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3 weeks ago | 
accountingweb.co.uk | Molly Macfarlane
With the cut to Level 7 apprenticeship funding now confirmed, Richard Hattersley explains what it means for firms and training across the profession. He shares reactions from professional bodies and considers the long-term impact of the decision. Tom Herbert looks at the shift in focus from vendors and investors, from small business cloud accounting to the mid-market. He breaks down what “mid-market” means, why interest is growing and how the competition is shaping up.
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3 weeks ago | 
accountingweb.co.uk | Molly Macfarlane
Amy Park (pictured left), who qualified as a chartered accountant at Robson Laidler Accountants in 2006, has recently taken on a new leadership role as co-managing director. Colleague Nick Wilson joins her, as they both take over from former MD Graham Purvis.
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1 month ago | 
accountingweb.co.uk | Molly Macfarlane
After attending six events this year, Tom Herbert wraps up the spring events season and shares what stood out. Suggesting there’s been a big push around software that sorts, stores and manages data, Herbert looks at why there’s an increased interest and whether firms actually want it or whether it’s a way for vendors to justify their generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) investments.
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1 month ago | 
accountingweb.co.uk | Molly Macfarlane
As a partner in Albert Goodman’s farms and estates team, Tom Stone (pictured left), leads a portfolio of farming and landed estate clients, offering advice on everything from inheritance tax planning to long-term succession strategies. His days are a mix of detailed tax work, meetings and leadership but also include morning walks with his labrador and moments to relax at home.
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1 month ago | 
accountingweb.co.uk | Molly Macfarlane
Stuart Noakes, head of tax and partner at Carpenter Box, has led the firm’s tax team for 21 years. In 2024, his team won an Accounting Excellence Award for Tax Team of the Year, showing their commitment to outstanding client service and technical expertise. He said, “Carpenter Box has been around for over 100 years now.
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1 month ago | 
accountingweb.co.uk | Molly Macfarlane
While many companies have seen increased productivity and employee wellbeing from embracing a more flexible setup, a growing number are starting to pull people back into the office. Grant Thornton’s latest Business Outlook Tracker showed that 71% of mid-sized UK businesses use a hybrid model. Most say it’s working well, with over 80% reporting improvements in both performance and staff wellbeing. Despite these benefits, 85% still want employees to return to the office.
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1 month ago | 
accountingweb.co.uk | Molly Macfarlane
Uncertainty is daunting, and businesses are constantly being tested with new and unexpected challenges. The pandemic was a powerful reminder of just how quickly everything can be turned upside down. Some businesses rose to the challenge, while others struggled to keep up and ultimately fell behind. For Peter Ellington (pictured left), founder and CEO of Triple Bottom Line Accounting (TBLA), the pandemic was a key moment that reinforced the power of putting clients first.
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1 month ago | 
accountingweb.co.uk | Molly Macfarlane
The 7th June 2026, when Europe must implement the Pay Transparency Directive, is not far away. The legislation officially came into force in June 2023, but member states were given three years to get it sorted – and time’s nearly up. The main changes include the fact that salary ranges must be shared before interviews, employers can’t ask candidates what they currently earn, employees will have the right to see average pay by gender and pay confidentiality clauses will be scrapped.
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1 month ago | 
accountingweb.co.uk | Molly Macfarlane
Audit continues to face significant challenges, with little sign of pressure easing. Tough regulations, corporate failures and a widening gap between small firms and audit regulators remain at the heart of the audit’s challenges. These aren’t new issues. They’re the same concerns Steve Collings, audit and technical partner at Leavitt Walmsley Associates Ltd and Accounting Excellence judge, highlighted when AccountingWEB spoke with him last year.
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1 month ago | 
accountingweb.co.uk | Molly Macfarlane
Just ahead of the bank holiday, the government released a surprise spring tax update. Richard Hattersley breaks down the key announcements, including the delay to the mandation of payrolling benefits and updates to the CEST tool. He also looks at proposed simplifications, such as helping businesses integrate gov.uk guidance with their AI products.
