A day in lockdown with EQ – Angela Haig

Category: People - Posted On: May 19 2020


As we continue to work remotely, we remain focused on supporting our clients and maintaining contact with them and the rest of the EQ team.

To provide a glimpse into lockdown life, we asked various members of the team to share their experiences of what an average day working from home entails for them.

This week, we spoke to Angela Haig, Partner in our Forfar office, to get an idea of how she is spending her time under the current circumstances.

What does an average day entail for you?

My average day consists of getting up early to go and feed my horse before sitting down at my kitchen table with a laptop to work. I get peace and quiet in the morning as my teenage daughters don’t get up until lunchtime. Then, like most teenagers, I get a quick ‘hello’ before they retreat back to their rooms to watch Netflix and leave me in peace again.

I mostly deal with client and internal emails, mixed in with telephone calls and video meetings. It is a constantly changing environment at the moment so no two days are the same.

What have you spent the majority of your time working on recently?

I have been advising a client on the tax implications of coming back to the UK after working abroad for many years. COVID-19 has resulted in many having to spend longer in the UK than normal due to a downturn in work. HMRC have issued some guidance on what they will consider ‘exceptional circumstances’ related to COVID-19 when it comes to counting days for the UK tax residence tests.

How have you been supporting clients throughout lockdown?

I have been assisting clients considering the various support grants available when needed. I have also been helping clients get their tax returns done as soon as possible, particularly if a repayment of tax is due. In times of financial uncertainty it is good to know what tax liabilities lie ahead.

When in the office I am often seen by my colleagues as technical support for many tax queries and this has continued, just by email.

Given the current circumstances, are you doing anything differently? 

I have always been a supporter of the idea of a paperless office. Working remotely has proved, that in many circumstances, it is possible. I hope that in the future we will strive to at least reduce our paper usage.

At the end of the workday, what do you look forward to the most?

At the end of the day it is back up to the yard to feed my horse and hopefully ride if the weather permits. Thankfully the weather has been kind to us during lockdown and allowed me another of my favourite pleasures, sitting in the garden with a glass of wine.

While working from home, we are still offering the same level of support and remain contactable. You can reach us on any of our usual telephone numbers and email addresses, which you can find on the Our People page on this website.