Grant McKnight Blog

Sutton Coldfield YMCA raises more than £15,000 with sleep easy event By  Matthew Panter Birmingham Published:  May 9, 2021 A Sutton charity raised more than £15,500 as the community joined forces to take part in a Sleep Easy event. Sarah Sylvester, fundraising manager at YMCA Sutton Coldfield, slept the night in a garage Members of the YMCA Sutton Coldfield spent a night sleeping outdoors or in sheds, garages, or conservatories, to raise money for the charity. Businesses also got involved to help raise funds for the YMCA, which helps change the lives of some of the most disadvantaged young people in the town and surrounding areas. Stephanie Patrick, Deputy Chief Executive of the YMCA Sutton Coldfield, said: “The last year has been more difficult and heart-breaking than anyone could ever have anticipated. "But one overwhelming positive that has emerged is the power of community and the difference that can make to people’s lives. "We’re thrilled that so many people and business...

Kickstart scheme a ‘saving grace’ for struggling businesses Businesses looking to boost youth employment via the Government’s Kickstart scheme are encouraged to continue registering their interest through Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce,  writes Claudia Congrave . The Kickstart scheme was announced in July 2020 by Chancellor Rishi Sunak in a bid to help unemployed young people between the ages of 16-24 source six-month work placements. The placements are fully funded by the Government, with employers receiving a grant of £1,500 to help set up and train the employee and a further £6,500 in instalments to cover the employment costs. Companies interested in having less than 30 placements can submit their expressions of interest to the Chamber. The placements need to meet the following criteria: Six months in length At least 25 hours per week (can offer additional hours at company expense) Paying at least the national minimum wage through PAYE Paying the statutory employer duti...

  Mandatory digital links for MTD for VAT. What to do now. As of 1 April 2021, it is mandatory to have digital links in place when filing business VAT Returns to HMRC under the MTD for VAT regime (see  VAT Notice 700/22     ). Since the introduction of MTD for VAT a ‘soft landing period’ has been in place, allowing businesses time to get their systems digitally-linked to comply with the full MTD for VAT requirements. This period enabled businesses to use ‘cut/copy and paste’ methods to move data from one system to another before filing to HMRC. From 1 April 2021, this will no longer be permitted. However, there is no need to panic. It is likely you already have everything you need to continue being compliant, or some simple adjustments could be all that’s required. Find out more below. So, what is a digital link? Once transactional data is entered into a software package or spreadsheet, any further transfer or modification of that data must be made without manua...

A host of tax changes come into force from the start of April 2021, including the long-anticipated introduction of off payroll working (IR35) and the next phase of requirements under Making Tax Digital for VAT. ICAEW’s Tax Faculty outlines what you need to know. Employment taxes Off-payroll working (IR35) The off-payroll working (OPW) rules finally come into force for the private sector on 6 April 2021. The rules aim to ensure that PAYE is accounted for where a contractor would have been an employee of the client, but for the fact that the client has a contract with the contractor’s personal service company rather than the contractor personally. With OPW being introduced, many more contractors may be encouraged to operate via an umbrella company. LITRG have produced a  comprehensive and freely available guide  on how umbrella companies and other intermediaries operate in the labour market. Further support from the Tax Faculty can be found on  icaew.com/ir35 . Optional re...

Ark Media’s film to air on BBC2 A film worked on by production company Ark Media will be aired as part of BBC2’s Festival of Funny Shorts this weekend. Ark Media – whose managing director Phil Arkinstall is president of the Sutton Coldfield Chamber of Commerce - were commissioned by 104 Films, the UK’s leading production company focusing on disability, to collaborate on the edit of a film entitled ‘Verisimilitude’.  The film is about an unemployed disabled actress who is frustrated at how all the disabled acting jobs go to able bodied actors. Out of work, she is engaged as an advisor to a spoilt up and coming British film star, showing him how to be disabled for his latest role.  Verisimilitude has already been screened at 10 BAFTA qualifying film festivals including Slamdance, Palm Springs and London Short Film Festival.  On Sunday, it will premiere on BB2.  The impressive cast includes Ruth Madeley, star of BBC’s Terry Pratchett adaptation The Watch; Esther Smith s...

  Here are some key takeouts from Chancellor Rishi Sunak’s economic plan to help the UK's recovery from the COVID pandemic: For businesses and employers An extension of the Coronavirus Job Retention Support Scheme (CJRS) to September 2021 across the UK.  The scheme will remain unchanged until July when the government will ask businesses to provide a 10% contribution to employees’ pay, which will rise to 20% in August and September. Small and medium-sized employers in the UK will continue to be able to reclaim up to two weeks of eligible Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) costs per employee from the Government. An extension of the UK-wide Self Employment Income Support scheme (SEISS) to September 2021.  This will include a fourth grant for three months support at 80% of average profits, continuing until April – then 50% commencing from May onwards, for businesses where turnover has fallen by 30% or more. Businesses, where turnover has fallen less than 30% will receive a 30% grant. T...

  Hello, my name is Shakeal and I am currently studying an Accounting apprenticeship at Sutton Coldfield College. On my first day of starting my apprenticeship on the 28th September 2020, I was nervous, but at the same time I was elated to make a further step within my career. From the minute I stepped foot inside the office I was greeted by the team with a warm welcome and I felt as if I already belonged within the team which helped me relax instead of worrying and being sceptical. Being introduced to the team was a blast! Every member of the team had charisma and heart and you could tell that they were happy within themselves and the workplace which was really settling. As I proceeded onto the introduction and was shown the different types of technical software that Grant Mcknight use, at first was a little bit of a struggle as my impression of accountants was tons of paper, whereas at Grant Mcknight, it’s completely paperless organisation which is actually amazing, as time went ...