Category: Business

Sustainable Business Growth for Artisan Workshops Without Losing Craft Identity

Posted on by Farazia Gillani

Artisan workshops bring creativity, heritage, and individuality into the UK’s economy, but sustaining growth can be a complex journey. Many makers reach a stage where passion alone is not enough to expand. Costs rise, demand becomes unpredictable, and the challenge of managing staff, tax, and compliance begins to weigh heavily. Achieving business growth for artisan workshops requires more than skilled craftsmanship. It needs structured planning, financial clarity, and strategies that protect authenticity while building stability. With the right guidance, artisan enterprises can scale without losing their identity. At Apex Accountants, we provide the support and expertise to help workshops grow with confidence while staying true to their craft.

Challenges of Scaling Craft Workshops

Growth for artisan businesses is rarely straightforward. Makers often highlight:

  • Maintaining authenticity: High volumes can force standardisation, weakening the handmade feel.
  • Pricing pressures: Balancing rising costs against customer willingness to pay.
  • Role changes: Owners shifting from makers to managers.
  • Cashflow gaps: Seasonal or irregular income complicating long-term planning.
  • Regulatory burdens: VAT registration, Making Tax Digital, corporation tax, and payroll compliance are creating added strain.

These challenges highlight why artisan business growth requires careful financial planning.

Growth Strategies with Financial Focus

UK artisans can expand while preserving authenticity by pairing creativity with sound financial strategy. This means going beyond day-to-day bookkeeping and focusing on broader planning:

  • Scenario planning: Budgets and forecasts—built on conservative, moderate, and ambitious assumptions—help balance investment with sustainable income.
  • Bookkeeping discipline: Accurate records highlight profitable products and protect margins.
  • Correct pricing: Monitoring labour and material costs supports fair, sustainable pricing.
  • Cash flow tactics: Practical ways to manage liquidity include requesting deposits for custom orders, setting aside reserves during busy seasons, and using the Annual Investment Allowance (AIA) for tools.
  • Funding support: Grants, R&D tax relief, and even crowdfunding provide resources for reinvestment in eco-friendly materials and digital platforms.
  • Staff management: Payroll and pension services make hiring and team expansion less stressful.

By tracking simple performance measures—such as average order value, material cost percentage, and customer acquisition costs—makers gain clearer insight into where their workshops are thriving and where adjustments are needed. With the right financial structure, scaling craft workshops becomes realistic without losing authenticity.

Accounting and Tax Support for Artisan Workshops in UK

Apex Accountants provides tailored services that support artisan business growth in the UK:

  • Virtual CFO services: Strategic financial direction without a full-time hire.
  • Cloud accounting: Real-time reporting and digital compliance.
  • Tax planning: Guidance on VAT, corporation tax, and structuring for growth.
  • Payroll and pensions: Smooth administration when expanding teams.
  • Bookkeeping: Clear cost tracking through busy and quiet seasons.
  • HMRC support: Expert handling of audits, investigations, or subsidy reporting.

Case Study: Scaling Sustainably in the UK

One artisan pottery studio in Northern England grew its sales by introducing workshops and online orders. With Apex Accountants managing bookkeeping, VAT, and payroll, the owners avoided administrative overload. They could focus on production quality, while forecasting and tax planning prepared the business for expansion into new markets. This shows how professional financial support allows artisans to grow without losing authenticity.

How Apex Accountants Support Business Growth for Artisan Workshops

Scaling artisan workshops is more than increasing production capacity. It involves building a financial foundation that supports long-term stability without losing authenticity. Many makers struggle with cashflow gaps, unexpected tax bills, or compliance with complex regulations. That is where Apex Accountants step in.

We provide end-to-end financial services tailored to the artisan sector. This includes support with corporation tax, VAT registration, payroll, and pensions, as well as guidance on R&D tax relief and capital allowances for reinvestment in new tools or sustainable methods. Our Virtual CFO services give artisans access to strategic financial planning without the cost of a full-time executive.

By combining cloud accounting, bookkeeping, and tax planning, we help workshops stay organised, forecast with confidence, and prepare for growth. With Apex Accountants, artisan business growth becomes achievable, sustainable, and aligned with the values that make handmade products unique.

