Simplex Accounting

08/10/2026

Are you paying more tax than you need to?

You might be surprised by how many legitimate tax reliefs UK business owners overlook.

And we're not talking about loopholes or dodgy tricks!

We're talking about tax reliefs that already exist, but you might not know you can claim.

In our latest YouTube video, I break down 5 tax reliefs that could help you reduce your tax bill, including:

✅ Trivial benefits
✅ Employer pension contributions
✅ Annual Investment Allowance
✅ Research & Development (R&D) tax relief
✅ Capital allowances

Of course, not every relief will apply to every business, but knowing what's available could make a real difference.

Because why pay more tax than you legally need to?

🎥 Watch the full video here:

Many business owners overpay their tax simply because they aren't a...

07/10/2026

A good year is great. But what you do before the year ends can matter just as much!

If your profit is looking much higher than expected, now’s the time to be thinking about tax, how you pay yourself, what you want to reinvest and what the business needs next.

Don’t wait until the accounts are finished to have the conversation.

A good year gives you options. Give yourself time to use them.

05/10/2026

Pringles won their VAT battle with HMRC… and then HMRC fought back 👀

The original ruling said Pringles shouldn’t be treated as crisps for VAT purposes.

Big win.

But HMRC appealed, arguing that when you pick up a tube of Pringles, you’re probably not thinking about the percentage of potato or how they’re made.

You’re thinking: crisps.

The Court of Appeal agreed, overturned the earlier decision, and Pringles ended up being subject to VAT.

It’s a brilliant example of just how complicated UK VAT rules can get.

🎥 Want the full story of Pringles vs HMRC? Watch the full video on our YouTube channel. Link in bio!

02/10/2026

£100k profit is brilliant. But don’t wait until your accounts are being prepared to start thinking about what to do with it 👀

Before your year-end, there may still be time to plan for tax, pensions, hiring, investment and how much you actually want to take out of the business.

Having a better year than expected? Talk to your accountant while you’ve still got options.

30/09/2026

“I’ll just do the bookkeeping myself and save the money.”

But have you worked out what doing it yourself is actually costing you?

There’s the time spent chasing receipts, matching transactions, fixing mistakes and working out where everything goes.

There are expenses you could be missing.

Errors that can become harder to untangle the longer they’re left.

And if your bookkeeping is behind, you might not have the numbers you need to make good decisions about the business.

Saving the monthly bookkeeping fee can look cheaper at first.

But your time has a value too.

If you want bookkeeping that’s organised, up to date and easier to manage, book a call with Simplex.

28/09/2026

Got an HMRC penalty and think it might be wrong? You may be able to appeal it.

In some cases, the entire fine can be cancelled.

There are a few ways to appeal, including through your Government Gateway account or by writing directly to HMRC.

If you do appeal, make sure you include the right references, explain exactly what happened and keep evidence to support your case.

And if you’re unsure, this is one of those situations where your accountant can be really useful. We know what HMRC is looking for and how to structure the appeal properly.

🎥 I break down the full appeal process in our YouTube video. Watch it via the link in bio.

25/09/2026

Just because you’re working when you spend the money, that doesn’t automatically make it a business expense.

A good example?

Buying a coffee while you work from a coffee shop.

You might have your laptop out, emails open, and be there purely to get some work done.

But that still doesn’t necessarily make the coffee allowable.

HMRC generally looks at whether an expense is wholly and exclusively for the purposes of the business.

And if there’s a personal element to the cost, that’s where things can get tricky.

This is why it’s so important not to assume something is allowable just because it feels work-related.

The same applies to plenty of other everyday expenses too.

If you’re ever unsure what you can and can’t claim through your business, it’s always better to check than guess.

And if you want help getting clearer on your business expenses, book a call with us.

21/09/2026

That “free” PR package might not actually be free 👀

If you’re a creator receiving gifted clothes, products, hotel stays or even holidays, there could be tax implications you haven’t considered.

Because if something is given to you in exchange for promotion, HMRC may view it as payment, even when no cash changes hands.

And if you’re receiving thousands of pounds worth of gifted products throughout the year, that can become a much bigger issue.

So where does HMRC draw the line between a genuine gift and taxable income?

🎥 I explain exactly how it works in the full video on our YouTube channel. Link in bio!

18/09/2026

You can be busy, profitable and growing...

And still feel like there’s never enough money in the bank.

That’s the frustrating thing about cash flow.

Sales don’t always equal cash.
Profit doesn’t always mean money is available.
And growth can actually put more pressure on your finances before it makes things easier.

A lot of cash flow problems come down to timing.

Money comes in too slowly.
Costs go out too quickly.
And without regularly checking what’s happening, it’s easy to lose track.

The answer isn’t to obsess over your bank balance every day.

It’s to understand what’s coming in, what’s going out, and what you need to prepare for.

Because the more visibility you have, the easier it is to make decisions with confidence.

If your cash flow feels unpredictable at the moment, it might be time to take a closer look.

And if you want help getting clearer on your numbers, book a call with us.

16/09/2026

Thinking about hiring your first employee?

Don’t base the decision on salary alone.

A £30k salary doesn’t necessarily mean a £30k cost to the business.

There could also be Employer’s NI, workplace pension contributions, equipment, software, training, recruitment costs and more to think about.

Then there’s cash flow.

Could you still comfortably cover the cost if you had a quieter month, lost a client or a big invoice was paid late?

Before you make the hire, make sure you understand what they’ll really cost and whether the business can comfortably afford it.

Thinking about hiring? Book a call with Simplex, and we’ll help you check the numbers before you commit.

https://calendly.com/simplex-accounting/bookcall