Articles
Practical guides for people running UK businesses. Every article lists its sources, so you can check what we say.
HR and rota
Employee records: what to keep and for how long in the UK
A plain guide to the staff records UK employers must keep: payroll for 3 years, holiday for 6, and right to work checks for 2 years after someone leaves.
7 November 2026Holiday records: the rule every UK employer now has to follow
Since April 2026, UK employers must keep holiday records for six years, and failing to can be a criminal offence. What to record and how to do it simply.
7 November 2026Holiday for irregular-hours and part-year workers: the 12.07% rule
If your staff work variable hours or only part of the year, holiday builds up at 12.07% of hours worked. Who it covers, how to round it, and rolled-up pay.
7 November 2026Building a legal rota: the UK working time rules that matter
The rules to check before you publish a rota: rest breaks, 11 hours between shifts, a weekly day off and the 48-hour average, with practical examples.
7 November 2026Statutory Sick Pay after April 2026: what changed for employers
Statutory Sick Pay now starts on the first day of sickness, and there is no minimum earnings test. What changed in April 2026 and how to handle absence well.
7 November 2026UK holiday entitlement explained, with worked examples
How much paid holiday UK workers are entitled to, how to work it out for part-time staff, how bank holidays fit in, and what notice each side must give.
7 November 2026Quotes and signing
The 14-day cancellation rule every UK tradesperson should know
Agree a job in a customer's home and they may have 14 days to cancel. Forget to tell them, and it can run for a year and be a criminal offence. What to do.
7 November 2026Are electronic signatures legal in the UK? A guide for small businesses
Electronic signatures are generally valid in England and Wales, but some documents have extra rules. What the Law Commission says and where to take care.
7 November 2026Quote or estimate: what you are really promising a UK customer
What you write on a quote can become part of the contract. How to word quotes and estimates so customers know what they will pay, and disputes are less likely.
7 November 2026VAT on quotes: how small UK businesses should show it
When you must register for VAT, what your invoices must show, how to work out the VAT inside a price, and how to word quotes so nobody gets a nasty surprise.
7 November 2026Lead generation
Google Business Profile: how small UK businesses get found locally
What actually decides local results on Google, how to set up a Business Profile properly, the rules on service areas and virtual offices, and what to avoid.
7 November 2026How fast should you reply to a new enquiry? What the research shows
One study found 23% of companies never replied to a web enquiry, and those replying within the hour did far better. What that means for a small UK business.
7 November 2026UK email marketing rules: who you can contact, and how
Limited companies and sole traders are treated differently under UK email marketing rules. What PECR allows, what soft opt-in means and how it is enforced.
7 November 2026WhatsApp for your business: the app, the platform and the rules
The difference between the WhatsApp Business app and the Business Platform, what messages cost, when you need permission, and how usernames may change things.
7 November 2026Sales and admin
How long to keep business records for HMRC
Sole traders, limited companies and employers have different rules on keeping records. A plain guide to the time limits, the penalties and how to store them.
7 November 2026Late payment: your legal right to charge interest in the UK
When a business pays late, you can claim statutory interest at 8% plus base rate and a fixed recovery sum. When a payment counts as late, and how to ask for it.
7 November 2026Making Tax Digital for Income Tax: who it affects and when
Sole traders and landlords over £50,000 are already in. The limit drops to £30,000 in 2027 and £20,000 in 2028. What it means for your records and software.
7 November 2026The weekly numbers every multi-site business owner should check
If you run more than one shop, café or site, these are the sales numbers worth checking each week, how to compare sites fairly and what to do about them.
7 November 2026Websites and search
Core Web Vitals in plain English: is your website fast enough?
The three measures Google uses for page experience, the targets to aim for, how to check your site for free, and what usually slows a small business site down.
7 November 2026SEO basics for a small business website, straight from Google
What Google actually says helps a small business site get found, how long it takes, what AI answers change, and the shortcuts that can get you into trouble.
7 November 2026What must a UK business website legally show?
Company details, contact information, a privacy notice and cookie rules: the legal basics every UK business website needs, with a simple checklist.
7 November 2026Security and privacy
Cyber Essentials for small businesses: what it covers and why it helps
Four in ten UK businesses reported a cyber attack last year, mostly phishing. The five Cyber Essentials controls in plain English, and what to do first.
7 November 2026UK GDPR for small businesses: the basics that actually matter
The seven data protection principles in plain English, the ICO fee, what to do in a data breach and the small changes that cover most of what you need.
7 November 2026Scope 3
Scope 3 data quality: why better numbers beat better dashboards
A Scope 3 figure is only as good as the data under it. Spend-based and activity-based methods, how to be honest about uncertainty and where to improve first.
7 November 2026Scope 3 reporting in the UK: who actually has to do it?
UK Sustainability Reporting Standards are voluntary for now, but big buyers and government contracts already ask for Scope 3 data. Where UK firms stand today.
7 November 2026Tell us what is slowing your business down.
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