Latest All Business Questions & Answers
What steps can I take to protect my data?
What steps can I take to protect my data?
Can I reduce staff hours?
I run a struggling business and need to cut costs. My employees work varied hours and if I was to reduce the hours each worked would I have to do it as a percentage of their hours worked or could I reduce all employees the same amount of hours?
Can I make a deduction from an employee's salary?
If an employee fails to return corporate property eg laptop, clothing, mobiles phone etc, is it permissible to deduct the value of the equipment from their final salary?
Buying a company name before starting up
I want to buy my company name so that noone else can take it before I start trading. If I buy it and make it dormant, what are my responsibilities (like annual returns etc)?
Can capital from solar panels be part-offset against profits?
If I were to use my home as part business and install solar panels, can the capital be part-offset against profits and if so, how?
Indemnity insurance overseas
A UAE consulting limited company requires public liability and professional indemnity insurance for getting work from UK-based clients. What are the options for an overseas-based company to get UK pound-denominated insurance?
Can I employ someone for one year?
I run a small business and I need to employ somebody as a project manager. Am I able to employ this person on a one year contract and what rights do they have as an employee if we do this?
Protection against competitors
We will have a business opening in direct competition with us very soon. They contacted all our suppliers. Is there anything we can do to protect ourselves? They are going to be 100 yards away and stocking exactly the same goods.
Do I need an import licence?
I would like to know if I need an import licence for cleaning materials from Israel.
I have now gone fully self-employed. What do I need to do differently?
I have now gone fully self-employed. What do I need to do differently?
Do I need to pay employee for travelling time?
One of my employees, who travels 50 miles each way to work, is arguing that he should get paid for travelling time. How should I proceed?
Can I switch a limited company to sole trader?
I bought and took over a small business back in 2007, a limited company. Sales now are far less and so a lot less admin is needed. Is it possible to change a limited company to sole trader?
How can I make sure my business is prepared for winter?
How can I make sure my business is prepared for winter?
How do I protect my idea?
I have developed and researched a new idea that I think has the potential to be commercially successful. How do I protect my idea?
How should I prepare for my maternity leave?
I am a manager of a small business with ten employees. I am due to give birth in two weeks and I am worried about the business during my maternity leave. How should I prepare?
Staff and Christmas bonuses
I have an employee who did not meet the Christmas bonus requirement. However, she claims that she should qualify as her extra day off was an 'emergency hospital visit'. Where do I go from here?
Does registering my company name give me trade mark protection?
I’ve just set up a business and registered it at Companies House. Does that give me protection and prevent anyone else from using my business name?
Holiday pay for maternity leave employee
A part-time employee is due to go on maternity leave, and still has six days' holiday owing to her by December. Do I have to pay her all six days' holiday pay at the start of her maternity leave? She is not entitled to SMP.
What income tax am I due to pay?
I plan to sell my share of the business to my business partner. Financial year end is 31/12/2011. What income tax am I due to pay personally and when?
Would I be liable to pay business council tax?
If I worked from home in a spare bedroom on a computer trading foreign exchange virtually and there would be no visitors to my home, no deliveries, and no post to do with the work as statements sent via email, would I be liable to pay business council tax?
How do I decide when to export?
My jewellery business is suffering a bit, but I’ve heard there’s great demand for British-made jewellery abroad, particularly in developing countries like India. I’d love to tap into these markets, but how do I decide when to take the plunge?
How can I make my website easy to navigate?
I run a small business and am about to launch a new retail website. Can you give me some tips on making my website easy to navigate?
Trading with newly-VAT registered businesses
As a newly-registered VAT business am I risking extended verification/reclaim refusal if I trade with another newly-registered VAT business?
Is employee entitled to holiday pay?
An employee worked 14 weeks, booked a weeks' holiday then gave a week’s notice while on holiday and never came back. Is she entitled to any holiday pay? She worked 17 hours a week.
Will I be able to dismiss an unproductive member of staff?
Under the new employment law proposals, would I be able to dismiss a member of staff who isn't as productive as I want?
This is my first Christmas as a retailer. How should I prepare?
This is my first Christmas as a retailer. How should I prepare?
I would like to buy a franchise but don't know where to start. Have you any advice?
I am considering investing or buying a franchise but i am not sure where to start. Have you any advice for me?
How can I keep my IT costs down?
I’ve just set up a business and want to invest in some new IT but I’m concerned about price. How can I keep my IT costs down?
What is credit easing and how does it apply to small businesses?
What is credit easing and how does it apply to small businesses?
How do I check that staff are not on benefits?
How do I check that staff are not on benefits?