Conclusion

Artisan businesses in the UK face the challenge of expanding while preserving the individuality that makes their craft special. Growth requires more than creativity; it also depends on financial discipline, smart planning, and a clear view of future opportunities. With professional support, workshops can manage tax responsibilities, stay compliant, and prepare for the next stage of their journey without sacrificing authenticity.

At Apex Accountants, we bring tailored expertise to guide artisans through every step of their development. Whether it’s tax planning, payroll, pensions, or Virtual CFO services, our role is to provide clarity and confidence in financial decisions. By working closely with artisans, we help transform passion into sustainable success, ensuring that every workshop can flourish while staying true to its craft.

4 Reasons Why IT Businesses Should Look For Outsourcing

Posted on by Rana Zubair

Technology has made it much easier for businesses to operate on a global scale. Whether you’re just starting out as an entrepreneur or have been in business for a long time, you will probably have to deal with some form of tech at some point. Outsourcing core business processes comes with its own set of upsides and downsides, which is why it’s important for business owners to understand the benefits and drawbacks before making any final decisions on the matter.

What is Outsourcing?

Outsourcing is the practice of transferring certain business processes to outside suppliers. This can help companies save costs and increase efficiency by focusing on their core competencies while offloading non-core tasks to specialists. When you outsource, you’re hiring someone outside of your company — often a company or an individual located in another country — to perform a specific task. Outsourcing is a popular trend among IT businesses to hire someone who specialises in a certain field.

4 reasons why you should consider outsourcing your core business processes

Reduced Costs: With outsourcing, you don’t have to hire a full-time employee to manage and maintain yourIT systems. Instead, you can hire a company to do it on a per-job basis. This way, you only pay for what you need and don’t have to pay for benefits or a full-time salary.

A Variety of Expertise: When you outsource, you have access to professionals who have years of experience in a specific field. For example, you can find companies that specialise in IT infrastructure management and use them to help you create a robust and reliable system.

Flexibility: Outsourcing allows you to scale back or ramp up your contracts whenever necessary. Often, outsourcing companies offer short-term contracts that allow you to work with the flexibility to change your needs at any given time.

Expert Insight: If you don’t have in-house experts who can provide advice and recommendations, outsourcing is a great way to get expert insight.

There are drawbacks of outsourcing as well. When you outsource, you have to go outside of your company to find experts. However, when you bring in outside companies or individuals, you lose the ability to build real and meaningful relationships. It’s important for business owners to maintain a level of empathy for their customers. Outsourcing also means giving up control over the systems that you’re using. You don’t have any control over the infrastructure that you’ve hired someone to manage. You don’t have any control over the systems that are used to host your data. You don’t have any control over the people who are working inside of your organisation. Unfortunately, outsourcing comes with a high degree of uncertainty. It’s almost impossible to predict how much you’ll pay for outsourcing services. You don’t know how long your projects will take or how much they’ll cost. You don’t know if you’ll be able to find a company that’s willing to work with your budget.

HMRC and tax implications of outsourcing:

Outsourcing is seen very carefully by HMRC in terms of IR35 and employed / self-employed scenario. If the contractor is under IR35, the contractor will be deemed as an employee of the company. HMRC has suggested a to0l which could be helpful to decide the employed / self-employed status of an individual.

Final Thoughts:

The world has become more and more connected, and it has never been easier to outsource your business’s IT needs. Technology makes it possible to hire experts from around the world and have them manage your data and systems without ever having to meet in person. Technology is also making it easier to hire experts from countries where the cost of living is lower than in the UK. There are a lot of advantages to outsourcing. While outsourcing has its benefits, it also comes with some drawbacks. It can be harder to develop real relationships with outsourced experts. Furthermore, the costs can be unpredictable, and it may be
difficult to hire people from countries where living costs are lower.

 

Next Step:

Book a free consultation now.

Income excluded from a property business

Posted on by Mohsin Khan

HMRC publishes a list of income streams that are excluded from a UK property business. The list includes fishing concerns, hotels and guest houses, tied premises, caravan sites, lodgers and tenants in your own home, extra services to tenants and letting surplus trade accommodation. In most cases the income from these activities will be taxed as income of a trade and not as property income.

In addition, there are certain receipts that can arise out of the use of land, and which are specifically excluded by statute from a rental business. These include yearly interest, income from the occupation of woodlands managed on a commercial basis, income from mines and quarries and income from farming and market gardening.

