A ‘Budget for the ages’. That was the billing for Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rachel Reeves’s first Budget announcement. And, while there were few optimists ahead of the forecast, the Chancellor's decision to raise £40 billion in taxes certainly raised eyebrows throughout the House of Commons and up and down the country.
Politics aside, the government’s Budget will have clear implications for businesses – namely those small-to-medium sized – across the UK. Like any Budget announcement, those business owners will now turn to their accountants or bookkeepers to help them navigate the next steps.
In this blog, we’ll be summarising all of the key talking points from the Budget, and provide clear guidance on what this means for accountants and bookkeepers and their clients.
Before we look at the impact the Budget might have on you and your firm, let’s take a look at some of the key takeaways. In short, the Budget promises to ensure stability and growth through a mix of spending cuts, tax increases, and targeted investments in key sectors. Here are some of the key points for each audience.
Small-to-medium-sized businesses will face a number of new challenges. Employers are set to raise close to £25 billion of the total £40 billion through Employers National Insurance payments, and with increased national minimum and living wages, many will be forced to rethink how they recruit and manage employees.
Of course, these additional costs will force businesses to reassess in an attempt to mitigate the significant cost they’re set to absorb. And there are already early concerns over a potential increase in the number of non-payroll employees.
The government has stuck to its manifesto by maintaining PAYE and NI (besides the increase to Employers NI). However, there were some surprises on things like Capital Gains Tax and Agricultural property relief.
The Budget was packed full of both the expected and unexpected. VAT on private school fees – a hot talking point in the press in recent months – is going ahead as planned. There are also further administrative changes for tax practitioners, and additional funding to recruit HMRC compliance officers and debt management officers. This is largely down to the fact that HMRC believes there is ‘cash to collect’, which would explain further investment into counter-fraud capacity.
In the context of MTD for ITSA, there are few updates. The only major announcement was that the income threshold will be lowered to £20,000; when that will come into play is still to be decided. Of course, this will bring more individuals under the mandate. Accountants and bookkeepers must be prepared to answer a range of questions.
The good news is that in the forecast there is a clear commitment to MTD for ITSA and the modernisation of HMRC’s systems. Based on that, firms can expect little to no disruption in the run-up to April 2026 (we hope).
The Budget brings a mix of adjustments that accountants and bookkeepers must address as they help small businesses navigate rising costs and new financial reliefs. Notably, the adjusted employer National Insurance threshold, dropping from £9,100 to £5,000, will affect cash flow, along with the increase to National Minimum Wage. Although the increase to the Employment Allowance will provide some relief for smaller businesses.
The extension of the Enterprise Investment Scheme provides vital growth opportunities for businesses. However, the increase in the CGT rate relating to Business Asset Disposal Relief may impact entrepreneurship. In addition to this, the Government’s plan to expand Making Tax Digital for Income Tax Self Assessment to those with incomes above £20,000 signals a deeper commitment to digital transformation.
Accountants can support clients through this shift, as well as assist with the upcoming e-invoicing consultation, aimed at establishing standards and boosting adoption. Ultimately, in today’s climate, automation and AI-driven tools are essential for accountants to manage these changes efficiently. By streamlining manual tasks and offering timely insights, technology allows them to provide strategic, data-driven guidance; keeping small businesses resilient and prepared to meet evolving demands.
If you’d like to learn more about how Dext can support you and your clients through these challenges, we’d love to hear from you. Click below to find out more.