{"id":16910,"date":"2023-11-20T10:00:00","date_gmt":"2023-11-20T10:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/?p=16910"},"modified":"2025-07-14T16:40:17","modified_gmt":"2025-07-14T15:40:17","slug":"improve-your-cash-flow-christmas","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/improve-your-cash-flow-christmas\/","title":{"rendered":"5 ways to improve your cash flow ahead of Christmas"},"content":{"rendered":"<header class=\"entry-header has-dark-background-color entry-header--has-illustration entry-header--has-illustration--generic\">\n\t<div class=\"container\">\n\t\t<div class=\"entry-header__row row align-center\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"col col-lg-7 col-xlg-6 entry-header__content\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"component component-single-header\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"entry-header__misc text--subtitle text--uppercase text--small\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/category\/money-matters\/\" class=\"entry-header__link\">Money Matters<\/a>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"entry-title-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h1 class=\"entry-title\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t5 ways to improve your cash flow ahead of Christmas\t\t\t\t\t<\/h1>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"entry-header__description\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"single-post-details container\">\n\t\t<div class=\"col\">\n\t\t\t<span class=\"posted-on \">Published <time class=\"entry-date published\" datetime=\"2023-11-20T10:00:00+00:00\">20 November, 2023<\/time><\/span><span class=\"reading-time\"> min read<\/span>\n\t\t<button\n\t\t\ttype=\"button\"\n\t\t\tclass=\"social-share-button button button--icon button--secondary js-social-share-button\"\n\t\t\tdata-share-title=\"5 ways to improve your cash flow ahead of Christmas\"\n\t\t\tdata-share-url=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/improve-your-cash-flow-christmas\/\"\n\t\t\tdata-share-text=\"Please read this interesting article\"\n\t\t>\n\t\t\t<span class=\"social-share-button__share-label\">Share<\/span>\n\t\t\t<span class=\"social-share-button__copy-label\" hidden>Copy Link<\/span>\n\t\t\t<span class=\"social-share-button__copy-tooltip\" aria-hidden=\"true\" hidden>Copied<\/span>\n\t\t<\/button>\n\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n\t<\/header>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-post-author has-dark-background-color alignfull\">\n\t<div class=\"container\">\n\t\t<div class=\"col\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"co-authors\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t<div class=\"entry-author-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t<a class=\"entry-author\" href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/author\/franwarrington\/\">\n\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"40\" height=\"40\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2023\/11\/Fran-Warrington.jpg\" class=\"entry-author__image\" alt=\"fran-warrington-profile\" \/>\t\t\t\t<span class=\"entry-author__name\">Fran Warrington<\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/a>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Whether it\u2019s your busiest time of the year or the break where you need to prepare for the months ahead, Christmas can be a tricky time for small business owners.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">From additional staffing and stock costs to seasonal product launches, it\u2019s important to keep your cash flow in check so you can deal with any added pressure on your business and make the most of the opportunities it brings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Healthy cash flow ensures suppliers and staff are paid, contracts are delivered, stock is replenished and profits are earned. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In this article, we share our tips to help you keep track of your cash flow and manage it like a pro during the festive season.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Here&#8217;s what we cover:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"#put\">1. Put a cash flow plan in place<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"#monitor\">2. Monitor your cash flow<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"#build\">3. Build certainty into your payments and invoicing<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"#get\">4. Get extra cash flow before you need it<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"#have\">5. Have a contingency plan in place<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"#final\">Final thoughts<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><div class=\"single-cta\">\n\t<a\n\t\tclass=\"button button--primary gate-a1fc2b60-1af9-49cb-89bd-02dd52c9de29\"\n\t\trole=\"button\"\n\t\tdata-button-location=\"content_area\"\n\t\thref=\"#gate-a1fc2b60-1af9-49cb-89bd-02dd52c9de29\"\n\t>Download your free copy of Manage your cash flow for tips to help you stay on top of your business finances<\/a>\n<\/div>\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"put\">1. Put a cash flow plan in place<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Cash may be king, but it needs a well-organised calendar. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Ideally you\u2019d make a plan for your cash flow week by week for six to 12 months in advance, but if you haven\u2019t done this now\u2019s the time to get things in order. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You\u2019ll then have a schedule to measure against, so you get the most out of the festive season.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The key here is to focus on cash, not profit. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Your profit and loss plan will give you the overall picture of <em>what <\/em>you think your business can achieve, but your cash flow plan will detail <em>how<\/em> you\u2019re going to achieve it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"monitor\">2. Monitor your cash flow<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It may sound simple, but it\u2019s important to actively keep tabs on how your cash flow is doing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Check every day if you need to, or make reminders for certain points where you can check in on your cash flow plan and how you&#8217;re tracking against it. