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Monday 8:30am - 5pm Tuesday 8:30am - 5pm Wednesday 8:30am - 5pm Thursday 8:30am - 5pm Friday 8:30am - 5pm

Leathley & Co. Accountants

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Whaley Bridge
Leathley & Co. Accountants

Local accountants based in Whaley Bridge & Poynton. Accounts, tax, payroll, VAT & bookkeeping for small businesses across the High Peak and Cheshire since 2002.

We're Leathley & Co — a local, family-run accountancy practice with offices in Whaley Bridge and Poynton, proudly serving businesses across the High Peak and Cheshire since 2002. What started as one person building a practice from scratch has grown into a team of AAT-qualified accountants, bookkeepers, and payroll specialists — but the heart of it hasn't changed. We believe good accountancy shouldn't feel like a mystery. No jargon, no faceless call centres — just real people who know your name, your business, and how to help. We look after everything from annual accounts, tax returns, VAT and payroll to full bookkeeping support and QuickBooks training — for sole traders, contractors, farming businesses, fitness professionals, growing limited companies, and increasingly, people building businesses through content creation and social media. Whatever your business looks like, we take the time to actually understand it, rather than offering the same one-size-fits-all service to everyone. Whether it's a quick question or a full switch of accountants, our team is only ever a call, message or visit away — kettle's always on.

📍 Whaley Bridge & Poynton
🌐 www.leathley.co
💬 Free, no-obligation quotes always available

15/10/2026

Cash or accrual accounting: what's the difference?

Both methods work out your profit. The difference is when income and expenses are counted.

💷 Cash basis: you record income when you receive the money, and expenses when you pay them.

📄 Accrual, or traditional accounting: you record income and expenses by the date you invoiced or were billed.

Example: you invoice on 15 March and are paid on 30 April. Cash basis records it on 30 April. Accrual records it on 15 March.

GOV.UK describes cash basis as the standard method for sole traders and partnerships without corporate partners. Limited companies can't use it. Accrual can suit businesses with high levels of stock, or those needing finance, but it needs more records.

Not sure which method you're using? Message us and we'll help you work it out.

Sources: GOV.UK. General information, not personal advice. Correct at 21 September 2026.

13/10/2026

Autumn is a good time to get your business records in order.

Two dates worth having in mind:
📅 28 October: the Autumn Budget
📅 31 January 2027: the deadline to file your 2025/26 Self Assessment return online and pay any tax owed

If you'd like help getting ready, message us and we'll talk it through.

Sources: GOV.UK and HMRC. General information, not personal advice. Correct at 21 September 2026.

08/10/2026

Free templates are just as good?

For a very simple business, a template can be a reasonable place to start. But a template only records the numbers you type in. It doesn't check them, flag what's missing, or tell you what they mean for your tax.

Here's why it matters
- Records need to be accurate and kept. GOV.UK says you must keep your business records for at least 5 years after the 31 January submission deadline. HMRC can also charge a penalty of up to £3,000 if you fail to keep appropriate records.
- Making Tax Digital changes what's required. It already applies to sole traders and landlords with qualifying income over £50,000 (before expenses), and it widens to £30,000 in April 2027 and £20,000 in April 2028. You'll need to keep digital records and send quarterly updates using compatible software. If you use a spreadsheet, bridging software is needed to connect it to HMRC.
- Bookkeeping adds a check. Your figures are kept up to date, checked against your bank statements and ready when you need them, so you can see how the business is doing as well as complete your tax return.

Not sure whether your current system is enough? Message us and we'll talk it through.

Sources: GOV.UK and HMRC. General information, not personal advice. Correct at 21 September 2026.

06/10/2026

Choosing an accountant is an important decision, and it isn't always obvious what to look for. Here are five things we'd check, whoever you choose.

1️⃣ Are they qualified?
Anyone can use the title "accountant" in the UK. Ask which professional body they belong to, and check their membership.

2️⃣ Are they registered with HMRC?
Tax advisers who are paid to deal with HMRC on behalf of clients now have to register. This is being phased in between 18 May 2026 and 31 March 2027, so it's worth asking.

3️⃣ Do they understand your business?
Ask about clients like you, and whether they support cloud accounting software and Making Tax Digital.

4️⃣ Is the advice clear?
You should leave a meeting understanding your position. It's also worth asking who you'll deal with day to day.

