How limited company directors get paid: Salary vs dividends explained
Understanding how you’re paid when running your own limited company is a pretty important step, especially when it comes to maintaining tax efficiency and remaining compliant with HMRC. By ensuring you get the balance between salary and dividends correct you’re able to optimise your take-home pay whilst ensuring your [...]
Dormant limited companies in the UK: Rules, tax implications, and compliance guide
If you’re currently running a UK based limited company, there might be times when you consider stopping trading for a period, but you don’t want to close your company completely. Regardless of whether you’re taking a break, planning your next professional move, or restructuring, making your company dormant can [...]
Allowable business expenses for limited company directors: What you can claim and HMRC rules explained
Business expenses are costs a limited company incurs that can be reclaimed from its income, thereby reducing its taxable profit. This in turn lowers the amount of Corporation Tax your company must pay. However, expenses are only allowable if they’re [...]
Tax-free Trivial Benefits for limited companies: A guide to employee gifts and rewards
As a limited company director there might be times when you’d like to gift your employees, or even yourself as a director, without the hassle of creating a tax liability. One way in which you can do this is via Trivial [...]
What was announced in the Spring Forecast 2026?
In Tuesday’s Spring Forecast, Chancellor Rachel Reeves presented the latest economic and fiscal forecast from the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR), providing an updated outlook for the UK economy. There were no major new tax or spending announcements, in [...]
What are the key dates throughout the 2026/27 tax year for Limited Company Directors?
As a director of your Limited Company, you have legal responsibilities such as filing and submitting various forms and returns to Companies House and HMRC throughout the tax year. Failing to do so will result in penalties, fines and [...]
What Are the 2026-27 Tax Year Rates and Allowances?
Income Tax Tax-free personal allowance - £12,570 Basic rate – 20% up to £37,700 Higher rate – 40% - from £37,701 to £125,140 Additional rate – 45% - above £125,140 National Insurance Rates [...]
How to maximise your tax efficiency before tax yearend 2026
Allowable expenses Claim all of your allowable expenses Maximise your trivial benefit allowances for all directors Keep receipts 6 years after accounting period ISAs Use your ISA allowance £20,000 taxed at 0% per year [...]
What Was Announced in the Autumn Budget 2025?
With so much pre-Budget speculation, we were expecting a long wait for the detail - but events moved faster than anyone anticipated. In an unprecedented slip, the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) accidentally published its Economic and Fiscal Outlook around [...]
How to Recognise and Avoid HMRC Tax Scams in the UK
Tax scams in the UK are becoming increasingly sophisticated, especially when it comes to the Self-Assessment Tax Return deadline. Scam artists will often try to impersonate HMRC to trick business owners into sharing personal or financial information. Whilst HMRC [...]
How Much Can Limited Company Directors Claim for Working from Home
When working from home you can expect to incur additional expenses, but did you know you’re able to claim tax relief on certain expenses if you’re using part of your home as your office? This blog explores what your [...]
How Associated Companies Impact Corporation Tax for Your Trading Company
When running multiple trading companies, it’s important that you understand the concept of ‘associated companies’. HMRC uses the rules set out for associated companies to determine the small profits rate of Corporation Tax, so this ultimately means that the [...]
Business Asset Disposal Relief (BADR): What You Need to Know
It’s important to understand what Business Asset Disposal Relief (BADR) is, how it works, and what role it must play if you’re preparing to close your company. Previously known as Entrepreneurs’ Relief, BADR can significantly reduce the amount of [...]
What to Do If You Can’t Pay HMRC: Expert Advice for UK Taxpayers
It’s normal for everyone to experience uncertainty surrounding their finances from time-to-time, and if managing your business finances feels overwhelming and you’re unsure where to turn for guidance, Aardvark Accounting is here to help. In this blog, we provide [...]
Finalists in the 2025 Contracting Awards
Proud to be a finalist once again We’re thrilled to announce that we were a finalist in the Best Contractor Accountant (1,000 – 3,000 clients) category at the 2025 Contracting Awards! While we didn’t win this year, we’re incredibly proud [...]
ID Verification at Companies House – what you need to know
From November 18th, 2025, Companies House will be enforcing mandatory identity verification for all Limited Company directors, Persons with Significant Control (PSCs), and anyone who files on behalf of the company. This change, under the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency [...]
VAT schemes – which one is right for you?
If you’re running a limited company and are close to the VAT registration threshold or are already VAT registered, choosing the right VAT scheme is essential. The VAT scheme you select can directly impact your cash flow, tax efficiency, and [...]
What do your Limited Company’s Annual Accounts show you?
As a Limited Company director, submitting Annual Accounts is a legal requirement, but these financial statements reveal much more than just figures for HMRC and Companies House. Your annual accounts provide key insights into your company’s financial health, profitability, and [...]
The tax benefits of making pension contributions through your Limited Company
As a limited company director, you’ll no doubt be keen on finding ways to reduce your tax bill while planning for your future. One of the most effective strategies is making pension contributions directly through your business. Unlike salaries or [...]
Dormant Limited Company – everything you need to know
Dormant Companies: What Contractors and Freelancers with a UK Limited Company Need to Know When you’re running your limited company, there may be times when you’re not trading but want to keep your company active, or you may set one up [...]