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If you don\u2019t have time to do it yourself, make it someone\u2019s responsibility and ensure they\u2019ve been trained properly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">There\u2019s a host of apps out there that can help make this easier. Some will integrate with your <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/accounting-software\/\">accounting software<\/a>, such as <a href=\"https:\/\/www.futrli.com\/products\/product-overview\">Futrli<\/a>, which provides powerful prediction, cash flow forecasting and reporting for small businesses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">These apps can reduce the time you spend collating your info, and help you track your cash flow against your forecast.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"build\">3. Build certainty into your payments and invoicing<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In business there\u2019ll always be unavoidable delays or changing circumstances. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">And if Christmas is your busy period, you don\u2019t want to have to make up for these challenges by compromising on other areas that could generate revenue. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Here are some steps you can take to manage their impact.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Payment terms<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Set clearly defined <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/negotiate-payment-terms\/\">payment terms<\/a>. Make sure they\u2019re in writing and that you communicate them to your clients. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Without this you won\u2019t know when you should get paid, or when to chase.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Invoice promptly<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/invoice-cheat-sheet\/\">Send your invoice<\/a> as soon as work is complete, especially during the festive season when a high proportion of businesses are busy \u2014 you won\u2019t get paid until you do. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Send it by email so you have a record.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Get partial payments<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For long contracts, get partial or staggered payments. It could be 10% deposit to get started, 40% at half way and 50% on completion. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Make sure you have enough cash flow to complete the job.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Fixed rate payment packages<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Billing hourly or day rates can be very unpredictable week to week. If you have regular clients, think about setting up a retainer. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This will give you a fixed income and payment in advance, rather than an unreliable income in arrears.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Make it easy for people to pay you<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Avoid asking for payment by cheque as it can be a hassle and causes delays. Bank transfer should be the norm, but direct debit could be even better. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">By giving the option to be paid by direct debit, you\u2019ll have a regular income that you won\u2019t have to chase or manage, and it\u2019s less effort for the client too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><div class=\"single-cta\">\n\t<a\n\t\tclass=\"button button--primary gate-a1fc2b60-1af9-49cb-89bd-02dd52c9de29\"\n\t\trole=\"button\"\n\t\tdata-button-location=\"content_area\"\n\t\thref=\"#gate-a1fc2b60-1af9-49cb-89bd-02dd52c9de29\"\n\t>Download your free copy of Manage your cash flow for tips to help you stay on top of your business finances<\/a>\n<\/div>\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"get\">4. Get extra cash flow before you need it<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Christmas is one of the periods where cash flow can run quite thin for many businesses due to the added costs and custom it brings. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If you aren\u2019t able to save enough for these lean periods across the year, then you should consider external options such as <a href=\"https:\/\/www.fundingcircle.com\/uk\/payments\/flexipay\/\">FlexiPay<\/a>, a new business credit card from <a href=\"https:\/\/www.fundingcircle.com\/uk\/partners\/sage\/\">Funding Circle<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Spreading your costs can help you bridge cash flow gaps, and give you the certainty of knowing what you need to pay back each month.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"have\">5. Have a contingency plan in place<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If the past few years have taught us anything, it\u2019s to prepare for the unexpected, and contingency planning has become a key area for businesses of all shapes and sizes. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">What would you do if you lost a big contract, or a big stock order was delayed ahead of the festive season due to demand? How long would you have to win new business? Should you get<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">finance now to make yourself more resilient? Have answers ready for all these questions and you\u2019ll be well-equipped to deal with difficult periods. You can find out more about contingency planning in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.fundingcircle.com\/uk\/resources\/business-development\/resilience-sme-report-2023\/\">our recent resilience report<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"final\">Final thoughts <\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">By having the right protocols in place and always staying one step ahead of your cash flow, you can lead your business to success and start to focus on growth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If you could do with some support with your everyday cash flow, FlexiPay is here to help \u2013 and the good news is <a href=\"https:\/\/www.fundingcircle.com\/uk\/partners\/sage\/\">Sage customers can apply directly from their account<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"single-cta gated-content\">\n\t<div class=\"single-cta__positioner on-scroll-highlight__target\">\n\t\t<div class=\"single-cta__wrapper has-dark-background-color\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"single-cta__content\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"single-cta__title h3\">A free guide to managing your cash flow<\/h2>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"single-cta__description\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Our guide is packed with expert advice to help you stay on top of your cash flow.