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Financial Insights
Cash flow, forecasting and reporting for UK business owners. No jargon, just clarity.
How to Read a Balance Sheet: The Five Lines That Actually Matter
A balance sheet runs to dozens of lines, and five tell you almost everything. Which five, what order to read them in, and the one sum worth doing.
Read article →Companies House Deadlines: What You Owe, When, and What Happens If You Are Late
Four deadlines come from one date, owed to two organisations. Which two to look up rather than calculate, and why your tax is due before your return.
Read article →Customer Concentration: How Many Customers Is Too Few?
A share of sales alone cannot tell you whether you are exposed. How to work it out over the right window, and the test that answers the real question.
Read article →What Counts as a Good Gross Margin? Why There Is No Table to Look It Up In
There is no published UK gross margin figure by industry, and the reasons are worth knowing. Here are three comparisons that work instead.
Read article →What an Employee Really Costs: Employer NI, Pension, and the Allowance Nobody Mentions
The salary times 1.4 rule is wrong in both directions. Employer NI, the pension band and the Employment Allowance, worked through on three salaries.
Read article →Five Bookkeeping Mistakes That Make Your Numbers Lie to You
A set of books can balance and still tell you the wrong thing. Five errors that pass year end and quietly make your management numbers wrong for months.
Read article →What a Bank Actually Wants to See Before Approving a Loan
The documents a lender asks for all answer one of four questions. Know the questions and you can work out what your own numbers will say before you apply.
Read article →Debtor Days: What Is Normal for Your Industry?
UK small businesses wait 29.1 days on average to be paid. Nobody publishes debtor days by industry, but what your customers' sectors take to pay is published.
Read article →How to Build a Rolling 13 Week Cashflow Forecast (Step by Step)
A practical guide to building a rolling 13 week cashflow forecast in a spreadsheet, with a worked example and the four mistakes that make one useless.
Read article →How to Spot a Customer Who Is About to Stop Paying You
A customer heading for trouble often slows down first. Here are the signals that show up in your own invoice ledger weeks earlier, and how to check for them.
Read article →UK Small Business Tax Dates 2026: Every Deadline You Need to Know
Every tax deadline for UK sole traders and limited companies in 2026. Corporation tax, self assessment, VAT, PAYE, and more.
Read article →HMRC Payment on Account Explained: What It Is and How to Plan for It
HMRC payment on account explained in plain English. What it is, how it is calculated, when it is due, and how to make sure you have the cash ready.
Read article →How to Read a Cashflow Statement in Plain English
Cashflow statement explained for UK business owners. What the three sections mean, how it differs from a P&L, and what to look for.
Read article →What is Cashflow Forecasting and Why Does Your UK Business Need It?
Most businesses don’t fail because they’re unprofitable. They fail because they run out of cash. Here’s how cashflow forecasting prevents that.
Read article →How to Chase Overdue Invoices in the UK Without Damaging Relationships
A practical guide to chasing late-paying clients. When to chase, what to say, how to escalate, and how to prevent it happening again.
Read article →Do I Need a CFO for My Small Business?
A full-time CFO costs £150k+. A fractional FD costs £1,500/month. Here’s what you actually need, and what the alternatives are.
Read article →How to Prepare Management Accounts for Your Small Business
A practical guide to preparing monthly management accounts. What to include, how to structure them, and how to make them useful.
Read article →How to Read a Profit and Loss Statement (Without an Accounting Degree)
Your P&L tells a story about your business. Here’s how to read it in plain English: revenue, costs, margins, and what to watch for.
Read article →Can I Afford to Hire Another Employee? How to Work Out the Real Cost
The true cost of hiring in the UK is more than just salary. Employer NI, pension, equipment, and the cashflow impact explained.
Read article →Best Xero Add-Ons for UK Small Businesses in 2026
The most useful Xero add-ons for UK SMEs. Cashflow forecasting, expense management, inventory, payroll, and financial reporting tools that connect to Xero.
Read article →When Should You Hire a Finance Director for Your Business?
Signs you need a finance director, what to expect them to do, the cost, and whether a fractional FD or software might be a better fit.
Read article →Why Most UK Small Businesses Run Out of Cash (And How to Avoid It)
82% of UK business failures cite cashflow as the reason. Here are the 5 most common causes and what you can do about each one.
Read article →Xero vs a CFO: What’s the Difference and Do You Need Both?
Xero records your transactions. A CFO tells you what they mean. Here’s why having both (or an AI that bridges the gap) transforms your decision-making.
Read article →Stop guessing. Start knowing.
Reading about your numbers is one thing. Seeing them is another.
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