Articles & Insights



5th August 2021

M&A activity in 2021

Our Corporate Finance Team specialise in transaction services and corporate finance, dealing with all areas of transaction services, including vendor and purchaser due diligence, acting…

29th July 2021

COVID – working from paradise?

A few years ago, I was lucky enough to spend a fair amount of time on the beautiful island of Barbados.  So when the Barbados…

28th July 2021

Search Funds Q&A with Simon Webster

To gain more insight into the world of search funds, from someone who has been involved in search funds for many years and has experience…

23rd July 2021

Furnished Holiday Lets – Here is what you need to know

If you own and run a Furnished Holiday Let (“FHL”) now would be a good time to take stock of the key points and whether…

23rd July 2021

Brexit: Exports to private customers

by Gerry Myton, Partner – Head of Indirect Tax What changes are being made? Brexit has resulted in several major changes for UK businesses who are…

23rd July 2021

HMRC Revenue and Customs Brief 7 (2021): VAT on electric cars

HMRC have recently released a new brief which discusses HMRC’s policy on the VAT treatment of charging electric vehicles and an entitlement to recover VAT…

23rd July 2021

Basis Period Reform: Impacts for Partnerships and Sole Traders

The government has released a document outlining the current rules for basis periods and setting out a specific proposal to simplify them. The proposal affects…

22nd July 2021

Fifth SEISS: New rules for the self-employed on the way – all you need to know

The Self-Employment Income Support Scheme (SEISS) grant has helped millions of self-employed people across the UK whose business and income has been affected by the…

13th July 2021

Making change happen on the road to gender equality

Since its launch, the WealthiHer Network has made significant progress in supporting women’s economic advancement by equipping them with the knowledge they need to prosper…

9th July 2021

Corporate Establishment Process for Businesses in China

The establishment process varies based on one’s chosen investment structure and planned business scope. For example, setting up a manufacturing FIE requires an environmental evaluation to be…

9th July 2021

Company Holding Structure for Businesses in China

Does it make sense to use a Holding Company? Many companies choose to establish holding companies, or “special purpose vehicles”, in jurisdictions, such as Hong…

9th July 2021

Choosing a Location to Set Up Your Business in China

Choosing a location is one of the first decisions that British companies must make when entering a new market. Location and a strategic site selection…

9th July 2021

Pre-Establishment Considerations for British Investors Setting Up in China

With an increase in the number of establishments in China from UK companies, it is highly advisable to seek professional assistance to guide British Investors…

9th July 2021

Meet the Team – Andrew Subramaniam

Andrew brings over 30 years’ experience working with many best-selling authors and household names in the media world, as well as talented creatives in the…

7th July 2021

Turning challenges into opportunity: VOCES8 Foundation

The Show Must Go On: Supporting Artists and Creating a Worldwide Arts Community through Digital Innovation Partner: Andrew Rich Client: VOCES8 Foundation In three sentences, what…

23rd June 2021

IR35: 10 Things you need to know

If you are a business who engages with contractors or you are a worker who uses a personal service company, you may have heard about…

23rd June 2021

Life after “EU” – an update on global mobility and social security post-breakup

In addition to the wrangling and ongoing negotiations as part of one of the biggest breakups in history, navigating the new rules as part of…

23rd June 2021

What is a search fund and why are they becoming more popular?

A Search Fund is specialist vehicle in which investors back a promising individual (entrepreneur) rather than an existing start-up team. Often these entrepreneurs, or searchers,…

17th June 2021

Latest on the VAT Payments Holiday – all you need know

To support businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic, the UK Government announced temporary changes to the VAT system. Many organisations took advantage of the VAT payment…

17th June 2021

The Chancellor set to reject furlough extension despite Freedom Day delay

Speaking on the Chancellor’s proposed plan to reject calls for an extension of the furlough scheme, Simon Michaels says “The Chancellor finds himself in the…

8th June 2021

Brexit update: six months on

by Gerry Myton, Consultant The impact of the UK leaving the European Union (EU)  on VAT and Customs remains profound. The below highlights some of the…

8th June 2021

Brexit changes: Understanding the Northern Ireland Protocol

by Gerry Myton, Consultant Since the UK left the European Union (EU) there have been some changes to VAT and Customs rules for businesses trading…

28th May 2021

Understanding tax on cryptoassets

by Daniel Tomassen, Manager – Private Client Department Cryptoassets are private digital assets that use cryptography and are designed to work as a medium of…

28th May 2021

The latest Supreme Court ruling you need to know about

You may have seen some publicity recently following the Supreme Court judgement in HMRC v Tooth, 2021 What happened? In summary, the taxpayer (Raymond Tooth)…

26th May 2021

Life gifts: when is a gift not a gift?

