Another 31st January has been and gone, and let’s be honest for a moment…
How many of you were still working on your tax return late into the evening on deadline day?
How many hit “submit” with seconds to spare?
How many are now facing a late payment, or thinking about asking HMRC for a Time to Pay arrangement?
If you’re nodding along… you’re not alone. Not even close.
In fact, we’d go as far as saying it’s probably more common than you think. And yes, we even suspect there may be a few accountants out there (not naming any names…) who have been guilty of this on their own returns in the past.
It happens. Life gets busy. Work comes first. Admin slips down the list.
But with big changes coming, now is the time to get ahead of it.
With Making Tax Digital on the Way, Things Are Changing
Over the coming years, Making Tax Digital will affect more self-employed people and sole traders.
For many, this means moving towards more regular reporting, better record keeping and fewer opportunities to “sort it all out in January”.
This change can feel daunting, but done properly, it actually creates more clarity and control. Instead of surprises, you know where you stand. Instead of panic, you can plan.
And that’s exactly how it should feel.
A Simple Way to Avoid the January Scramble
One of our clients has a habit that makes a huge difference. Every month, when she gets paid, she moves money straight into her HMRC tax account. No delays. No excuses. No “I’ll do it later”.
She does this religiously.
Before that, she used to save into a separate bank account. But like many business owners, she’d dip into it when cash was tight. Then January would arrive… and the panic would begin.
Now, the money is already gone.
It’s allocated. It’s out of reach. It’s doing its job.
And the result?
- A much calmer January.
- No last-minute scrambling.
- No stress about finding thousands of pounds.
Even though she still swears every year that “next time” her return will be done by the end of April. (Some habits die hard!)
Expanding Our Support for Self-Employed Businesses
At the moment, Insight does not offer full bookkeeping and tax services for self-employed and sole traders.
But that is changing.
We are currently expanding our team and our capacity so that we can begin supporting more sole traders and self-employed business owners properly, in the same way we support our existing clients.
We don’t believe in offering a service until we know we can deliver it well. This expansion is about doing it properly, not quickly.
It’s part of our wider goal to make high-quality, stress-free financial support accessible to more people.
Our Aim: Confident, Compliant Businesses
Whether you’re a limited company, a growing business, or a sole trader, the principle is the same.
You deserve to:
- Understand your numbers
- Stay compliant
- Avoid last-minute stress
- Feel confident about your finances
Too many business owners feel anxious about tax and bookkeeping. It shouldn’t be that way.
With the right systems and support, finances become something you manage calmly, not something you worry about.
Looking Ahead
If this year’s Self Assessment felt rushed…
If you’re concerned about future deadlines…
If Making Tax Digital feels confusing…
If you’d like things to feel more organised…
Our upcoming expansion is designed with you in mind.
Over the coming months, we’ll be opening up tailored support for self-employed and sole traders who want clear, practical, and reliable financial guidance.
No jargon. No judgement. No unnecessary complexity.
Just solid support that works.
Let’s Make Running Your Business Feel Easier
If you’re self-employed or a sole trader in Bakewell, Derbyshire, or the surrounding areas and would like to be kept informed about our upcoming services, we’d love to hear from you.
Our aim is simple, to help more people feel confident, compliant, and in control of their business finances.
Because everyone deserves stress-free finances. Get in touch today for a clear, honest conversation with our team.
