Moulton Johnson Limited

08/10/2026

Is the tax system becoming too complicated for small businesses?

According to a party political conference speech this week in 1976, the UK tax handbook was 1,600 pages long. Apparently now it’s 23,000 pages. That is all seven Harry Potter novels, the Bible, and the complete works of Shakespeare combined, 4 times over.

A new report from the Administrative Burdens Advisory Board suggests businesses are increasingly feeling the weight of tax legislation and compliance. 61.6% of respondents said the legislative burden had worsened over the past 12 months, while 62.8% said they had been impacted by legislative changes.

At Moulton Johnson, we know that understanding the rules is one thing. Understanding what they mean for your business is another.

If you’re unsure about how recent or upcoming changes could affect you, it’s worth getting advice rather than trying to work it out alone.

Read the full article on "Businesses worry legislative tax burden is increasing" : https://bit.ly/4zdrm9K

How do you think the tax system could be simplified?

02/10/2026

Could a £60 penalty catch you out?

New Self-Assessment reporting requirements mean directors of close companies now need to provide additional information, even if they are unpaid or have no shares.

Get it wrong and a £60 penalty may apply.

Our latest article explains what directors need to know. Link in the comments section.

25/09/2026

SMEs are the heart of the UK economy. They employ almost 17 million people and generate more than half of private-sector turnover.

But Brexit, Covid and the cost-of-living crisis have taken their toll. And today's pressures keep coming:

• Energy bills that won't come down
• Wages that need funding
• Customers who can't take on higher prices

Flagstone, the UK's leading cash deposit and savings platform, have captured the voices of 1,000 SMEs across various regions, sectors and company sizes and condensed their findings into their first Business Barometer.

It’s well worth a read. Link to report in comments section below.

What do you think is the biggest challenge facing SMEs right now? Please share your thoughts in the comments.

17/09/2026

Do you only ever hear from your accountant once a year when they are chasing your tax return?

At Moulton Johnson, we like to get to know the businesses we work with and understand what makes them tick.

From accounts and tax to cash flow, growth and those tricky business decisions, we’re here to help make the numbers work for you.

Good numbers. Good advice. Better decisions.

Want to know a bit more about how we work? Check our online brochure link: https://bit.ly/4y1m9lu

10/09/2026

From 6 April 2027, HMRC's mandatory payrolling of Benefits in Kind kicks in for Phase 1, covering company cars, car fuel, vans, van fuel and medical benefits.

Most other benefits follow from April 2028.

For employers, this means payroll software and processes need to be ready. But the bigger job is communication.

Right now, many employees pay tax on these benefits in arrears, often through an estimated deduction in their tax code without fully realising that's how it works. From April 2027 that changes. Tax on Phase 1 benefits gets paid in real time, in the year they're received.

Here's where it gets tricky. Some staff could find themselves paying tax on 2027 to 2028 benefits in real time while still catching up on the previous tax year at the same time.

It can look like double taxation, and if it's not explained in advance, it's the kind of thing that unsettles staff and generates a flurry of anxious questions.

For more details https://bit.ly/4yv9lDG

If this affects your business and you want to talk through what it means for your payroll setup, we're here to help.

02/09/2026

When the band breaks up, what happens next?

We’ve seen it before. Two founders, no shareholders agreement and everything works perfectly… until it doesn’t.

One wants out. Someone stops turning up. Shares need to be sold. Or a 50/50 deadlock brings everything to a standstill.

Without an agreement, you could be relying on rules that weren’t written for your business.

A shareholders agreement sets out what happens when things go wrong, agreed while everyone is still on the same side. What should you include in an agreement? This article link offers some suggestions: https://bit.ly/4i3wCHX

If you have more than one shareholder and no agreement, it could be a gap worth closing.

27/08/2026

A chance to meet another one of our team.

Ian Johnson has been helping businesses succeed for over 50 years. After qualifying as a Chartered Accountant in 1975 and spending several years as an Audit Manager with Deloitte Haskins & Sells, he joined Moulton Johnson as a partner in 1982.

Today, Ian advises clients on accounting, audit, corporate and personal tax, business systems and business development, combining decades of technical expertise with practical commercial advice.

Outside the office, Ian enjoys a wide range of music, from opera to jazz, plays both the guitar and piano, follows Essex County Cricket Club, supports Tottenham Hotspur (great result against Charlton) and loves travelling abroad.

13/08/2026

Brentwood Business Network was proud to sponsor a Track Play session at SNAP Charity, contributing £300 to help children and young people with additional needs enjoy a dedicated play session during the summer holidays.

Play is about far more than having fun. It helps children build confidence, develop communication and social skills and express themselves in a way that feels natural to them. For many SNAP families, busy public play sessions can be overwhelming, so providing a calm and familiar environment makes all the difference.

A huge thank you to Lauren Stebbing and everyone at SNAP for the incredible work you do every day. We're proud to have played a small part in helping make this summer a little brighter for the children and families you support.

To find out more about the Brentwood Business Network go to https://bit.ly/4wZPCvz

06/08/2026

The latest ICAEW Business Confidence Monitor shows UK business confidence has fallen to its lowest level since late 2022. Rising costs, geopolitical uncertainty, weaker sales expectations and growing concerns over late payments are all part of a challenging outlook.

https://bit.ly/4fUVq1Y

For many businesses, this isn't surprising. The pressure has been building for some time.

What separates resilient businesses from the rest isn't whether they face these challenges. It's how they respond.

Now is the time to:

Review your cash flow regularly

Strengthen relationships with customers and suppliers

Focus on efficiency without compromising quality

Invest in the areas that deliver the greatest return

Keep looking for opportunities, even when confidence is low

History shows that businesses which adapt quickly during uncertain periods are often the ones best placed to grow when conditions improve.

Confidence may be down, but good decisions, strong leadership and a clear strategy are still firmly within your control.

What's the biggest challenge your business is facing right now?

17/07/2026

"It'll probably be fine."

Under new HMRC proposals, those five words could carry a criminal record.

HMRC is consulting on a new criminal offence for making reckless, untrue statements about direct taxes such as Income Tax and National Insurance. Not deliberate fraud. Not dishonesty. Recklessness.

This already exists for VAT and Customs. The proposal brings direct taxes into line, with talk of a maximum two year sentence and unlimited fines.

HMRC's own examples of reckless behaviour: https://bit.ly/4wELa4y

Claiming a significant relief without reading the guidance or taking advice, on the basis it will probably be fine.

Suspecting there's taxable income across several bank accounts but only checking the main one and estimating the rest.

Neither is a deliberate lie. Both could become criminal offences.

Genuine carelessness wouldn't be caught. But the gap between careless and reckless is exactly where DIY tax returns tend to live.

So if you're not sure, check. If you can't check, ask someone who can.

Questions about what this could mean for you? Get in touch on 01277 228444.

HMRC have proposed a new criminal offence for making reckless, untrue statements or declarations about what's known as 'direct taxes' - Income Tax, National Insurance and the like. For Customs and Excise and VAT ('indirect taxes'), it is already possible to prosecute individuals who make untrue stat...