Business

Whether you are just starting out, or are at the helm of a seasoned business, these guides are designed to provide you with useful information.

Topical information

2012 Budget

This year's Budget aimed to stabilise the economy, simplify the tax system and boost growth.
Read our Budget summary here.

Finance Bill 2012

Finance Bill 2012 has been published and is currently going through Parliament. Read our summary here.

An outline summary

Spending reviews have been part of the governmental landscape since the late 1990s, but none have garnered quite the anticipation of the one which the Coalition government has just delivered.

The cuts revealed in their full extent

The Chancellor, George Osborne stood up in the House Commons to detail the largest series of public spending cuts seen in decades.

Lessons and challenge from the spending review

In many ways the spending reductions made by the Chancellor were largely anticipated. The size of the current deficit has grown to over £160 billion this year and it was acknowledged by most that decisive action needed to be taken in order to head off a deeper deficit problem in years to come.

Low carbon economy

The Department of Energy and Climate Change will find that its resource spending is to be reduced by 18 per cent in real terms over the next four years.

Transport

The government has committed itself to £30 billion of investment in the transport system but has also announced that capital spending by the Department of Transport is to be cut by 11 per cent.

Pensions

One of the headline statements in the spending review was the anticipated confirmation that the state retirement age for men and women is to be equalised at 65 by November 2018.

Tax

Like most other government departments, HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) is to lose some of its budget as a result of the spending review.

Employment and PAYE

It was widely expected that the spending review would focus on welfare funding. One of the areas to be affected by the cuts is employment.

What they said about the Comprehensive Spending Review

The response to the Comprehensive Spending Review was, of course, mixed with some condemning the severity of the cuts while others applauded the boldness and approach to the announcements.

In advance of the review

There continues to be considerable publicity surrounding the Government's spending plans. The Conservative party conference heralded changes to the child benefit and we now await further details which we expect will be included in the 20 October announcements.

Business start-up

Starting up a new business can seem like a minefield. What do you need to do? What do you need to know? With our extensive experience in working with new businesses we can assure you that our advice will be tailored to meet your specific business goals and objectives.

Limited companies

The legal and taxation regime for limited companies continues to change. The main rate of corporation tax commencing 1 April 2012 is 24%, while the small profits rate is 20%.

Business finance

Finance lies at the heart of every business, be it a question of boosting profits, managing costs, ensuring that operations and processes are as efficient as possible, or securing the funds necessary for growth and expansion.

Partnerships

Even the strongest relationships can suffer in times of adversity. Good planning is an essential part of creating a successful business partnership. Our guides provide information on important aspects of your partnership, such as setting up a formal agreement and planning for the unexpected. It is essential to seek our advice with regard to partnerships matters.

Your customers

The customer-driven business is a successful business. Here we look at ways of understanding your customers, of keeping them happy and of measuring their value to your business.

Your employees

No matter how much cash there is in the bank or how large its stock is, a firm's most valuable asset is its employees. Taking care of your staff can make the difference between an ordinary business and a truly successful one.

Sales and marketing

No business can afford invisibility, which is why the way a business markets itself and how it plans its sales are vital to its development and growth.

IT and e-business

Information technology and the internet are increasingly central to businesses of every size and of every sector, and are set to become even more important in the future.

Business regulations

There are a number of rules with which businesses and employers need to comply. This section details the latest regulations to have come into effect.

Business and the environment

The actions that are being taken by governments to combat climate change will have a significant impact on businesses over the coming years. As well as helping to safeguard the environment, going 'green' can have several other advantages for a firm.

Selling your business

A strategy to maximise the assets of your business on its sale requires patient, advance planning.

HB&O's 2012 nominated charity

Without the support of HB&O, and all our other generous donors, it would be impossible to continue our vital work with the vulnerable disabled people that we care for.

Robert Pearce, Chief Executive at Castel Froma

HB&O pivotal in securing £1.3m investment

Harrison Beale and Owen has been our business advisor for almost ten years and they were pivotal in securing this investment – without them we wouldn’t be where we are.

Peter Everitt, Managing Director of PowerKut

Friendly no-nonsense approach

When we decided to set up as a company we wanted to find the right accountant to offer the best support and investigated several different options. In the end we decided to go with HB&O because their friendly no-nonsense approach appealed to us the most.

Nicola Richardson - Vortex Creates