26 October 2021
This update covers:
- Help and support if you’re self-employed
- Self-assessment deadline reminder
- Payment diversion fraud campaign
- Late payment survey
- Making your current website more sustainable
- National Apprenticeship Awards 2021 regional winners announced
- COVID-19 guidance
Help and support if you’re self-employed
Watch videos, sign up for email alerts and register for free webinars to get help if you're running your own business from Government website.
Available webinars are listed by subject and can last up to an hour. These can include:
- Record keeping
- Completing self-assessments
- Business expenses
Self-assessment deadline reminder
The deadline for returning paper self-assessment forms for tax is 31 October (31 January 2022 for online returns). HMRC is reminding anyone who took out grants or payments from pandemic support schemes that they will have to declare these, as they are taxable.
Payment diversion fraud campaign
The National Economic Crime Centre is warning businesses of the dangers of payment diversion fraud, also known as business email compromise, which can leave victims tens of thousands of pounds out of pocket. It involves criminals impersonating others, creating or amending invoices and diverting payments to bank accounts under their own control. The NECC says: "Whenever you are making a payment to a supplier, or to your solicitor in the case of a house purchase, you should be highly suspicious of any change in account details or new instructions. Always check with a trusted known contact, and if you have any doubt do not transfer the money." The NECC has a factsheet for businesses here.
Late payment survey
The Small Business Commissioner is looking for views on late payment from small firms. Share your thoughts and experiences via this form.
Making your current website more sustainable
This article from Business Gateway's DigitalBoost programme explores a list of things that you can do through your content management system or through a web developer to make your current website more sustainable. The tips are specifically tailored for businesses with websites that are already online.
National Apprenticeship Awards 2021 regional winners announced
Regional Winners from the National Apprenticeship Awards 2021 have been announced, celebrating employers, apprentices and champions from a wide range of industries and occupations. Read for details.
COVID-19 guidance
Members can call our membership team, Monday-Friday, 9-5, on 01234 831965. Please be patient due to the extremely high level of calls we are currently getting.
For legal advice, Members can login to get our 24/7 legal helpline number. Again, please be patient. The legal team is also dealing with a considerable number of calls.