Liondaris & Co

31/08/2026

📆 That's August wrapped! September arrives with more going on than the quiet weeks might have suggested.

We've covered the VAT deadline, basis period reform, the next stage of Making Tax Digital, and the Companies House and Corporation Tax dates landing over the next few weeks. If you've been following along, you're in decent shape heading into autumn.

If not, there's still time — a focused catch-up this week beats a rushed scramble in a fortnight.

Feeling ready for September, or is there still a bit of catching up to do before it lands? 👇

27/08/2026

🆔 Quick one for company directors: identity verification with Companies House isn't optional anymore — it's being rolled out as a legal requirement under new economic crime rules.

New directors and PSCs already need to verify their identity, and existing ones are gradually being brought into scope during a transition period. Skip it, and it can eventually affect your company's ability to file things like confirmation statements at Companies House.

It's exactly the kind of thing that's easy to overlook amid everything else on a business owner's plate — worth a two-minute check now rather than a rejected filing later.

Have you (or your fellow directors) verified yet, or is it still sitting on the list? 👇

24/08/2026

👋 A little behind-the-scenes glimpse as August winds down.

Summer's quieter on the surface for us, but busy underneath — we've been using the lull to tidy up internal processes, refresh training, and make sure the whole team's up to speed on the latest HMRC guidance before the autumn deadlines start rolling in.

Not the most glamorous work, but it's exactly what makes the busier months run smoother for our clients when they arrive. Small, unglamorous fixes now tend to save everyone a headache later.

We're heading into September feeling properly ready — hope you are too! What's on your to-do list before autumn hits? 👇

20/08/2026

🗓️ September looks quiet until you actually check the dates.

If your company year end is 31 December: accounts are due at Companies House by 30 September, and Corporation Tax payment follows on 1 October. The July-Sept VAT quarter also closes 30 September (return due 7 November). And 5 October is the deadline to register for Self Assessment if you started self-employment or renting out property this tax year.

None of this is urgent today — but a few minutes now saves a scramble later.

Does your year end fall in December, or on a different date? Let us know and we'll flag what applies to you. 👇

17/08/2026

💻 Making Tax Digital for Income Tax is already here for higher earners — and the next group it applies to might be closer than you think.

From April 2026, self-employed people and landlords earning over £50k have had to keep digital records and file quarterly updates instead of one annual return. From April 2027, that threshold is expected to drop to £30k, sweeping in a lot more small business owners and landlords who haven't had to think about it yet.

If that's you, getting comfortable with the software now beats scrambling next spring when it suddenly becomes compulsory.

Does your income fall in that £30k-£50k range? Might be worth a chat before it lands. 👇

13/08/2026

🏖️ Running a business in August usually means running it a bit short-staffed — half the team's away, but invoices still need chasing and payroll still needs running on time.

The things that catch people out most every year: nobody chasing overdue invoices while everyone's on leave, and a payroll process that only one person understands (who's currently on a beach somewhere).

None of this is a criticism — it's just what summer looks like for small business owners. The businesses that sail through it are usually the ones with one person keeping half an eye on the basics while everyone else is off.

How's your business coping with the summer staffing squeeze this year? 👇

10/08/2026

☀️ August gets a bad reputation in business — quiet inboxes, clients away, everything feels a bit slow.

Here's the thing though: quiet is a gift, not a problem. Fewer meetings means more time to actually sit down with your numbers instead of firefighting all day. Bank feeds and paperwork backlogs are so much easier to clear when the phone isn't ringing every ten minutes.

September brings a run of deadlines — Companies House filings, Corporation Tax payments, VAT quarters closing. Walking into it prepared beats walking in panicked, every time.

Are you using these quieter weeks to get ahead, or are they just slipping by? 👇

06/08/2026

🧾 Quick refresher, because this one still trips people up: 'basis period reform' changed how sole traders and partnerships are taxed. Profits are now based on the actual tax year (6 April-5 April), not your own accounting year end.

If your year end isn't 31 March or 5 April, this almost certainly affected you. And if you had 'transition profits' back in 2023/24, those get spread across five tax years — worth double-checking you're claiming the right slice each time, not just the first year.

August is a good, quiet month to get your bookkeeping properly tax-year-aligned before the January rush lands.

Has anyone talked you through how this affects your return yet? 👇

05/08/2026

📅 Quick nudge for anyone with an April-June VAT quarter: your return and payment are due by 7 August if you file online.

August has a habit of sneaking up on people — the team's on holiday, the inbox is quieter than usual, and deadlines slip through the cracks before you notice. Before you file, take five minutes to check your bank feeds are reconciled and every invoice from the quarter has actually been logged.

If you think you might miss it, ring HMRC before the deadline rather than after — a heads-up beforehand can make a real difference to any penalty.

Is your VAT return already sorted, or still lurking on the to-do list? 👇

29/07/2026

July is almost done — here are 3 quick things to tick off before August:

1️⃣ Confirm your Class 1A NI has been paid (due 19/22 July). If you've missed it, pay now — interest accrues daily.

2️⃣ Check your 31 July payment on account. If your 2025/26 income has dropped significantly, you may be able to apply to reduce it and avoid overpaying.

3️⃣ Start gathering your self-assessment records. The January 2027 deadline comes around fast — August is the ideal time to start while the year is still fresh.

More resources on our insights page 👇
https://www.liondaris.co.uk/insights

What's still on your financial to-do list before August? Let us know in the comments 👇

Our thoughts on the latest tax and business updates in the UK.