There is also a £1,000 property income allowance that applies to income from property (including foreign property). If a taxpayer’s annual gross property income is £1,000 or less the amount is exempt from tax and does not need to be reported on a tax return.

Source: HM Revenue & Customs Sun, 28 Nov 2021 00:00:00 +0100

Dividend tax increase announced

Posted on by Rana Zubair

The 1,25% increase in NIC contributions from April 2022 will be mirrored by a similar increase in the tax charge on dividends. From April 2022, the dividend tax increases will apply as follows:

  • Basic rate taxpayers will see an increase from the present 7.5% to 8.75%.
  • Higher rate taxpayers will see an increase from 32.5% to 33.75%.
  • Additional rate taxpayers will see an increase from 38.1% to 39.35%.

This change will apply UK-wide. It will be scored at the Budget and legislated for in the next Finance Bill.

Dividend tax is charged on taxable dividend income an individual receives that falls outside of the personal allowance (£12,570 in 2021-22) and the dividend allowance (£2,000 in 2021-22). Taxable dividend income excludes, for example, dividends on assets held in ISAs.

Affected basic rate taxpayers are expected to pay, on average, an additional £150 on their dividend income in 2022-2314 . Affected higher rate taxpayers are expected to pay, on average, an additional £403 on their dividend income in 2022-23. Additional and higher rate taxpayers are expected to contribute over 70 per cent of the revenue from this increase in 2022-23.

Source: HM Revenue & Customs Wed, 08 Sep 2021 00:00:00 +0100

Post cessation receipts and payments

Posted on by Rana Zubair

There are special rules for the taxation of post-cessation receipts and expenses after a trade has ceased. These provisions also apply to professions and vocations as they apply to trades.

Tax relief may be available for post-cessation expenses of a trade, although expenses still have to satisfy the wholly and exclusively test and be revenue in nature in order to qualify for relief. In order to be an allowable post-cessation expense, the trade must have ceased and the expense would have been deductible in calculating the trading profits. Post-cessation expenses must be set against post-cessation receipts arising in the same period as the expense before any other method of relief can be considered.

There are a number of different ways in which post-cessation expenses can be relieved These depend on the person incurring the expenditure and the type of expenditure incurred. An expense specifically relating to the cessation itself is not an allowable expense.

Source: HM Revenue & Customs Tue, 17 Aug 2021 00:00:00 +0100

Cash basis for landlords

Posted on by Rana Zubair

The cash basis scheme helps sole traders and other unincorporated businesses benefit from a simpler way of managing their financial affairs. Landlords can use the cash basis when recording income and expenditure i.e., recording the flow of money from and to the business.

The scheme is not open to limited companies and limited liability partnerships. The entry threshold for the cash basis scheme is £150,000 and you can stay in the scheme until your business turnover reaches £300,000.

Unlike other taxpayers that need to opt-in to use the scheme, the legislation assumes that landlords will use the cash basis as the default method of calculation. A landlord can still elect to opt out of the scheme in which case they can continue to use generally accepted accounting practice (GAAP) to calculate their taxable profits. Landlords are also required to continue using GAAP if their rental receipts are more than the £300,000 scheme threshold.

HMRC’s property income manual lists the following criteria of when the cash basis is not available to a property business. 

A: The property business is run by a company, limited liability partnership (LLP), trustees or a corporate firm (a partnership with at least one non-individual member).

B: Receipts that would be brought into account under the cash basis for the tax year exceed £150,000. This amount must be proportionally reduced if the property business is only carried out for part of the tax year.

C: If the property business is being carried on jointly with a spouse or civil partner, the same basis must be used by both individuals, unless they make a declaration under S837/ITA 2007 that they are beneficially entitled to the income in unequal shares.

D: Business premises renovation allowance has been claimed, and a balancing event in the tax year gives rise to a balancing adjustment.

E: An election is made to use GAAP because the person believes that traditional accounting is more appropriate. The election must be made within one year of the filing date for that tax year.

Source: HM Revenue & Customs Wed, 02 Jun 2021 00:00:00 +0100

Five Things To Plan And Do Now

Posted on by Rana Zubair

Here is a list of five things that you. As a business owner, need to be aware of and plan right now!

