Ashworth Bailey Limited

27/08/2026

📚 **A little bit of news from Ashworth Bailey…**

We’re delighted to share that our director, **Martin Ashworth FCCA**, has published a newly revised and updated edition of his book, ***The GPT CEO***.

Martin originally wrote *The GPT CEO* to help business owners understand how ChatGPT and artificial intelligence can be used **practically in everyday business** — saving time, improving productivity and helping people work smarter.

But there was a slight problem…

**AI doesn’t stand still for very long!**

The technology has developed incredibly quickly, and some of the tools and ways of working available today have moved a long way beyond what was possible when Martin wrote the original edition.

Rather than allow the book to become dated, he decided to revisit it and bring it properly up to date for **2026**.

The new edition retains the practical fundamentals of the original book, while reflecting the latest developments in AI and, importantly, the lessons Martin has learned from actually using ChatGPT extensively in his own working life.

That practical experience is important to us.

At **Ashworth Bailey**, we’ve always believed technology should have a purpose. It isn’t about using AI because it’s fashionable — it’s about finding sensible ways to save time, improve processes and help businesses work better.

We’re incredibly pleased to see Martin’s updated book now published and available on **Amazon UK**.

And knowing the speed at which AI is developing, we suspect he may already have a few ideas for the next update! 😊

Congratulations, Martin! 👏📚

**The GPT CEO – Revised & Updated 2026 Edition**

24/08/2026

We’ve added something new to the Ashworth Bailey website — and this one is designed to get business owners thinking. 📊

Introducing our new **FREE Business Health Check**.

In just a few minutes, you can work through 24 practical questions covering six key areas of your business:

• Profitability
• Cash & liquidity
• Working capital
• Financial control
• Resilience & risk
• Owner & management dependency

At the end, you’ll receive an overall **Business Health Score out of 100**, individual scores for each area, and a personalised indication of where your biggest priorities may lie.

No spreadsheets. No accounts to upload. No personal financial information required.

Just a straightforward, practical diagnostic designed to make you stop and ask:

**“How healthy is my business really?”**

And if the results highlight something you’d like to explore further, you can always speak to us directly.

Take the free Business Health Check here:

**www.ashworthbailey.co.uk/business-health-check/**

We’d genuinely love to know what score you get — and, more importantly, whether it makes you look at your business a little differently.

**Ashworth Bailey Limited**
Chartered Certified Accountants
Clarity. Control. Confidence.

23/08/2026

It’s not always glamorous being an accountant… 😄

While most people have been enjoying their weekend, I’ve spent a large part of mine installing and configuring a brand-new office data storage and backup system.

Not quite beaches, barbecues and beer… more NAS drives, encrypted backups, permissions, disaster recovery and repeated testing! 🤓

But there is a serious reason behind it.

As accountants, we are trusted with a huge amount of confidential financial and personal information. Protecting that information isn’t something we simply leave to chance.

Our new system gives us additional layers of protection, including secure access controls, multiple backups, off-site cloud backup, power-failure protection and the ability to recover our data should the worst ever happen.

Hopefully, none of our clients will ever notice the difference — and that’s exactly the point.

A lot of the work that goes into protecting client information happens quietly in the background.

So, after a weekend surrounded by cables, hard drives and flashing lights, I think I can finally say…

Accountancy: considerably more glamorous than it looks. 😂

At Ashworth Bailey, client confidentiality and data security are taken very seriously — even if it means sacrificing the odd weekend to make sure we’re doing things properly.

20/08/2026

🚀 **Starting a business? Start here.**

We’re pleased to introduce the new **Ashworth Bailey Start-Up Hub** — a free online resource designed to help people navigate the practical, financial and tax considerations of starting a business.

Whether you’re:

• Thinking about starting your first business
• Already trading and wondering whether you’ve got everything covered
• Deciding between sole trader and limited company
• Trying to understand tax, VAT, bookkeeping or payroll
• Looking for practical guidance on what you need to do next

…the Start-Up Hub has been built to give you a clear starting point.

