All companies in the UK, as well as some unincorporated entities, have a duty to prepare and file statutory accounts each year. Many of these accounts will also need to be audited. We can assist with this process to allow the client to spend more time focusing on the business itself.

At Dixon Wilson we have a wealth of expertise and experience in accounts, audit and assurance, as well as financial reporting services to assist you with your business’s annual compliance requirements. We act for a wide range of organisations of varying sizes and across many sectors, including property investment, hotels, media and advertising, estate agency, farming and regulated financial services. Many of our clients are branches or subsidiaries of parent entities all over the world.

We use the latest technology to provide efficient and cost effective audits and financial reporting services. We can also assist you with the preparation of your statutory accounts. We find that providing these services to our clients gives us greater insight into their businesses and this enables us to provide proactive and targeted advice.

Companies and UK resident foreign businesses have a duty to calculate and pay corporation tax on their profits. Businesses may need or may choose to register for VAT and prepare VAT returns and account for any VAT that may be due. From time to time, HM Revenue & Customs may enquire into a business’s tax affairs.

We advise on all aspects of business taxation as well as transactions and more complex issues.

Our services include:

• Cost-effective corporation tax and VAT compliance work involving the preparation of tax returns and computations;
• Assistance with the preparation of computations and disclosures in respect of corporation tax and deferred tax in statutory accounts;
• Dealing with HM Revenue & Customs enquiries including negotiating settlement agreements;
• Strategic advice on mergers, acquisitions and disposals, including advice on the corporation tax, VAT and stamp duty aspects;
• Advice on complex tax issues, including cross-border transactions;
• Advice on structuring a business to raise finance, such as under the Enterprise Investment Scheme;
• Advice on tax-efficient incentive schemes and remuneration packages and share option schemes including the use of EMI options;
• Expertise in the taxation of partnerships and LLPs;
• Advice in relation to VAT partial exemption special methods, including negotiation with HM Revenue & Customs;
• Guidance on how to maximise claims for capital allowances and R&D tax credits.

Where overseas technical knowledge or services are required, we can access these through the good relationships we have built with accountancy firms all over the world.

Companies and entrepreneurs have business objectives that require strategic planning to ensure those objectives are met effectively. Those objectives will often change and develop over the life of a business, as will the need to reassess the strategy for achieving those objectives.

We can provide a tailored range of business consultancy and strategic advice services to help our clients meet their objectives.

This will often include:

• Preparation or review of business plans;
• Assessing working capital needs and cashflow planning;
• Valuation of businesses;
• Remuneration planning and share options;
• Executive and employee pension schemes including self-investment;
• Shareholders’ agreements;
• Negotiating covenants and agreements for banking facilities;
• Structures for groups of companies or ventures between companies;
• Sale or merger of a business;
• Tax efficient extraction of funds from private businesses.

For many businesses it makes commercial sense, particularly in the earlier years, to engage a professional firm of accountants to deal with the day to day accounting and reporting needs of the business. A professional firm will have the resources, expertise and experience to ensure that these functions are carried out accurately and efficiently.

We provide our clients with the full range of support services and have experienced dedicated staff to provide these services in accordance with our clients’ businesses and their needs.

The services we provide include:

• Business incorporations;
• Full bookkeeping services;
• Sales invoicing and checking purchase invoices and arranging payment;
• Cash management including the preparation of budgets and cash flows;
• Preparation of management accounts and business plans;
• Payroll operation including annual PAYE filings;
• VAT compliance and the preparation of returns;
• Company secretarial services.

As our clients grow, we often help them to set up these services in-house. This will typically include advising on suitable accounting software packages (for example Xero, QuickBooks or Sage), the adoption of systems and procedures and the handover of data and records. We can provide assistance with the recruitment of finance staff and we are also well poised to provide temporary assistance should the need arise.