- "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
SMEs 'fear' returns and the taxman, says report
Small businesses worry about filling in tax returns correctly and dealing with HMRC, according to a report carried out for the tax authority.
The survey, which focused on smaller businesses employing fewer than ten people with a turnover of less than £1 million, found there was an underlying 'fear' of getting things wrong and were haunted by the possibility of inquiries from the taxman.
While anxiety was most common for new owners, the problem persists throughout the lifetime of a business.
Just under half of small businesses worry that they may have made a mistake with their tax form even though they keep good records and are careful when filling it in, while nearly a quarter found filing their tax returns difficult.
Around 28 per cent worry about being investigated and fined for mistakes they may have made.
However, the research, undertaken by The Futures Company on behalf of HMRC and the Office of Tax Simplification, said that many businesses often found the experience of dealing with HMRC 'less scary' and more positive than anticipated.
Horror stories about inquiries and fear of penalties 'can make small business owners overly anxious', said the report.
Tax advisers are used by 42 per cent of those surveyed because they view tax as too complicated to do it alone and also because it saves time. Anxiety levels were slightly lower for those who use an agent to help with tax administration, with 62 per cent saying they would always want to use an adviser to assist them.
Nearly half of small businesses struggle with expenses and want a simpler system to calculate claimable expenses.
A consultation into simplifying income tax and expenses for small businesses closed last month, in a Government response to concerns that red-tape is hampering businesses achieve growth.
We can help with tax returns. Please talk to us to find out more.