Business news and opinion from Evans Weir

If you run a small business in the UK, your company is almost certainly classified as a close company. Broadly speaking, the UK tax authorities define a close company as a private limited company controlled by five or fewer shareholders, or by any number of shareholders who are also directors. Historically, being a close company […]

For many years, forming a limited company was seen as the obvious step for growing businesses. Lower corporation tax rates, dividend flexibility and credibility with customers often made incorporation an easy decision. But in 2026, some business owners are starting to question whether being a limited company still makes sense. With ongoing tax changes, Making […]

If you have complicated business interests, or are planning to set up or own multiple companies, you may need to consider establishing a holding company. This structure typically owns other companies, or subsidiaries, and may also own assets such as property, intellectual property or investments. Why use a holding company? There are a number of […]

The new tax year always brings a fresh bundle of tax legislation. Here are the key UK tax changes for the 2026/27 tax year to be aware of, which took effect on 6 April 2026.   Income tax Although there are no rate changes, the reality is that personal income continues to be a victim […]

Making Tax Digital is the biggest shake-up of the self-assessment tax system in decades. The new rules will transform the way tax returns are submitted, introducing the need for electronic annual submissions and quarterly updates. Recently HMRC has shared an ‘act now’ warning, targeting 860,000 sole traders and landlords who need to get ready for […]

With a larger range of electric vehicles now available, more businesses are considering whether to change to electric company cars or vans. So with some major tax advantages still available, is it worth switching to electric? For directors using a company car, electric vehicles (EVs) are often the most tax-efficient option. They also have some […]

Companies House has announced a security issue with their WebFiling service. Andy King, Chief Executive of Companies House, has shared that authorised users of the WebFiling service may have been able to access and change other company’s details. The breach was not available to the general public, and only logged in users would have been […]

The UK tax system rarely stands still, and for many individuals and businesses, it can feel as though it grows more complex with every passing year. Against that backdrop, Rachel Reeves’ pledge to limit herself to a single major fiscal event each year came as welcome news. In her first Budget in October 2024, she […]

Running a business comes with lots of responsibilities – and understanding the VAT system is one of them. It’s important to understand when VAT registration applies, and why some businesses choose to register voluntarily, even if they’re not required to. What is VAT? VAT is a government tax added to most goods and services by […]

With this year’s self assessment deadline now passed, it’s been reported that around one million people still missed the 31 January deadline. Although far fewer people left it until the last day to file (475,722 people compared with 732,498 last year) a significant amount of self assessments failed to be submitted. So how should you […]

A new HMRC service has been introduced to make it easier to pay the High Income Child Benefit Charge. Eligible employees can now pay the charge directly through their PAYE tax code, without needing to complete a Self Assessment tax return. Previously, taxpayers had to either opt out of receiving child benefit or register for […]

With a New Year upon us, it’s a good time to take stock and consider what key trends might help shape small business success in 2026. As interest rates and inflation stabilise, but economic growth looks more uncertain, it’s likely that operational efficiencies will be the key to success this year. So as a business […]