We're here to support you

Firstly, we hope that you and your families are safe and remain so. Our office is closed but the landline and access to emails still working.

There are a few other quick points to make:

• We are accountants and tax advisors.  We are not marketing experts so apologies if in our attempt to keep you informed we do not produce glossy looking flowcharts, templates or power point presentations.
• Please pick up the phone or email if you do have questions. If we don’t get back to you please just send a quick reminder.
• Thank you for your patience with us. For those who haven’t been so patient don’t worry we fully understand.
• If these emails aren’t relevant to you just please ignore them. Sorry, but at the minute we haven’t got the time to administer a database especially, as the office is closed.

We will attempt to keep you informed and assist as much as we can. I am aware of many accountants charging for advice and providing figures etc. We wont be but hope that you remain loyal to us when we come out the other side. We are also in the process of updating our website so that we can provide updates as and when necessary.

For self employed people HMRC will contact you directly and inform you if you are eligible. They have not said when yet so please be patient. Please see the link below on how the amounts will be calculated. Basically, 80% of the average of taxable profits (not income) for the tax years ended 5 April 2017,18 and 19. If you do not hear from HMRC in a few weeks then let us know. Grants wont be paid until mid June.

For employers there are grants available if you pay rates or have small business rates exemption, business funding may be an option through the Government backed small business loan scheme (be careful about bank fees and interest charges). There is also the option of Furloughing employees if you do not have any work for them.

For self employed – please see the following:

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/claim-a-grant-through-the-coronavirus-covid-19-self-employment-income-support-scheme

For employers – please see the following:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/guidance-to-employers-and-businesses-about-covid-19/covid-19-support-for-businesses

One last point – please don’t ask us to suddenly declare previously unrecorded cash sales or suddenly get your taxable income below £50,000. We won’t do it.

Hope the above is useful. It is not a definitive guide but we will keep trying to inform and answer your questions.

Stay safe and stay in touch,

Andrew and all at Ask