  1. Control over cash flow / Arrangements with a lender
    Be sure that you look after your cash flow and if you anticipate problems. Arrange with lenders that would be able to help you with financing.
  2. Supply chain availability
    Due to COVID 19 supply chains across the world are disturbed for most of the products and services. Make sure you are aware of any impact on your business and can put alternative supply chains in place if needed.
  3. Health & safety
    You need to ensure that your business has new health & safety policies and procedures in place. Also, be mindful that this could be at an additional cost that you have not included in your budget.
  4. Working from home
    Since most of the staff would be working from home for the foreseeable future; the businesses should ensure they have good & reliable systems is in place to make this happen. Working from home for a more extended period ultimately means that the staff should receive training and support to work independently. Ensuring they have the software and equipment they need might also influence your budget.
  5. Tax and Business Cost efficiency:
    As we are expecting to a severe downturn in the economy; it is crucial for the success of a business that they have achieved tax and cost efficiency to gain maximum profits.

These are Five things Need

To help businesses, we are providing a service to review if they are an optimum level of cost and tax level.

If you have any questions; feel free to contact us or Telephone: 020 3883 4777

Financial Assistance By Local Council – Grants

Posted on by Rana Zubair

e Financial Assistance By Local Council – Grants

The government has announced two major incentives for local businesses affected by the coronavirus: a business rates holiday for the year 2020-21 and cash grants for small businesses. Local Councils or Authorities will deliver the grants to eligible businesses within their boroughs.

There are two types of grants funding schemes:

• the Small Business Grant Fund (SBGF)
• the Retail, Hospitality and Leisure Grant Fund (RHLG).

Summary of available Grants:

Scheme Small Business Grant Fund (SBGF) Retail, Hospitality and Leisure Grant Fund (RHLG)
Available to:
All businesses in England in receipt of Small Business Rates Relief (SBRR) and Rural Rates Relief (RRR) in the business rates system Businesses in England in receipt of the Expanded Retail Discount (which covers retail, hospitality and leisure) with a rateable value of less than £51,000
How much
£10,000 £10,000

for premises with a rateable value of up to £15,000
£25,000

for premises with a rateable value of over £15,000 and less than £51,000
Eligibility criteria
Premises which on the 11 March 2020 were eligible for relief under the business rate Small Business Rate Relief Scheme (including those with a Rateable Value between £12,000 and

£15,000 which receive tapered relief)

 Premises which on the 11 March 2020 had a rateable value of less than £51,000 and would have been eligible for a discount under the business rates Expanded Retail Discount Scheme
Premises which on 11 March 2020 were eligible for relief under the rural rate relief scheme
Exclusions
Premises that were not eligible for percentage SBRR relief (including those eligible for the Small Business Rate Multiplier) Premises with a rateable value of over £51,000
 

Premises occupied for personal uses, e.g. private stables and loose boxes, beach huts and moorings

  

These aroccupied for personal uses, e.g. private stables and loose boxes, beach huts and moorings
Car parks and parking spaces Car parks and parking spaces
Businesses which as of the 11 March were in liquation or were dissolved Businesses which as of the 11 March were in liquation or were dissolved

This post contains information published by the ACCA and the UK Government.

Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme

Posted on by Rana Zubair

Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme

How much you’ll get
Your employer will get a grant to cover 80% of your monthly earnings, up to a maximum of £2,500.
Firms will be eligible for the grant once you have been furloughed, from 1 March.

Your employer

  • will pay you at least 80% of your usual monthly earnings, up to a maximum of £2,500, as your wage
  • can claim for a minimum of 3 weeks and for up to 3 months – but this may be extended
  • can choose to pay you more than the grant – but they do not have to

You’ll still pay Income Tax, National Insurance contributions and any other deductions from your wage.

If you are concerned that your employer is not paying you what you are entitled to, then you should raise this with your employer in the first instance, then with Acas (Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service).

How your monthly earnings are calculated

If you’ve been employed (or engaged by an employment business in the case of agency workers) for a full year, employers will claim for the higher of either:

  • the amount you earned in the same month last year
  • an average of your monthly earnings from the last year

If you’ve been employed for less than a year, employers will claim for an average of your monthly earnings since you started work. The same arrangements apply if your monthly pay varies, such as if you are on a zero-hour contract.

If you started work in February 2020, your employer will pro-rata your earnings from that month.

Bonuses, commissions and fees are not included as part of your monthly earnings.

More information are available from the Government website about Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme

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