Latest Q & A
Employee refusing to do health and safety test
My employee won’t do his Health and Safety Certificate touch-screen test. Is this a sackable offence?
How should you repay an outside investor?
I want a cash injection of £5,000 into my business, and have an investor lined up in return for 10 per cent equity in my company. How and when does one pay an investor back? Is it 10 per cent of the profit each year, and for how long?
Failure to pay an invoice
What can I do about a customer who is refusing to pay outstanding invoices?
Offsetting losses against PAYE
If, whilst employed and paying tax, I set up as a sole trader as well, can I offset any trading losses against the PAYE I pay through my self-assesment?
Are there loans for women in business?
Are there any specific loans for women in business?
Racism in the office
A good salesperson is making racist remarks to a new employee. She has been with the company for five years and I have spoken to her informally but she keeps doing it. What can I do?
Advice on an unpaid invoice
A customer has refused to pay my invoice in full and has offered a smaller amount for work already done. Is there any simple action I can take to get the rest of the money due?
Claiming back tax
What can I claim back tax on when some things are used as part of the business and some for the home, such as car, internet, phone and so on.
Where can I find extra funding?
How can I find additional funding from a bank after taking out a secured loan to start a family business in the South West?
Unpaid leave
Some of my staff are having unpaid time off, although they have an entitlement of 24 days per annum. Can the amount of holiday entitlement be adjusted because they are not working the amount of time they are contracted to do?
Are part-time employees entitled to redundancy pay?
Is a part time employee entitled to redundancy pay? They have worked around 20-25 hours per month on a casual basis over the last 2 years.
We want to make a managerial role redundant
We want to keep an employee but in a different role and on slightly less money. Do we have to pay redundancy pay?
I don't have enough work for two employees
I want to make two employees redundant and use subcontract labour when I have work. How do I do this?
Paying dividends to directors
What is the correct procedure and frequency for meetings to decide on payments of dividends to directors for small businesses?
Holiday pay
If a member of staff has been laid off, are they still entitled to holiday pay?
Director of two companies
What are the tax implications of being a director of two companies?
Excessive sick leave
I have an employee who I think is having excessive time off sick. His latest excuse is that he has had to take an extra job to make ends meet and was too tired to come into work this morning. How do we stand regarding disciplinary procedures?
Paying redundancy
How can I pay redundancy if I don’t have any money?
Business funding
I've been offered the chance to turn a business around. Where can I go for funding?
Should I cut my prices?
Should I cut my prices?
Employee redundancy
I need to make my employee redundant. He completed his apprenticeship with me two years ago, does his redundancy pay include the years he spent doing his training?
Vehicle purchase
What’s the procedure for writing down a new business vehicle?
VAT exemptions
Do I have to register for VAT if I run a swim school? I was under the impression that educational services are exempt
Registering twice
I’m already registered as self-employed, but want to start another business. Do I need to register again?
MBO or MBI?
What’s the difference between a management buy-in and a management buy-out?
Last chance
I have spoken to an employee twice asking her to improve on her daily tasks, which she has failed to do. She's only been with us three months. What's the next move?
Direct mail
How do I set up a direct mailing list?
Changing contracts
Can an employer cut hours from 28 to 20 per week by making the employee redundant and then offering them a 20-hour contract?
Sick leave
A member of staff has only been employed since March and has had nine weeks off sick. She has no contract and has been on a three-month trial. Do I need to continue to pay SSP?
changing bank accounts
We have a longstanding bank account and an excellent relationship with our account manager. Can a new MD change this account without other shareholders agreement?
