- "In the last 20 years our business has changed considerably…and as the focus of our business has changed, Bird Luckin have moved with us."
Alex Tanner, George Tanner (Shalford) Ltd - "Bird Luckin has looked after us incredibly well for over 60 years, they are pro-active and innovational - meeting all our needs to help us achieve our aims."
Richard Stubbings, Cliffords Limited - "I can honestly say that Bird Luckin are the best firm of accountants and auditors I have ever dealt with - and I don't say that lightly!"
Colin Webb, Walthamstow Stadium - "It's important for us to know that we will always be able to contact the right people to give us the right advice and support."
Jane Bennett, Bennetts Funeral Directors - "Although we deal mainly with one Partner … we also know that if we need to contact someone else who is a specialist in another area, we can get the advice we need quickly and easily"
Jeremy Ruggles, J.S. Wright & Sons Ltd - "Bird Luckin got us to a stage which would have taken us months - if not years - to reach on our own, and they got us there in a matter of weeks"
Matthew Sullivan, SNC Ltd - "You can be a good accountant, but if you don't have an understanding of the industry it can be very difficult. "There are two or three people we have regular contact with at Bird Luckin who know our business well, and it makes a difference.""
Robert Church, W A Church (Bures) Ltd - "The work which Bird Luckin has done for Boddingtons over the past few months has helped shape our future direction for the better."
John Warner, Chief Executive, Boddingtons Ltd - "Bird Luckin has acted for us since our inception 10 years ago. They have a very 'can do' yet highly professional attitude - we are very appreciative of their support and advice over the years."
Marlon Fox, Outlook Property Ltd
Employment and PAYE
It was widely expected that the spending review would focus on welfare funding. One of the areas to be affected by the cuts is employment.
Claims for the contributory Employment Support Allowance are to be limited to 12 months for those in the work related activity group.
This is likely to have an impact on some 1 million claimants.
Household welfare payments, as has already been announced, are to be capped at around £500, which is estimated to be median earnings for households after tax.
However, the Chancellor announced that the Working Tax Credit is to be exempted from the cap.
As from April 2011, the basic and 30-hour elements of the Working Tax Credit is to be frozen for three years. After that, it will rise by the rate of inflation as determined by the Consumer Prices Index.
From April 2011, the proportion of costs covered by the childcare element of the Working Tax Credit will fall from 80 per cent to 70 per cent of costs.
In future, real time PAYE information will be used to update the tax authorities on tax credit calculations. It is estimated that linking real time details on earnings and tax credits will help to eliminate errors and overpayments, so saving £300 million by 2014/15.
A new universal credit is to be phased in over the next two Parliaments which will replace the current system of benefits. The government hopes that the new tapered single payment will encoirage more people to seek employment.
The Department for Work and Pensions is to cut its core budget by 26 per cent in real terms by 2014/15.
Some of the savings will come from dropping trhe present welfare-to-work programmes with a single new Work Programme.
The DWP is also to stop issuing national insurance cards and will send out letters with the relevant information instead.