Financial distress rarely begins with a single dramatic event. More often, it develops through weaker cash flow, slower customer payments, tighter supplier terms and repeated pressure on borrowing facilities. Acting early does not guarantee that a business can be rescued, but it normally gives directors more time to understand the position, protect creditors and consider […]
If you have employees working from home in the Republic of Ireland for a Northern Ireland business, or staff based in Northern Ireland doing work for an Irish employer, you may already have a tax and payroll position that needs closer attention. Remote working did not create cross-border employment complexity, but it has made it […]
From 6 April 2026, dividend tax increased by 2 percentage points at the basic and higher rate bands. The basic dividend rate is now 10.75%, up from 8.75%. The higher dividend rate is now 35.75%, up from 33.75%. The additional dividend rate remains unchanged at 39.35%. Business Asset Disposal Relief, or BADR, also rose to […]
The most useful thing to know about AI in financial modelling is also the most uncomfortable: these tools can be genuinely powerful and still be wrong. In public finance-modelling discussions during 2026, finance professionals have shared examples of AI copilots building multi-year models that looked plausible but contained basic errors, including balance sheets that did […]
Ireland’s tax receipts remain at record levels, and that matters if your business operates across the UK to Ireland border. In 2025, Ireland collected €107.4 billion in total tax receipts, including once-off CJEU-related corporation tax receipts. On an underlying basis, excluding once-off items, tax receipts were €105.7 billion, up 8.9% on 2024. Income tax receipts […]
If your company has lent money to a director or shareholder, and that balance is still outstanding, the tax cost of leaving it overdrawn has gone up. From 6 April 2026, the Section 455 charge on loans to participators in UK close companies rose from 33.75% to 35.75%. The rate sits inside the Corporation Tax […]
The rise in employer National Insurance contributions from April 2025 has pushed salary sacrifice pension arrangements to the top of the agenda for many businesses. With the employer NIC rate now at 15% and the secondary threshold set at £5,000 per year, the cost of employing people has increased significantly. For employers running salary sacrifice […]
When your business buys equipment, a vehicle, machinery, or fits out new premises, the tax treatment is not the same as a normal day-to-day running cost. In your accounts, you may depreciate the asset over time, but depreciation is not usually deductible for tax purposes. Instead, tax relief is given through capital allowances. Capital allowances […]
R&D tax relief is one of the most generous incentives the UK and Irish governments offer to businesses that invest in innovation. Yet despite the potential to recover thousands — sometimes tens of thousands — of pounds or euros each year, a significant number of businesses either miss out on it entirely or make claims […]
If you have been hearing the term ESG more and more in conversations with lenders, customers, larger clients, suppliers or industry bodies, and you are still not entirely sure what it means or why it should matter to you as a small or medium-sized business owner, you are not alone. ESG reporting has long been […]
If you are running an SME, your year-end accounts tell you what happened. Your management accounts tell you what is happening now, while there is still time to do something about it. That distinction matters more than many business owners realise. By the time statutory accounts are prepared and filed, the financial year they describe […]
When you are speaking to a bank, a private lender, or a potential investor, trust sits at the heart of the conversation. They are not only looking at your sales, your profit, or your plans for growth. They are also asking themselves whether your figures are dependable, whether your systems are strong enough, and whether […]
If your business trades across the UK, Ireland and Northern Ireland, VAT can become complicated very quickly. The difficulty is not just the border itself. It is the fact that the VAT treatment can change depending on whether you are supplying goods or services, where those goods are moving, and whether the transaction involves Great […]
If you run an SME, fraud can feel like something that happens somewhere else, to bigger companies with bigger teams and bigger headlines. In reality, smaller businesses are often exposed in quieter and more practical ways. A suspicious payment gets buried in a busy month. A supplier bank detail change slips through without proper checking. […]
Fraud can cause far more than an immediate financial loss. It can interrupt cash flow, damage confidence inside your business, strain relationships with lenders or investors and create difficult legal or regulatory questions. When that happens, you need more than a quick look at the numbers. You need a clear, evidence-based understanding of what happened […]
If you hear the term “forensic accountant”, it can sound a bit intimidating. You might think of criminal trials, fraud squads, or complicated court battles. Sometimes it does involve those things. But in simple terms, a forensic accountant helps you make sense of financial issues when the numbers are disputed, unclear, or potentially misleading. That […]
If a company that owes you money becomes insolvent, the position can feel uncertain very quickly. You may have unpaid invoices, ongoing supply commitments, or concerns that the debt will simply disappear. In reality, insolvency does not mean creditors are ignored. It means a formal legal process takes over, and that process decides how the […]
Your financial journey is unique, and achieving real, lasting success requires a bespoke and integrated approach. Success in today’s financial landscape demands more than simply managing accounts, meeting tax deadlines, or pursuing isolated investment opportunities. True prosperity calls for a holistic, forward-thinking strategy where your tax planning, accounting, and wealth management needs are seamlessly aligned […]
When your business is under pressure, it rarely feels like 1 tidy issue you can fix in a weekend. It’s usually a mix of tight cash flow, growing creditor calls, HMRC letters, and decisions piling up faster than you can make them. An insolvency accountant helps you get control of that situation. Not by throwing […]
Mergers and Acquisitions (M&A) are pivotal, often career-defining moments for businesses. They promise growth, strategic expansion, and increased market share. However, the process is fraught with complexity, risk, and mountains of financial data. In the United Kingdom, navigating these high-stakes deals demands more than just legal expertise, it requires the rigorous financial acumen of a […]
SCC is now partnered with TransferMate, bringing seamless, secure, and cost-effective global transactions to our clients.This is a game-changer for businesses looking to streamline their global transactions! Read more here: https://www.transfermate.com/client/scc-chartered-accountants
SCC introduces Chris Telford to the SCC Team! SCC is delighted to have Chris on board as our new Head of Internal Audit and divisional lead. With Chris’ impressive 17-year journey spanning EY and diverse sectors, including public and private, he brings a wealth of experience to our table. Here at SCC Chartered Accountants Ltd, […]
Our award-winning team across our offices in the UK and Ireland collaborates to deliver the highest standards in a fast moving and evolving manner.
