I cannot believe that it’s already April.  If, like me, you have have been affected by COVID either medically, professionally or for any other reason, then chances are you’re struggling a bit even if you’re past the worst.  God Bless to anyone who is struggling and THANK YOU AGAIN AND AGAIN TO THE CARERS AND HEALERS, THE MANY DIFFERENT SUPPORT STAFF, EVEN IF ALL YOU HAVE DONE IS TO LEND AN EAR TO SOMEONE WHO NEEDS A BIT OF CARE AND SUPPORT.  

I’m very proud of my sister and niece, both of whom specialize in care for the elderly.  But it doesn’t matter whether you’re on the frontline or cleaning up the mess after somebody has passed away.  You’re all amazing and thank you!

Your queries

On the business side of things, thank you all for the amazing queries you post on the site.  I’m sorry I can’t always answer each one in any detail and sometimes they are overlooked.  But to put it into perspective, it usually takes at least 10 – 15 minutes to read and reply to each query.  That doesn’t sound a lot, but if you add in the number of queries that come via email, it takes a lot of time. I want to help as much as possible, but with all the will in the world I simply can’t answer them all.

I know that a lot of you buy my books, which really are the best place for information – and thank you for the purchase.  One thing with the queries is that very often, they are a bit unclear, talking about sales and purchase of assets, accounting issues and other aspects that aren’t directly VAT related.  VAT is a difficult subject, but remember that at it’s essence, it is a tax on the sale of goods and service.  If you’re asking about the accounting treatment, you may need some help from your accountant.  I may know a bit about VAT, but I’m not omnipotent, never mind how many times I try to convince friends and family!

In practice, if your query lasts longer than a couple of simple paragraphs, chances are you really should to pay for my advice anyway!  If your “simple query” lasts longer then it isn’t simple.  There’s definitely a bit of “taking the michael” sometimes when I look at a query that is 3 – 4 paragraphs long and contains enough stuff for the next, yet unheard of series of “Downton Abbey” (other long and historical dramas are available).

Booking system

We’re nearly ready to implement our new consultation booking system where you can book 15 minutes of my very” valuable time (or so I’ve been told!) for an initial free telephone consultation.  So keep an eye out for the system going live.

Reverse charge for sub-contractors services

I realise that I still haven’t posted my briefing note on the new reverse charge for sub-contractors services.  To be honest, I started writing it a couple of years ago as a free supplement to my property books and needs a couple of hours to finish.  But do check out HMRC’s guidance about the subject here https://tinyurl.com/j997sn2b – it is technical but they have done their best to explain the rules in everyday English.

Prince Philip: You will be missed, Sir!  

I’m not the most sentimental of people, but I was brought to tears by the announcement of the passing of Prince Philip.  He and the Queen have been the main pillars of our British lives for so long and all of my life, they really have shaped generations, including those yet to come.   Of course his main role was to support the Queen, which he carried out with refreshing and dashing aplomb and his very own, unique style.  What an amazing life! He was one of those public figures who clearly enjoyed knowledge and had an incredible sense of humour.  And of course, many of my generation and younger people benefited enormously from his Awards Scheme.

I had intended to include a picture of the Prince in this post, and would happily have done so if the payment went to a good cause or one of his interests.  But everything I could find seems to be subject to the normal commercial royalty and somehow I don’t think he would be terribly amused at the idea of paying to post his picture!

But it doesn’t really matter – we remember him and we’re going to miss him.

And God Bless the Queen and her family as they come to terms with his loss.

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