Guides
Plain explanations of the things people ask us about most — what a rule actually says, what a process involves, and what it costs to get wrong.
Translation
What makes a translation "certified", and when do you need one?
There is no UK government register of sworn translators, which surprises people who have dealt with other countries. Here is what the institution receiving your document is actually looking for.
- Accounting & TaxA letter arrived from HMRC. What now?Most of these letters are not what people fear they are. Telling the four kinds apart takes about a minute and changes what you should do next.
- Accounting & TaxWhen do I have to register for VAT?The answer almost never depends on your tax year, and that is the part most people get wrong. Here is how the test actually works, and the two ways it can catch you.
- Legal ServicesHow to check whether the professional you found is actually regulatedAnyone may call themselves a consultant or an adviser. For some work that is fine; for immigration and litigation it is a criminal matter. Here is how to check in five minutes.
- Business SupportThe first five decisions when setting up a UK companyRegistering takes an afternoon. Four of these five decisions are difficult or expensive to reverse afterwards, and most people make them in that same afternoon without noticing.