out more at www.yorkshirelogodesign.co.uk. Any project proceeding before the end of January will receive a 10% discount.

Sugarcane Creative offer brand identity, logo design, all types of literature, web design, newsletters, campaign promotions, exhibition materials, POS and marketing strategy.

JMC Aquatics Limited acquires aquatics division of Pedigree Wholesale Limited

JMC Aquatics Limited, the leading importer and wholesaler of ornamental fish and accessories, has acquired the aquatics division of Pedigree Wholesale Limited for an undisclosed sum.

Sheffield based accountants and business advisers, Hart Shaw and law firm Wake Smith, acted on behalf of JMC.

Pedigree Aquatics is based in a 14,000 ft² leasehold facility in Nottingham and has a broad base of trade accounts which will compliment the existing JMC business. Jane Flaherty, Managing Director of JMC, commented: “Pedigree is renowned for its quality and service and is a fantastic strategic fit with the core JMC business. The opportunity to acquire the Pedigree business made excellent strategic sense as it allows JMC to service a larger client base whilst maintaining the quality of our service. Already there is incredible enthusiasm amongst our customers and suppliers. The support we received from Hart Shaw and Wake Smith was invaluable and ensured that the transaction was delivered on time”.

Steve Bell, Head of Corporate Finance at Hart Shaw said: “As a long standing client of the practice we welcomed the opportunity to assist JMC with this transaction. It is clear that the acquisition of Pedigree is the first phase of a long term strategic plan to develop the business. The fact that we were able to structure a transaction that minimized the risk has meant JMC can take this first strategic step safe in the knowledge that the core business is secure.”

Barry Gregory, Partner at Wake Smith LLP, commented “Wake Smith has acted for JMC for many years and were delighted to have done so on this occasion. Working closely with Jane and Hart Shaw we were pleased to have been able to assist JMC in completing this exciting stage of their ongoing development plan”

Hart Shaw news

£95m boost for small businesses

Small and medium sized businesses in England could benefit from £95 million in government investment.

The government funding, announced on 10 November will support small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) considering investing in new capital assets. The government expects the funding to unlock around £500 million of new investment and create at least 4,000 jobs.

The money forms part of the government’s £1.4 billion Regional Growth Fund, which supports projects that can create jobs, are based in areas dependent on the public sector and are supported by private sector investment.

The new scheme will provide grants designed to support SMEs considering investment in new capital assets and creating new employment but which have been unable to secure commercial funding for their projects.

These schemes will directly help SMEs that want to invest and create new jobs. They will deliver a shot in the arm to local communities and help small businesses drive local growth.

RBS, NatWest and HSBC have agreed to facilitate the distribution of the £95 million. To qualify for the scheme run by NatWest and RBS, SMEs need a turnover of less than £25 million. To qualify for the HSBC scheme the SME will need a turnover of less than 50 million euros.

SMEs can qualify for a grant if they are going to invest in new capital assets, such as plant and machinery, and create new jobs but cannot get normal bank finance. Grants of up to £500,000 will be awarded alongside the award of a new bank loan on commercial terms.

For further information about business grants please contact Steve Bell, Head of Corporate Finance on T: 0114 251 8850 or email: steve.bell@hartshaw.co.uk.

Hart Shaw Corporate Finance

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2011 – A very tough year

Anyone watching the news recently cannot avoid the general feeling of doom and gloom; the collapse of the Euro, inflation at 5% and minimal economic growth. In the face of these factors business continues to be challenging.

In a recent on-line blog someone asked whether the fact that the economy is not growing is relevant to your business? I would suggest that the answer has to be NO!

A client recently stated that he can’t waste time bemoaning the global economic crisis and the fact that funding is more expensive and restricted as all these factors are outside of his control. Every business faces tough decisions but those that are successful identify and actively manage factors that are in their control. In the past many businesses achieved success without having to try; sales were easy to achieve and profits and cash were generated. In 2008 things changed and since then we see continued pressure on margins and people chasing sales. Business owners have to work harder to seemingly stand still. In the face of these pressures we advise our clients to be as efficient as possible and manage costs. We help our clients identify their aspirations and ensure that each decision becomes a step towards those goals.

The continuing economic turmoil is leading many business owners to consider their next step. As the days of high multiples and inexpensive bank debt are long gone, our experience suggests that Vendors need to be open minded when looking at transaction structures. Many deals are being completed that include higher proportions of deferred consideration and therefore in order to generate value advisers have to look away from the straightforward and deliver innovative deal structures.

Transactions are now likely to include deferred consideration, share options, loan notes, earn outs and deferred purchase. Comparing offers with a mix of consideration takes skill with the focus on long term value at the expense of short term certainty.

Our prediction for 2012 is that the economy will continue to present challenges. Our focus is on supporting all of our clients, ensuring they end the year in a stronger position than when they started. Uncertainty and caution will continue to suppress the transaction market but we expect to see a steady flow of deals, however to secure the deals Vendors have to be open-minded.

Steve Bell, Head of Corporate Finance at Hart Shaw.

T: 0114 251 8850, email: steve.bell@hartshaw.co.uk.

Hart Shaw Corporate Finance

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