The harsh reality of the Covid-19 pandemic has driven many people to start making plans for the future, and think carefully about  how they want…

26th May 2021

Writing business: What authors need to know when setting up a company

Many authors operate through limited companies but are they always necessary and beneficial? Here we take a look at the latest tax implications, to help…

24th May 2021

Authors, literary agents and VAT: a quick guide

Establishing when to apply VAT to a transaction, and at what rate, can be a common area of confusion, particularly when international elements are involved.

14th May 2021

Introducing Stevie Heafford, Tax Partner

Stevie recently joined our tax team and brings a wide range of tax experience, including in trusts and estates, personal and corporate tax matters .…

29th April 2021

Introducing Carol Rudge, Head of Not for Profit

Carol brings over two decades experience in charities and not-for-profit, she is a member of the Charity Commission’s SORP committee and has worked with many…

29th April 2021

The road to zero – are electric cars really leading the charge?

A decision many people postponed during the pandemic was buying a new car. Registrations for new cars fell to their lowest in almost 30 years…

22nd April 2021

Earth Day – Driving profit and purpose

While the hype around Earth Day could be seen as all noise and no action, there is a real opportunity to reflect and consider how…

29th March 2021

Q&A with Muneeza Baig, Audit Partner

Muneeza Baig works with a range of clients across a variety of sectors, from grant making, membership, independent schools, arts, disability and religious organisations. Joining…

29th March 2021

The power of allyship – getting it wrong, learning from mistakes, and making change happen

Before we dive into this topic, we have to define what we mean by allyship – here is a formal definition: Allyship – the practice…

26th March 2021

Tax Day – what do you need to know

This week, the Government published more than 30 tax updates, consultations and documents in a move designed to strengthen policy making and modernise the UK’s…

18th March 2021

Insights to thrive in 2021 from leading business advisers: A conversation with Linda Plant and Simon Michaels

Linda Plant is well-known for her no-nonsense business counsel on BBC’s The Apprentice, as one of Lord Sugar’s trusted advisors in the interview stage. With…

9th March 2021

Celebrating International Women’s Day at HW Fisher

International Women’s Day is a global day celebrating the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women, and also marks a call to action for…

23rd February 2021

March budget 2021 – how do you solve a problem like a £400bn deficit?

HW Fisher’s wishlist for the March 2021 Budget March 3rd will be the first post-Brexit Budget, but for obvious reasons, this fact has almost been…

18th February 2021

Q&A with Jie Su, Assistant Private Client Manager

Jie Su looks after a varied portfolio of clients in different sectors including authors and retail businesses. Originally from China, she settled in the UK…

5th February 2021

5 reasons why you should undertake a royalty audit

Head of Music Royalty Audits Robert Fowler discusses the complexities of royalty accounting and why a royalty audit could unlock additional revenue. Anyone that has…

29th January 2021

Q&A with Rafi Saville, Forensic Partner

Rafi Saville joined HW Fisher 24 years ago. He quickly rose through the ranks, becoming a partner after only 8 years and now leads the…

27th January 2021

New year, new finances – 3 reminders for authors going into 2021

It’s a new year and a renewed opportunity to catch up on your finances and ensure you are benefiting from all avenues of income open…

8th January 2021

Protecting your brand the supply-side way

If you or your company has a brand you have carefully built up over the years, the last thing you want is to lose control…

4th January 2021

5 reasons why royalty audits are worth your time and money

Royalty audits are not a phenomenon that is too well known outside particular sectors of the economy but they are, in fact, hugely important to…

15th December 2020

Crisis Management in Charities

An unexpected crisis can dominate a charity and stagnate a charity’s activities. Knowing the essential steps in dealing with a crisis is important and can…

11th December 2020

Taxation of SEISS grants: What you need to know

The extension of the Self-Employment Income Support Scheme (SEISS) has been welcomed by many and will support small businesses until the end of the tax…

11th December 2020

Heirs continue to be stung by inheritance tax

As the saying goes, there are only two things certain in life – death and taxes. The phrase comes to mind as the UK government…

26th November 2020

Q&A with Robert Fowler, Head of Music Audits – Forensic

This month saw Robert Fowler join the HW Fisher team to help expand our music royalty audit offering, a sector that has increased in demand…

26th November 2020

Spotlight on Business: Interview with Yugna Shah, founder of The Painted Peacock

It’s a tough time for small businesses, to find out more we spoke (virtually) to Yugna Shah, tax manager turned chocolatier to discuss how she…

19th November 2020

Caution: CFOs of growing UK large businesses need to plan for a different relationship with HMRC