And importantly, **you don’t need to be an Ashworth Bailey client to use it.**

👉 **Explore the Start-Up Hub:**
https://www.ashworthbailey.co.uk/start-up-hub/

Starting a business can be exciting, but there are plenty of decisions to get right along the way. If you read something in the Hub and want to talk it through, **just get in touch with us — we’re always happy to have a conversation.**

Already running a business? Please feel free to **share this post with someone who is thinking about taking the plunge.**

**Ashworth Bailey**
Chartered Certified Accountants

*Practical advice. Straightforward answers. Helping businesses get off to the right start.*

Start right. Stay ready. Practical UK guidance for founders and directors.

31/07/2026

30/07/2026

AI is transforming accountancy... but it still needs accountants.

Recent reports suggesting that AI-generated content has found its way into work produced by some of the world's largest professional firms are a timely reminder of an important fact:

AI can make mistakes. Sometimes very convincing ones.

At Ashworth Bailey, we embrace AI because it helps us work more efficiently, analyse information faster and spend more time advising our clients.

But there is one rule that never changes.

Every piece of work produced by our firm is reviewed by a qualified professional before it reaches a client.

That's because AI doesn't sign tax returns.
AI doesn't carry professional responsibility.
AI doesn't exercise judgement built from years of experience.
People do.

For businesses experimenting with AI, our advice is simple:

• Never assume the output is correct.
• Always verify facts, calculations and legislation.
• Build proper review procedures into your workflow.
• Use AI as an assistant—not as the decision-maker.

The future of accountancy isn't **AI or accountants**.

It's **AI and accountants**, working together with the right safeguards.

Technology is changing rapidly. Professional standards shouldn't.

**Ashworth Bailey Limited**
Combining modern technology with experienced professional judgement.

28/07/2026

At Ashworth Bailey, we've noticed an increasing number of adverts claiming that "your accountant is costing you thousands in tax."

The reality is often far more complex.

Good tax advice isn't about magic loopholes or miracle savings. It's about understanding your business, planning ahead and having accurate, up-to-date information to work with.

Most accountants work incredibly hard for their clients and genuinely want to achieve the best possible outcome. The quality of advice they can provide is often influenced by the information and communication they receive.

If you want your accountant to add real value, you can help by:

✔ Keeping your bookkeeping accurate and up to date.
✔ Asking for advice *before* making major financial decisions.
✔ Telling them about changes to your business as they happen.
✔ Responding promptly to requests for information.
✔ Meeting with them regularly to discuss your plans and goals.

Your accountant isn't just there to prepare accounts and tax returns. They should be one of your most trusted business advisers.

At Ashworth Bailey, we believe the best results come from a genuine partnership between client and accountant—not from headline-grabbing promises.

Support your accountant, keep them informed, and together you'll make better business decisions.

28/07/2026

DIRECTORS: YOUR 2026/27 BUSINESS MILEAGE MAY BE WORTH MORE THAN YOU THINK.

For the 2026/27 tax year, the approved mileage rate for using your own car or van is 55p per business mile for the first 10,000 business miles, then 25p per mile.

The 55p rate applies retrospectively from 6 April 2026. A company that reimbursed at the former 45p rate may wish to review its policy and earlier 2026/27 claims.

The rate is advisory: a company can pay less, but the director or employee may be able to claim Mileage Allowance Relief on the shortfall. Amounts above the approved rate can be taxable.

Only qualifying business miles count.

Review mileage paid since 6 April 2026 and make sure your expense policy uses the correct rate.

23/07/2026

SIX £50 BENEFITS MAY QUALIFY. A SEVENTH COULD CREATE A TAX PROBLEM.

Directors and other office-holders of close companies have an annual trivial-benefits cap of £300 for benefits provided by that company.

Each benefit must still pass the individual £50 test and all the other conditions. The £300 cap is not a cash allowance, and it cannot be paid as a year-end lump sum.

Also watch benefits provided to members of the director's family or household. They can count towards the director's £300 cap where the benefit arises because of the directorship.

A simple running record prevents accidental overspending.
Add a trivial-benefits tracker to your bookkeeping records now - not next April.

02/03/2026

Are you ready for Making tax Digital? Are you a Sole Trader or Landlord? If so, this is for you.