5️⃣ Is the pricing clear?
Ask for fees in writing, and check what's covered and what costs extra.

Warning signs include unclear fees, answers full of jargon, no questions about your business, and promises that you won't pay any tax.

There's no single right accountant for everyone. Despite being business it's a very personal choice.

If you want to chat about anything send a message today!

01/10/2026

📸 Fernilee Reservoir, one of our local beauty spots.

It's got us thinking about how seven years ago, torrential rain damaged the spillway at Toddbrook Reservoir in Whaley Bridge, the reservoir was drained and the whole town was evacuated.

Seven years on, it's brilliant to see Toddbrook starting to come back to life. The new spillway is finished, the reservoir has begun to refill, and the walkway across the dam is being put back.

Hopefully we'll be able to walk across the bridge again soon.

29/09/2026

Cash in hand invisible? No! Here's what the official guidance says:

Cash is income. Working for yourself and earning over the £1,000 trading allowance in a tax year (before expenses)? You need to tell HMRC, however you were paid.

HMRC has more ways of finding out than you'd think. It gets information from other government departments and overseas tax authorities, online platforms report their sellers' income (above certain limits), and it already receives card sales data. That's due to come in more often from April 2028. Anyone can also report suspected tax evasion to HMRC.

Getting it wrong is expensive. Penalties can reach 100% of the tax owed, plus interest. HMRC can go back 6 years for careless mistakes, and up to 20 years if it was deliberate or you never told them you'd started.

Started working for yourself between 6 April 2025 and 5 April 2026? Register with HMRC by 5 October 2026.

Missed something? Tell HMRC before they tell you. Penalties are usually lower if you come forward, and it doesn't matter why it went wrong. Most people aren't dodging anything, they just didn't know.

Not sure where you stand? Message us.

Sources: GOV.UK (voluntary disclosure guide, undeclared income, report tax fraud, third-party data policy paper) and HMRC. General information, not personal tax advice. Correct at 21 September 2026.

24/09/2026

9 out of 10 sole traders forget at least one of these. (I made that up, but I'd bet a Nando's on it.)

5 expenses that get missed 👇

1️⃣ Working from home: 25+ hours a month at home? Claim a flat £10, £18 or £26 a month, or a fair share of your actual bills. Keep a log of your hours.

2️⃣ Mileage: 55p a mile for the first 10,000 business miles (up from 45p), then 25p. Miles you run to avoid your tax return don't count.

3️⃣ Phone and broadband: claim the business share of the bill, on top of the home working rate.

4️⃣ Training: courses that build or update skills for your business, admin included. Not courses to start a new business.

5️⃣ Bank charges: bank, overdraft and credit card charges, plus loan interest. Not the repayments themselves.

📅 Budget day is 28 October and mileage rates are under review, so that 55p might move.
💻 Making Tax Digital applies if your income (before expenses) is over £50k. That drops to £30k in April 2027 and £20k in April 2028.

Using the £1,000 trading allowance? You can't claim expenses on top.

Not sure what applies to you? Message us and we'll help!

Sources: GOV.UK, HMRC, AAT Comment. General information, not personal tax advice. Correct at 21 September 2026.

18/09/2026

Huge congratulations to our very own Rebecca Hormann who stormed the Tor100 which is a running race of 100km with 8000m of elevation. She stormed the competition coming first female, smashing the course record and coming 10th overall. We can't wait to celebrate when she's back in the office!!

15/09/2026

The team is at Accountex today attending seminars and looking at what is new in the world of accounting!

10/09/2026

Sole trader or limited company? It's one of the first big questions any new business owner faces.

Both have their place, and the right choice depends on how much you're earning, how much risk you're comfortable with, and how much admin you're willing to take on.

Swipe through for a quick breakdown of what actually changes between the two, from setup and tax to liability and paperwork.

We help sole traders and limited companies across the High Peak and Cheshire get set up the right way from the start, or restructure later on if their circumstances have changed. If you're not sure which suits you, get in touch. 📋

Address

Whaley Bridge

Opening Hours

Monday	8:30am - 5pm
Tuesday	8:30am - 5pm
Wednesday	8:30am - 5pm
Thursday	8:30am - 5pm
Friday	8:30am - 5pm

Website

https://www.leathley.co/, https://www.linkedin.com/company/leathleyandco/

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