CFOs of large UK business approaching group turnover of £200m and/or net assets in excess of £2bn need to be preparing for a change in…

30th October 2020

Life after Furlough: what we want to see from Government

As the Furlough period comes to an end, businesses in the hospitality sector will be taking a long hard look at their future. Despite a…

29th October 2020

How to manage intellectual property ahead of Brexit

So far, the protection of EU intellectual property rights has continued to apply as normal in the UK, but this will not be the case…

29th October 2020

How your business can benefit from Kickstart

How can you and your employees benefit from the Kickstart scheme The Kickstart scheme was launched by the Government to ‘help young people into work…

29th October 2020

Countdown to Brexit: Top 6 tax issues businesses should be thinking about

BREXIT is fast approaching on 31st December 2020 and although a comprehensive trade deal may be agreed prior to that date, at this point in…

28th October 2020

How to avoid a last minute panic when filing your tax return

Ahead of the paper self-assessment deadline, 31st October 2020, HW Fisher share their advice to make sure you file on time and correctly. Confused about…

26th October 2020

Planning for a strong 2021 – strategies charities can put in place now

In the past few months, the pandemic has had a seismic impact on charities, and reinforced some of the wider challenges charities face. While dealing…

16th October 2020

Financial due diligence – is it really necessary?

If you are considering making a business acquisition you will no doubt have considered the legal requirements in terms of negotiating a sale and purchase…

25th September 2020

Manage your HMRC queries effectively using our Tax Investigation Service

Over the past few months, we have all faced a truly unprecedented situation. The global coronavirus pandemic has affected our families, our businesses, our communities…

24th September 2020

Can licence agreements in the gaming industry hold water?

Digital transformation in the gaming industry has only been accelerated by the coronavirus pandemic, with the global video game market now forecast to be worth…

24th September 2020

The reform of Capital Gains Tax

Capital Gains Tax (“CGT”) is a relative newcomer to the tax party, having been introduced to the UK in 1965, but it may be only…

24th September 2020

Untangling royalties in the gaming industry

Licensing and royalties in the gaming industry are complex, particularly with the accelerating trend towards digital gameplay and the rise of new platforms for distributing…

17th August 2020

No more bank of mum and dad! Is this a trend set to continue?

Nationwide, the UK’s second-largest mortgage lender, recently announced a policy change, implementing restrictions on first-time buyers trying to get on the housing ladder. For these…

31st July 2020

Business Interruption Insurance – why businesses should follow the High Court case closely

The covid-19 pandemic has resulted in unprecedented financial challenges for businesses across the UK. For those in the hospitality and leisure industry, many have had…

30th July 2020

Eat Out to Help Out scheme is proving wildly unpopular

From August, The Eat Out to Help Out scheme will be introduced, however Russell Nathan, senior partner, explains why it might not be as popular…

30th July 2020

Making Tax Digital – false alarm or not?

We’ve had false alarms from HMRC before but this time it looks as if they are serious. Making Tax Digital for Income Tax Self-Assessment (MTD…

29th July 2020

Disposals of UK residential property – New reporting regime

The reporting and payment of capital gains tax on disposals of UK residential property changed with effect from 6 April 2020. In practice, the change…

20th July 2020

It’s time for businesses to rewrite the rulebook

If your business can’t wait until January for the retention bonus scheme, Simon Michaels, CEO of HW Fisher Business Solutions outlines what you can do…

15th July 2020

Covid-19 – Time to buy or sell?

The Covid-19 pandemic has significantly affected corporate buy and sell activity worldwide, with the first quarter of 2020 cited as being down 25% on 2019…

15th July 2020

Post-lockdown divorce – why you need an expert

The Covid-19 pandemic has been a difficult time for many people, with the monotony of working from home, the anxieties and frustrations of childcare and…

30th June 2020

Managing a responsible recovery

2020 marked the beginning of what the UN called the decade of delivery, the 10 years where governments, institutions and individuals would work with intent…

1st June 2020

Authors’ tax trap – incorporations that go wrong

Our Authors & Journalists team advises writers on whether they would benefit by operating through a limited company. Care is needed as there can be…

4th March 2020

Authors and Their Loan Out Companies

Many authors channel their income through limited companies but they have to be operated correctly and it is usually best to seek professional advice. Sometimes…

27th February 2020

Pre-nup or Post Traumatic Stress?

