September is here; the kids are back at school, the leaves are just starting to turn, and for accountants across the UK, it means a new batch of tax and reporting deadlines are lining up like buses (and often arriving all at once). Miss one, and you risk HMRC penalties, client panic, and a flurry of “urgent” emails at 4:59 pm on a Friday. 

To help you stay on track (and keep your clients stress-free), we’ve compiled this September compliance checklist with key HMRC dates and some practical tips to keep the month running smoothly. 

1. VAT Returns – 7 September 2025

What’s due?
VAT returns and payments for the quarter ending 31 July 2025 (plus any monthly filers with additional deadlines). 

What to watch out for:
HMRC is all about electronic payments now – cheques are a thing of the past (like floppy disks and dial-up tones). Make sure your clients know that cleared funds are what count, not “we sent it yesterday”. 

Supportive tip:
Encourage your clients to submit and pay early where possible. Not only does this avoid the mad scramble, but it gives them time to sort out any surprises before the deadline looms. A gentle reminder email now can save a frantic phone call later. 

2. PAYE & NIC (Including CIS Deductions) – 22 September 2025 (19th if by post)

What’s due?
PAYE, Class 1 NIC, and Construction Industry Scheme deductions for the period ending 5 September 2025. 

What to watch out for:
The electronic payment deadline is 22 September, but for the handful of clients still sending things by post (yes, they exist), the cut-off is 19 September. 

Supportive tip:
Remind clients to set up Direct Debits or schedule payments in advance. Weekends and bank holidays have a habit of sneaking up, and HMRC doesn’t do “oops, it was the weekend” extensions. 

3. Corporation Tax – 30 September 2025

What’s due?
Corporation Tax payments for companies with year-ends of 31 December 2024. 

What to watch out for:
BACS, CHAPS, online banking – all fine, but processing times vary. Leaving it to the last minute is a recipe for unnecessary penalties (and accountant-induced eye rolls). 

Supportive tip:
Get ahead of the game: send your clients a friendly nudge early in the month to allow plenty of time for funds to clear. Late payment penalties on Corporation Tax can escalate faster than a client saying, “It’s just a quick question…” 

4. Self-Assessment Payments on Account – Rolling Checks

What’s due?
For any clients who missed the 31 July 2025 deadline for their second payment on account, late payment interest is already ticking away. 

What to watch out for:
HMRC won’t send them a polite reminder (you’re the polite reminder). 

Supportive tip:
Use September as a checkpoint month: follow up, make a plan, and help them avoid surcharges or debt collection headaches down the line. Sometimes, a simple payment plan conversation now can prevent a much louder conversation later. 

5. Advisory Fuel Rates – Effective 1 September 2025

What’s new?
HMRC’s updated advisory fuel rates for company car drivers are now in effect. 

What to watch out for:
Mileage claims, expense systems, and policies may all need a quick refresh to ensure compliance. 

Supportive tip:
Advise your clients to review their internal policies and update expense templates. A five-minute tweak now beats a month of correcting expense claims after the fact. 

Planning Makes Perfect 

September tends to be a busy month in practice life – but with the right planning, you can keep your clients compliant, penalty-free, and happy. Proactive reminders, early submissions, and a well-timed phone call can save everyone a headache (and you a weekend of unnecessary stress). 

At Capium, we’re here to help you streamline the admin and keep deadlines firmly under control. Our digital tools make VAT, payroll, and Corporation Tax submissions simpler and faster – leaving you more time to grow your practice (or at least enjoy that cup of tea before it goes cold). 

Try Capium free today or give us a call on 020 3322 5578 to see how we can help you stay ahead this September. 

The post September Compliance Checklist for Accountants: Your Guide to Staying Ahead appeared first on capium.

Proper planning can mean significant tax savings and improved financial health for your clients, and the complexities of the UK tax system mean that the professional guidance of an accountant is essential.  

At Capium, we’re here to empower accountants with the tools you need to offer that expert advice. Here are some top tax planning tips for 2024 to share with your clients. 

Take advantage of the Annual Investment Allowance (AIA) 

The AIA allows businesses to deduct the full value of qualifying capital expenditure from their profits. This is particularly beneficial for businesses planning to invest in new equipment or machinery, as it can significantly reduce their taxable profits. 

Details to highlight:   

Make sure your clients understand that the £1 million AIA limit will continue throughout the 2024/25 tax year. Encourage them to time their investments to fully utilise this allowance, as expenditure exceeding the limit will be subject to the standard capital allowances, which provide less immediate tax relief. 

Capital Gains Tax (CGT) planning 

For 2024/25, the CGT allowance has been significantly reduced. The tax-free allowance for individuals is now £3,000, down from £6,000 in the previous year. For trustees, the allowance is even lower at £1,500. This reduction means that more gains will be subject to tax, increasing the importance of careful planning. 

Details to highlight:   

Advise your clients on strategies to minimise CGT, such as utilising the annual exemption, spreading disposals across tax years, or making use of losses to offset gains. Capium’s tax planning tools can help track and forecast gains, allowing for more effective tax management. 

Maximise Research and Development (R&D) tax relief 

R&D tax relief remains a powerful incentive for businesses engaged in innovation, and the government announced that this year the two core R&D scheme – SME and RDEC – would be merged to keep things simple, with a headline rate of relief of 20%. 

Details to highlight:  

Ensure your clients understand how the new merged scheme differs from the two previous schemes, and that qualifying R&D activities can include work done to overcome scientific or technological uncertainties, even if the project does not succeed. Capium’s software can assist in documenting these activities accurately, making the claims process smoother. 

