John Harrison and Company

03/06/2026

See our latest blog post on salary sacrifice
http://blog.johnharrison.co.uk/salary-sacrifice-good-for-employers-and-employees/
Salary Sacrifice: Good for Employers and Employees
What are the advantages for your business?

With costs rising, many employers and employees are looking for practical ways to reduce outgoings without cutting benefits. Salary sacrifice can be an excellent tool to do this, but many businesses overlook it.

03/06/2026

Small firms pushed out of EU markets by red tape and rising costs

Red tape, rising costs, and complex rules are pushing small firms out of EU markets, new research by the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) has warned.

The FSB’s data shows that 34% of SME traders expect to reduce or stop EU trade altogether if current rules do not change.

Meanwhile, 45% expect to maintain current trading levels and only 6% see an opportunity to grow trade with the EU under the existing arrangements.

The FSB says compliance costs are also eating into margins, with 34% facing expenses of more than £5,000 a year.

Disruption at the border is common, with firms reporting goods being turned away or held up, resulting in unpredictable delivery times and damage to customer relationships.

Tina McKenzie, Policy Chair at the FSB, said:

‘With growth at the top of the agenda, now is the time to get EU trade working for small firms.

‘Small firms are not short of ambition but they’re being worn down by a system that feels stacked against them. Many want to grow into EU markets, but don’t have time to be swallowed by paperwork, creeping costs and delays that put hard-won customer relationships at risk.

‘This isn’t complicated – a de minimis deal, an SPS agreement, simpler VAT rules and our other recommendations could unlock so much potential. They would take pressure off small firms and give them the breathing space they need to grow.’

02/06/2026

HMRC reminds parents to extend Child Benefit claims

HMRC is reminding parents of 16-19-year-olds to extend their Child Benefit claim if their teenager is staying in certain types of education or training after their GCSEs or National 5s.

Child Benefit will automatically stop on 31 August on or after a child's 16th birthday unless parents confirm their teenager's plans. Around 1.5 million reminder letters will be sent from late April, with most landing on doorsteps in early May.

HMRC’s digital service for extending opened on 1 April, so those who already know their teenager's plans can act immediately.

Claim extensions can be made on the HMRC app or online at the government website. The letters also include a QR code linking directly to the digital service.

Child Benefit is worth £27.05 a week – or £1,406.60 a year – for the eldest or only child and £17.90 a week for each additional child. Last year, 874,000 parents extended their claim, with more than half doing so online or through the HMRC app.

Myrtle Lloyd, HMRC’s Chief Customer Officer, said:

‘Child Benefit is a real financial boost for families, so if your teenager already knows they're staying in education or training after their GCSEs or National 5s, you don't need to wait for our letter.’

GOV.UK - The best place to find government services and information.

01/06/2026

It's a funny thing about life; if you refuse to accept anything but the best, you very often get it.

- W. Somerset Maugham

01/06/2026

See our latest blog post:
Stand Out With Your Brand And Presentation
“The most Beloved Brands are either different, better or cheaper. Or else, not around for very long.”
http://blog.johnharrison.co.uk/stand-brand-presentation/

29/05/2026

See our latest blog post
Negotiating a new office lease

Negotiating a new lease

29/05/2026

A firm of British accountants decided to engage in a competitive boat race with a Japanese firm. Both teams practised hard and long to reach their peak performance. On the big day, the Japanese won by a mile. The British team was discouraged by this loss. Morale sagged. Corporate management decided that the reason for the crushing defeat had to be found, so a consulting firm was hired to investigate the problem and recommend corrective action.
The consultant's finding: the Japanese team had eight people rowing and one person steering. After a year of study and thousands spent analyzing the problem, the British team's management structure was completely reorganized. The new structure: four steering managers, three area steering managers and a performance review system for the person rowing the boat as an incentive.

The next year, the Japanese won by two miles!

Humiliated, the British firm laid off the rower for poor performance and gave the managers a bonus for discovering the problem.

28/05/2026

UK’s economic security at risk

The government must prioritise the UK’s economic security, after 10 years of geopolitical shocks have repeatedly damaged growth, says the British Chambers of Commerce.

Businesses in the UK have been left permanently bruised by the Pandemic, Brexit, wars in Ukraine and the Middle East, supply chain chaos and US tariffs.

The business group sets out urgent steps needed to secure vital manufacturing inputs and stop British competitiveness declining in an increasingly unstable world.

It says the Prime Minister must take cross-government responsibility for protecting the UK economy from external crises after years of neglect by successive governments.

The BCC argues that keeping the UK’s position as a major trading nation depends on secure access to key inputs such as energy, steel, semiconductors and growth minerals. Demand for some materials is set to rise massively over the next decade, and domestic production cannot meet future needs.

Shevaun Haviland, Director General of the BCC, said:

‘Over the past decade, British businesses have weathered some of the toughest economic shocks we’ve faced in the past 100 years. Through sheer resilience and ingenuity, they have kept trading in an increasingly unpredictable global environment.

‘But it’s clear that this is not enough. The UK’s inadequate economic security has become a drag on growth, competitiveness and national strength; yet it is still not given the focus and urgency it demands.

‘The message from business is clear: delay is a luxury the UK can’t afford. The Prime Minister must act now, match the pace of our competitors, and put economic security at the heart of our national growth strategy.’

27/05/2026

See our latest blog post:
Productivity vs Burnout
How do you strike a balance between driving productivity and avoiding burnout?

How do you strike a balance between driving productivity and avoiding burnout? In today's demanding business environment, it is crucial for businesses to recognise the importance of establishing equilibrium between productivity and mitigating the risks of burnout.

27/05/2026

Business rates system a major brake on UK investment and competitiveness

The UK’s business rates system is acting as a major brake on investment, productivity and economic growth, warns the Confederation of British Industry (CBI).

Almost a third of the 700 firms surveyed said that the system has played a significant role in cancelling, reducing or delaying planned investment in their property.

The CBI says that for the second consecutive year, the UK has the highest property tax levels in the OECD, with property tax as a share of GDP four times higher than Germany.

Businesses say that the level of their business rates bills and the system’s unpredictability, complexity and ‘cliff edges’ are undermining confidence and deterring investment, it adds.

The CBI is urging governments at a national and devolved level to deliver fundamental reform to boost competitiveness and support long-term investment across the UK.

Louise Hellem, Chief Economist at the CBI, said:

‘Business rates are no longer just a cost of doing business – they’re a major tax on ambition and one that effectively penalises investment.

When a single refurbishment can trigger a 40% increase in rateable value, or a £1 change can move a firm from one band to another and add £39,000 to their bill, the system is clearly not fit for purpose in a competitive, modern economy. Reform of the business rates system is no longer a ‘nice to do’, it’s an economic necessity.’