Pillar guides
UK business finance fundamentals
The definitive guides we wish every UK business owner had read before incorporating, hiring, or selling.
Where to start
Three decisions, in the order they arrive
These guides are not a syllabus and you do not have to read them in order. But most UK business owners meet the same three questions in the same sequence, and knowing which one you are actually facing is usually enough to tell you which guide to open.
Incorporate, or decide not to
Sole trader against limited company is the decision everything else hangs off. Get it wrong and you pay for it every year until you change it.
Get the VAT and payroll rhythm right
Once you are trading, the calendar runs you: VAT returns, RTI submissions, corporation tax, the director's own pay. Set it up once and it stops being a monthly scramble.
Plan the exit before you need to
Whether you sell, wind down or hand over, the reliefs are won 12 to 24 months out. By completion the structure is already fixed.
The guides
23 pillar guides
Guide
Asset Finance: The Definitive UK Guide for Limited Companies
Asset finance lets your company acquire plant, machinery, vehicles and equipment without paying the full price upfront. This pillar guide explains hire purchase, finance leases, operating leases, contract hire and asset refinance, then ties each to the 2026/27 tax picture (the £1m AIA, full expensing, the new 40% first-year allowance) so you can make the buy-versus-lease decision on the numbers. For UK limited companies only.
Guide
Business Loans Guide: How UK Limited Companies Borrow in 2026/27
The top-of-cluster guide to company debt for UK limited companies. Term versus revolving, secured versus unsecured, bank versus alternative lender, what drives your rate, how much you can borrow, personal guarantees, and the government-backed options. Company borrowers only. We introduce your company to a panel of commercial-finance brokers, we are not a lender.
Guide
Business Valuation Guide: How UK Businesses Are Actually Valued in 2026/27
Most owners want one number. A real valuation is a range, driven by which method fits the business, the quality of its earnings, and what a buyer will actually pay. This guide covers the four methods used in the UK (EBITDA multiples, SDE, asset-based and DCF), the sector multiple ranges that feed our seven sector guides, how add-backs normalise your profit, and why the headline valuation and the cash you keep after Capital Gains Tax are two very different numbers.
Guide
Employee Ownership Trust (EOT): The Definitive UK Guide for 2026/27
An employee ownership trust (EOT) lets you sell a controlling interest in your company to a trust that holds the shares for all your staff, funded from future profits rather than an external buyer's cash. This guide explains how an EOT works, the qualifying conditions, and the change that reshaped the numbers: from 26 November 2025 the Capital Gains Tax relief was cut from 100% to 50%, so half your gain is now taxable at sale. We cover who an EOT suits, the tax-free employee bonus, costs and trustee duties, and whether the route still pays after the cut, with a worked example on a £4m sale.
Guide
Invoice Finance: The Definitive UK Guide for Limited Companies
Invoice finance turns your unpaid B2B sales ledger into working capital, releasing up to 90% of an invoice within a day or two of raising it. This pillar guide explains factoring, invoice discounting and selective facilities, what they really cost, who qualifies, and the sectors where invoice finance is the wrong tool. Written for UK limited-company directors and finance leads.
Guide
How to Sell My Business: The UK Owner's Guide to Exit
Selling a business is a route, not a single event. This guide walks an owner-director through the full exit journey: deciding you are ready, valuing the company, and choosing between the three main routes (a trade sale, an Employee Ownership Trust, or a management buyout), each with its own control and tax trade-off. It covers share versus asset sales, due diligence, brokers, heads of terms, earn-outs and timelines, at 2026/27 rates: BADR at 18%, and the Employee Ownership Trust relief cut from 100% to 50% on 26 November 2025.
Guide
Business Asset Disposal Relief Explained: The Definitive Guide for UK Business Owners
Business Asset Disposal Relief (BADR) lets you pay 18% Capital Gains Tax on qualifying business disposals from 6 April 2026 (14% in 2025/26), rather than the standard 24%. This guide covers the £1 million lifetime limit, the two-year qualifying period, the 5% shareholding test, and how to plan your exit to secure the relief. We include worked examples and an action checklist.
Guide
The Definitive Guide to Choosing a Contractor Accountant UK
Choosing the right contractor accountant UK is the single most important financial decision you'll make as a limited company contractor. This guide covers everything from IR35 status determination and optimal director pay strategies to MTD for ITSA compliance and how to avoid the common pitfalls that cost contractors thousands. Written by specialist practitioners who work with contractors across the UK every day.
Guide
The Definitive Guide to Choosing a Limited Company Accountant in the UK
Choosing the right limited company accountant is one of the most important decisions a director makes. This guide covers everything from the statutory obligations your accountant should handle, to how fees work, what to look for in a specialist, and how to spot the difference between a bookkeeper and a chartered firm. Written by an experienced practitioner for UK directors, contractors, and growing businesses.
Guide
The Definitive Guide to Choosing an Online Accountant UK (2025/26)
Choosing the right online accountant UK is one of the most important decisions a business owner makes. This guide compares the leading firms, explains what they actually do for your monthly fee, and helps you match the right service to your company structure, turnover, and complexity. Whether you run a limited company, work as a sole trader, or operate through a partnership, you'll find the answers here.
