An R&D Claim Just Collapsed Because the Advisor Vanished
A tribunal threw out a £492,000 R&D claim because the boutique that built it had disappeared. Why the competent-professional rule is the whole game.
Personal
Opinion pieces, personal takes, and articles written exclusively for this blog.
Late VAT Returns Are Up. ChatGPT Has the Wrong Deadline.
HMRC says late VAT returns are rising because AI summaries name the wrong date when the 7th falls on a weekend. Here's what I'm changing in my practice.
Why I Still Reach for Excel Before Syft on a New Engagement
On a new client engagement the first 90 minutes belong in Excel, not Syft. Here is why audit-trained practitioners still reach for a flexible grid first.
HMRC's New AI Reads the Network, Not Just the Return
HMRC's £175m Quantexa deal builds AI that maps the connections across your companies and directors. Here is what I am changing in my client file notes.
The Salary Sacrifice Pension Cap Is Law. Use the Three Years
The £2,000 salary sacrifice pension NIC cap got Royal Assent on 29 April 2026 and starts April 2029. Here is what I tell director clients to do now.
Anthropic Shipped a Month-End Close Agent. I Tested It.
Anthropic shipped a month-end close AI agent on 5 May 2026. I tested it on a sandboxed Xero file. Honest notes on what works, what does not, and what changes.
Three Operational Mistakes UK-UAE Clients Keep Making
Three operational mistakes I see on UK-UAE dual-jurisdiction books: invoicing flow, payment routing, and the DLA mental model across borders.
Sanctionable Conduct Is Live. Here Is What I Changed.
From 1 April 2026, HMRC can penalise tax advisers up to 1m for sanctionable conduct. What the new threshold means for grey-zone advice.
HMRC Wants to See Every Payment to Your Directors
HMRC's close company consultation proposes reporting every transaction between your company and its directors. What it means and what to do before 10 June.