Just got engaged on Valentine’s Day? Along with the ring and the champagne there may be one other not so romantic thing you need to…

23rd December 2019

How to avoid a last minute panic when filing your tax return

Ahead of the online self-assessment deadline, 31st January 2020, HW Fisher share their advice to make sure you file on time and correctly. Jamie Morrison,…

19th December 2019

Electric cars – support the environment and make significant tax savings

While tax incentives have always been on offer for companies to purchase electric, hybrid and low emission cars, recent changes announced by the Treasury have…

19th December 2019

Driving profit and purpose

Historically, there has been a divide between the individual activists drawing attention to the climate crisis and the investors who “pledge” to tackle it. As…

13th November 2019

New Solicitors’ Account Rules – are you ready?

The new Solicitors’ Account Rules (SAR) come into effect in just over 10 days’ time, on 25 November 2019, and these will have to be…

3rd September 2019

Paying Tax on Prizes, Grants and Awards – Advice for Authors

In light of the Booker-prize shortlist this week, we put together some top advice for authors when it comes to tax on prizes, grants and…

2nd September 2019

Thinking about selling your business? 5 questions you should ask your accountant

Here are our top tips if you are considering selling your business and what you can expect from the sales process. 1. Is selling the…

9th August 2019

Five tips on valuing your business

With the launch of the new series of Dragons’ Den we thought we’d tackle one of the key mistakes that so many of the entrepreneurs…

2nd May 2019

The Use of Holograms in Licensing

For the licensor, holograms help to protect brand integrity by distinguishing between approved products and counterfeits – acting as a form of quality control. Licensees…

2nd May 2019

The need to knows when it comes to royalty auditing in the fashion industry

If you’re a big global brand like, for example, David Beckham, you will be able to sell millions of pounds worth of fashion items like…

2nd April 2019

Tax FAQs for authors

Q: What are the most common mistakes on tax returns? The most common error is to show income after the deduction of agent’s commission and…

2nd April 2019

Top tips for record-keeping on the road

1. If you’re using a car for business purposes, it’s important to keep a log of business miles. If this isn’t possible all the time,…

1st April 2019

Can I be employed and self-employed at the same time?

I'm a journalist on a casual contract and an artist - should I remain on PAYE or become self-employed?

1st April 2019

Conflicts of interest: a timely reminder

Identifying and dealing correctly with a potential conflict of interest within your charity is fundamental to its continuing operation and fundraising ability. It is vital…

1st April 2019

Forget the end of year tax rush, top tax-saving tips for investors in 2019/20

If you can start the new tax year off by saving you will have more flexibility to look around and ask yourself whether certain savings…

19th March 2019

How to prepare your business for Brexit

How well prepared for Brexit are you? Probably not very if you’re being honest with yourself. Last month the Federation of Small Business (FSB), warned…

12th March 2019

Top tips on tax aspects of your business

In times of political and economic uncertainty, it is more important than ever for businesses to consider the scope for tax savings in order to…

21st February 2019

Thinking about selling your business?

Here are our top tips if you're considering selling your business and what you can expect from the sale process.

30th January 2019

Insolvencies on the rise

The official insolvency figures for the fourth quarter of 2018 were released on 28th January 2019. Brian Johnson, business recovery and insolvency partner here at…

7th January 2019

A miscellany of hints, tips and wrinkles for writers based in the UK

UK writers have to cope with income tax, national insurance, sometimes VAT, and record-keeping. This may seem overwhelming at times and professional advice can be…

2nd January 2019

How to manage cash flow: 5 quick tips

If you’ve woken up in the middle of the night in a cold sweat worrying about how you are going to pay the wages for…

2nd January 2019

Capital allowances: a guide for authors

Capital allowances let you claim tax relief on capital expenditure. Relief is available on items such as computers, office furniture and equipment, reference library, vehicles…

17th December 2018

Author expenses – a checklist

It's important to know what expenses you can claim as an author; it may be more than you think, especially if you use your home…

29th November 2018

HMRC preferred creditor status renewal from 2020 a regressive move

Brian Johnson, business recovery and insolvency partner at HW Fisher assesses the impact of the Chancellor's announcement that HMRC will become a preferred creditor in…

26th October 2018

Autumn Budget 2018 Predictions

Ahead of the Budget next week, two of our partners here at HW Fisher, Tim Walford-Fitzgerald and Toby Ryland consider what the Budget might hold.

12th June 2018

Making Tax Digital for VAT

The first stage of the Government’s Making Tax Digital (MTD) programme is being introduced in April 2019.

22nd January 2018

Major customer insolvency: how to lessen the impact on your business

When a large company like Carillion becomes insolvent the impact on its supply chain can be devastating, and will leave many suppliers wondering what to…

4th January 2018

How to fill out your self-assessment tax return online, claim expenses and the allowances you need to know about now

It's nearly that time of year again: the dreaded self-assessment tax deadline falls in little over a month and more than 10 million of us…