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Monthly updates from Laytons.

Deadlines, tax changes and practice news, in plain English. A new notice is posted at the start of each month.

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Latest
Practice news
November 5, 2026

Welcome, Ogden Townsend clients: we’re joining forces

Macclesfield firm Ogden Townsend is joining Laytons as Alan Ogden prepares to retire.

We’re delighted to share that, since July 2026, Laytons has been working with Alan Ogden to bring his practice, Ogden Townsend, into Laytons. Ogden Townsend is a well-respected Macclesfield firm that has looked after small businesses and individuals across Cheshire since 1999. All of Ogden Townsend’s clients are moving across to Laytons, and once the handover is complete, Alan will be enjoying a well-earned retirement.

Alan qualified as a Chartered Certified Accountant in 1988 and has built a firm known for friendly, jargon-free advice and going the extra mile. That’s exactly how we like to work too, so it feels like a natural fit. We’d like to thank Alan for trusting us with his clients, and wish him a very happy retirement.

We’re also pleased to welcome Alan’s daughter, Hilary, who has joined the Laytons team as our Admin Services Assistant.

And at the risk of sounding too much like an episode of Suits, we’ll be keeping our one-word name. We’re still just Laytons, not the slightly word-heavy Laytons Ogden Townsend.

If you’re an Ogden Townsend client

  • Alan is handing over your work personally. You’ll already have heard from him, and he’s working closely with us so your records, deadlines and history come across smoothly.
  • The same services continue. Accounts, tax returns, VAT, payroll and company secretarial work all carry on as normal.
  • Alan’s office stays open for now. The Jordangate office in Macclesfield will remain open in the immediate term while the handover takes place. After that, all work will be handled from our office at 6 Manchester Road, Buxton SK17 6SB.
  • Your deadlines are covered. We’ll make sure nothing is missed during the handover, including the 31 January Self Assessment deadline.

If you’re an existing Laytons client

Nothing changes for you. You’ll keep the same team and the same service. We’re simply welcoming some new faces to the Laytons family.

Questions? Give us a call on 01298 77997 or email reception@laytons-ca.co.uk and we’ll be happy to help.

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Tax update
November 2, 2026

The Autumn Budget: what it means for you (and why there’s no need to panic)

Very little has changed for most clients. Here’s what matters for your business, income tax and capital gains.

The Chancellor delivered the Autumn Budget on 28 October. If you’ve seen the headlines and felt a bit uneasy, the good news is that for most of our clients, very little changes. There were no rises to the main rates of income tax, National Insurance, corporation tax, VAT or capital gains tax. Most of the changes don’t start until April 2027, so there’s plenty of time to plan.

Here’s what’s worth knowing.

Income tax: steady as she goes

The main income tax rates and the personal allowance stay as they are. The thresholds remain frozen, as already announced, so there’s nothing new to factor in for most people on salary or business profits. Dividend tax rates are also unchanged from the rates that came in this April.

Landlords and savers

This is the one change that will affect some of you. From 6 April 2027, tax on property income and savings interest will be charged at 24%, 44% and 49%, rather than 20%, 40% and 45%. If you own rental property personally, it’s worth a conversation about what this means for you, but there’s no need to make any rushed decisions. We’ll be in touch with landlord clients well before April 2027.

Sole traders and small businesses

  • Trading allowance: rising from £1,000 to £3,000 from April 2027. Good news if you have a small side income.
  • Business rates: in England, full small business rate relief will reach eligible properties with a rateable value up to £18,000 (up from £12,000) from April 2027.
  • Mileage: the rate for business miles over 10,000 a year rises from 25p to 35p from April 2027.
  • Making Tax Digital: the timetable is unchanged. If you join in April 2027, there are no late filing penalties for your first four quarterly updates.

Selling a business or assets

The main capital gains tax rates are unchanged. The one change is to Business Asset Disposal Relief, which gives a lower rate when you sell all or part of a business. From 6 April 2027, the lifetime limit falls from £1 million to £500,000 of gains. If you’re planning a sale in the next year or so, talk to us about timing. For everyone else, nothing changes.

Employers

The National Living Wage rises to £13.21 an hour from April 2027. Employer National Insurance rates are unchanged.

Further ahead

From April 2029, Self Assessment payments on account will move to smaller, more regular payments through the year, rather than two lump sums. HMRC will consult first, and we’ll keep you posted.

Our advice: stay calm

Budgets always bring a flurry of headlines, but this one is largely about fine-tuning rather than big shifts. You don’t need to do anything right now. If you’re a landlord, planning to sell a business, or just want some peace of mind, give us a call or mention it at your next meeting and we’ll talk it through.

Talk to us about the Budget