May 22 2018 Increase in government funded childcare hours Categories: Healthcare The Scottish Government plan to increase funded childcare hours for three and four year olds from the current 600 hours to 1,140 per year. The extended hours policy is due to be introduced from 2020; however there are significant concerns about the practicalities of implementing such a policy, especially from a private nursery’s perspective. Insufficient more
May 21 2018 Tax and financial planning for the purchase of equipment Categories: Property & Construction Investing in more expensive, quality equipment rather than purchasing cheaper equipment that requires regular repairs, is not a new theory, but one that is still not fully embraced by companies working in the construction industry. In the long run the cheaper equipment can end up costing companies more money and inconvenience, in terms of unplanned more
May 14 2018 Do you have money or assets abroad? Categories: International TaxTaxation HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) are getting tougher on those not paying the correct amount of tax on their worldwide income. They are now receiving financial information from more than 100 jurisdictions, including details about overseas bank accounts, business structures, trusts and investments. They are already using the information supplied by overseas banks, insurers and more
May 11 2018 Working with ‘Young Farmer of the Year’ James Fairlie Categories: Agriculture As a farmer, James Fairlie is accustomed to risk, uncertainty and change. However, James, who runs the operations at the Kirkton of Monikie Farm in Angus, along with his father, Iain, has cemented his future by embarking on a new business project which complements his day-to-day farm work. James (29), who won ‘Young Farmer of more
May 9 2018 EQ are finalists for the Tax Team of the Year Award! Categories: Taxation We are thrilled to announce that we have been shortlisted for the Tax Team of the Year award category at the Business Insider Scottish Accountancy and Finance Awards 2018. Now in their 11th year, the awards recognise achievement in the accountancy and finance sector, rewarding quality, commitment and innovation. We were required to illustrate the more
May 3 2018 Government funding available for resource efficiency improvements Categories: Technology The Scottish Government has announced an additional incentive to their interest free loans available to SME’s to improve resource efficiency. For a limited time the interest free loans will also invite a 30% cashback on completion of the projects (up to a maximum of £10,000). Example of measures which could be funded are: Lighting improvements more
May 3 2018 Choosing the right accounting software for nurseries Categories: Healthcare Everyone is aware of the advances in technology and accounting software is no exception. As well as desktop software, there is an array of cloud solutions which can be tailored specifically to nurseries, allowing you to track costs by project or location. Cloud accounting packages store their information on a secure website, enabling data to more
Apr 30 2018 The impact of technology on training in the construction industry Categories: Property & Construction Some of the biggest challenges for the construction industry include improving the skillset of those working in the industry and keeping pace with modernisation. One of the areas that has been impacted by modernisation, through technological advancement, is equipment and safety training. Previously for training on plant equipment there was more one-to-one training and small more