Plan for pension contributions

The pension annual allowance remains at £60,000 for 2024/25, with a tapered reduction for high earners. Contributions within this limit are deductible from profits, reducing the overall tax liability. However, the pensions lifetime allowance has been abolished and replaced with two new measures. 

Details to highlight:   

Encourage clients to review their pension arrangements regularly, and explain the new ‘lump sum allowance’ and ‘lump sum and death benefit’. Capium’s payroll software integrates pension contributions seamlessly, making it easier for accountants to manage and advise on pension strategies. 

Proper corporation tax planning 

For the 2024/25 tax year, the main rate of corporation tax is 25% for profits over £250,000. Businesses with profits under £50,000 will continue to pay the lower rate of 19%, and those with profits between these thresholds will face a marginal relief rate. 

Details to highlight: 

Help your clients understand that taxable profits include trading profits, investment income, and chargeable gains. Emphasise that allowable business expenses can be deducted from these profits, thus reducing the overall tax liability. 

Missing corporation tax deadlines can result in penalties, so timely management is crucial. 

Use Capium’s tax management tools to track key dates and automate reminders, ensuring your clients never miss a deadline. This also allows for better cash flow planning, helping clients to set aside funds for their tax liabilities. 

The value of accountants in tax planning 

Accountants play a critical role in helping businesses navigate the complexities of tax legislation. Here’s why your role is indispensable: 

• You’re experts in evolving tax laws – the 2024/25 tax year brings several changes to tax rates and allowances, including a reduction in the dividend allowance to £500 and adjustments to income tax thresholds that clients might not be aware of 

• You’re not just compliance officers – you’re strategic advisors who can leverage your knowledge of tax legislation and financial planning to identify opportunities for tax savings and business growth 

• You help mitigate risk – errors in tax filing can lead to costly penalties; you mitigate these risks by ensuring accuracy and compliance. Capium’s software automates many of these processes, reducing the risk of human error and ensuring that all filings are submitted on time. 

As the 2024/25 tax year progresses, effective tax planning will be essential for your clients’ success. By leveraging your expertise and Capium’s advanced software solutions, you can provide the strategic advice that helps businesses not only meet their tax obligations, but thrive in a competitive market.  

The post Top tips for business tax planning in 2024 to share with your clients appeared first on capium.

One of the best things about the fact that our founders are former accountants is that we really understand the challenges accounting firms face on a day-to-day basis. We’ve been there, we get it, and we’re committed to designing software that genuinely makes your lives easier.  

Our Corporation Tax module is something we’re proud of. We’ve designed it to be slick, easy, and effective to use – removing lots of the niggles that come with preparing and submitting returns – and the accountants we speak to regularly tell us what a difference it’s made to their practice’s approach.  

Here are five reasons why accounting firms love our Corporation Tax module.  

1.Time-saving automation is front and centre 

We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again: automation is one of the single, biggest time-saving factors for accountants today – and utilising software that leverages automation properly is key to reaping its rewards.  

From auto-generating corporation tax forms to auto-iXBRL tagging, our Corporation Tax module handles all the tasks involved in filing corporation tax returns – all with minimal intervention from you. That means a speedier process, and less room for error.  

By highlighting potential issues through pre-submission checks, our module lets you focus on higher-value tasks – rather than getting bogged down by manual data entry or corrections. 

2.Seamless integration and real-time collaboration 

We’ve designed our Capium ecosystem carefully, and integration is a key part of what makes it easy to use. Our Corporation Tax module integrates with other modules, like payroll and bookkeeping, meaning workflows are streamlined and financial data is always synchronised.  

And, because our software is cloud-based, it means you can collaborate with colleagues and clients in real-time, regardless of your location. In real terms, that means enhanced productivity and keeping everyone in the loop – meaning better decision-making and happier clients. 

3.Live submission tracking with HMRC 

Accountants often tell us that the live submission tracking feature is one of the most beneficial elements of our Corporation Tax module.  

Being able to see real-time updates from HMRC means you can monitor submissions easily, and keep clients up to date and informed about the status of their return – meaning less chance of follow ups or enquiries. It’s transparent, straightforward, and helps make managing multiple submissions easier to keep track of. 

4.Support for all variations of CT600 forms 

No two corporation tax submissions look alike, which is why we’ve designed our Corporation Tax module to support all variations of the CT600 forms – including full forms, short forms, and those related to Research and Development claims, too.  

It’s a feature we’ve prioritised – because it eliminates the need to switch between different software or manual processes and means you can accommodate your clients’ needs and tailor your service to your whole client-base – all from within a one-stop-shop system.  

5.Compliance and security: future-proofed 

We all know how important future-proofing is when it comes to accounting tech, which is why we’ve designed our software to comply with both existing regulations (MTD and GDPR), as well as to anticipate and respond to upcoming changes.  

We take data security seriously. Our secure cloud-based servers and strict adherence to data protection protocols mean all your clients’ data is handled securely, giving you the peace of mind to focus on delivering high-quality services without worrying about regulatory pitfalls.  

Ready to get started? 

When it comes to Corporation Tax software, our module offers a robust, efficient, and reliable solution for any accounting practice looking to simplify and streamline its approach. With seamless integration, advanced automation, and real-time collaboration, we’re certain our software will help boost efficiency, accuracy, and client satisfaction. And, with our support team on hand to help you if you need us, there’s no reason not to give us a try.  

Book your free trial today. 

The post Five reasons accounting firms love our Corporation Tax module appeared first on capium.