Guide
The Definitive Guide to Choosing a Sole Trader Accountant in the UK (2025/26)
Choosing the right sole trader accountant is one of the most important decisions you'll make for your business. This guide covers everything from what to expect in fees and services, how the 2025/26 tax rules affect you, and the specific questions you must ask before signing up. Written by our specialist accountants who work with sole traders across the UK every day.
Guide
How Does Corporation Tax Work: The Definitive Guide for UK Business Owners
Corporation tax is the tax on your limited company's profits. This pillar guide explains the rates, filing requirements, reliefs, and deadlines every UK director needs to know. Whether you're a new contractor, a growing small business, or an established partnership considering incorporation, we cover it all.
Guide
How To Pay Yourself From A Limited Company: The Definitive Guide for UK Directors
Deciding how to pay yourself from a limited company is one of the most important financial decisions you'll make as a director. This guide covers salary versus dividends, the tax implications of each, director's loan accounts, and the rules around pension contributions. We include worked examples for 2025/26 and an action checklist to help you plan.
Guide
How to Register a Limited Company UK: The Definitive Guide for Business Owners
Registering a limited company UK is a straightforward process through Companies House, but the decisions you make at incorporation have lasting tax and legal consequences. This guide covers the full process, from choosing your company name and SIC code through to your first CT600 return and dividend paperwork. Written by specialist accountants who work with UK business owners every day.
Guide
IR35 Explained: The Definitive Guide for UK Contractors and Businesses
IR35 is the tax legislation that determines whether a contractor working through their own limited company should be taxed like an employee. This definitive guide covers how IR35 works for both contractors and hiring businesses, the key differences between inside and outside IR35 engagements, how HMRC assesses contracts, and what you need to do to stay compliant. Whether you are a contractor, a small business director, or a company hiring contractors, this page explains everything.
Guide
Limited Company vs Sole Trader: The Definitive UK Guide for 2025/26
Choosing between a limited company and sole trader structure is one of the most consequential decisions a UK business owner makes. This guide compares tax efficiency, personal liability, administrative burden, and exit options using 2025/26 rates and real examples. By the end, you'll know which structure fits your situation and how to switch if you need to.
Guide
Making Tax Digital for Income Tax: The Definitive Guide for UK Businesses (2025/26)
Making Tax Digital for Income Tax (MTD ITSA) will transform how sole traders, landlords, and partnerships report their income to HMRC. From April 2026, if your gross income exceeds £50,000, you must use MTD-compatible software to keep digital records and submit quarterly updates. This guide covers everything you need to know, from the timeline and exemptions to software choices and practical steps for compliance.
Guide
R&D Tax Credit Specialist: The Definitive Guide for UK Businesses
R&D tax credits can return tens of thousands of pounds to your business. But HMRC scrutinises claims harder than ever. This guide explains the merged R&D scheme, qualifying costs, the Enhanced R&D Intensive Scheme, and why an r&d tax credit specialist is essential for a defensible claim.
Guide
R&D Tax Credits Explained: The Definitive Guide for UK Businesses
R&D tax credits are one of the most valuable reliefs available to UK limited companies that invest in innovation. This guide covers what qualifies as R&D, the different schemes, how the merged regime works from April 2024, and the practical steps to make a claim. Whether you're a software developer in Manchester's Northern Quarter or a manufacturer in Birmingham's Jewellery Quarter, this is your complete reference.
Guide
The Definitive Self Assessment Tax Return Guide for UK Business Owners
This is the definitive Self Assessment Tax Return guide for UK business owners, sole traders, partnerships, and company directors. We cover who must file, how to register, key deadlines, allowable expenses, the transition to MTD for ITSA, and a practical action checklist. Written by our specialist accountants for real-world compliance.
Guide
The Definitive Guide to Choosing and Working with a Small Business Accountant
Choosing the right small business accountant is one of the most important decisions you'll make as a business owner. This guide covers everything from what an accountant actually does for a limited company versus a sole trader, to how much you should expect to pay, what software they should use, and how to spot a good one before you sign. Written by our specialist accountants for UK business owners.
Guide
VAT Accountant: The Definitive Guide for UK Businesses
VAT is one of the most complex taxes a UK business faces. This guide covers everything from compulsory and voluntary registration through to Making Tax Digital, VAT schemes, partial exemption, and common pitfalls. Whether you are a limited company director, a sole trader approaching the £90,000 threshold, or a partnership with multiple VAT liabilities, this page gives you the practical knowledge you need, and tells you when to call a VAT accountant.
Guide
When to Register for VAT: The Definitive Guide for UK Business Owners
VAT registration is triggered by a £90,000 turnover threshold over 12 months, but the rules around exactly when you must register are more nuanced than a single number. This guide covers compulsory and voluntary registration, the 30-day notification window, how to measure turnover, and what happens if you miss the deadline. You'll also find worked examples, penalty calculations, and a clear action checklist for your business.
Free consultation
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