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a\n\t\t\t\t\t\thref=\"#gate-a1fc2b60-1af9-49cb-89bd-02dd52c9de29\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\tclass=\"single-cta__button button button--primary\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t>Get your free guide<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1440\" height=\"810\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2022\/04\/GettyImages-1261586981-1440x810.jpg\" class=\"single-cta__image\" alt=\"\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2022\/04\/GettyImages-1261586981-1440x810.jpg 1440w\" sizes=\"auto, (min-width: 48em) 33vw, 100vw\" \/>\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<div class=\"single-cta\">\n\t<div class=\"single-cta__positioner on-scroll-highlight__target\">\n\t\t<div class=\"single-cta__wrapper has-dark-background-color\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"single-cta__content\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"single-cta__title h3\">Subscribe to the Sage Advice newsletter<\/h2>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"single-cta__description\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Join more than 500,000 UK readers and get the best business admin strategies and tactics, as well as actionable advice to help your company thrive, in your inbox every month.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a\n\t\t\t\t\t\thref=\"#gate-b1a63862-3fa0-4a5e-bb67-c76b88bbc6b8\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\tclass=\"single-cta__button button button--primary\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t>Subscribe now<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1440\" height=\"810\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2022\/04\/GettyImages-1073797282-1-1440x810.jpg\" class=\"single-cta__image\" alt=\"\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2022\/04\/GettyImages-1073797282-1-1440x810.jpg 1440w\" sizes=\"auto, (min-width: 48em) 33vw, 100vw\" \/>\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n<section class=\"more-topics alignfull has-grey-light-background-color wp-block-sage-post-topics\">\n\t<div class=\"container\">\n\t\t<div class=\"row\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"col col-12 col-lg-4\">\n\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"more-topics__title h2\">Browse more topics from this article<\/h3>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<div class=\"col col-12 col-lg-8\">\n\t\t\t\t<ul class=\"post-tags__list\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"post-tags__item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/tag\/business-finances\/\" class=\"post-tags__link button button--secondary\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tBusiness finances\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"post-tags__item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/tag\/cash-flow\/\" class=\"post-tags__link button button--secondary\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tCash flow\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"post-tags__item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/tag\/grow-business\/\" class=\"post-tags__link button button--secondary\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tHow to grow your business\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/ul>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n<div class=\"alignfull wp-block-sage-related-posts\">\n\t<section class=\"related-posts card-grid has-dark-background-color\">\n\t<div class=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"row\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"col\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"related-posts__heading related-posts__heading--featured h1\">Explore more 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h3\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a\n\t\t\t\t\tclass=\"card-post__title-link\"\n\t\t\t\t\thref=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/mtd-for-vat-business-tame-tax\/\"\n\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tMaking Tax Digital: how MTD for VAT helps your business tame tax\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"card-post__description\">\n\t\t\t\tTax can be time-consuming for small businesses. Making Tax Digital (MTD) for VAT helps you keep digital records, use compatible software, and submit VAT Returns to HMRC more efficiently.\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t<\/article>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"row related-posts__non-featured\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"col col-12\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"related-posts__heading related-posts__heading--more h4\">More on this Topic<\/h2>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"col col-6 col-lg-3 card-grid__item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<article\n\t\tclass=\"card-post related-post related-post-1 post-10038 post type-post status-publish format-standard has-post-thumbnail hentry category-money-matters category-strategy-legal-operations tag-bookkeeping tag-business-finances tag-mtd-business tag-need-to-know tag-tax business_type-small-business\"\n>\n\t\t\t<a\n\t\t\tclass=\"card-post__link\"\n\t\t\thref=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/mtd-income-tax-needs-to-know\/\"\n\t\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t<figure class=\"card-post__media\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"684\" height=\"384\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2023\/09\/GettyImages-1413633547-684x384.jpg\" class=\"card-post__image\" alt=\"Checking products to sell to customers\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2023\/09\/GettyImages-1413633547-684x384.jpg 684w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2023\/09\/GettyImages-1413633547-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2023\/09\/GettyImages-1413633547-1215x810.jpg 1215w\" sizes=\"auto, (min-width: 48em) 250px, (min-width: 30em) 100vw, 100vw\" \/>\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"card-post__meta\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"card-post__meta-text\"><span class=\"posted-on \"><time class=\"entry-date published\" datetime=\"2026-07-31T10:20:19+01:00\">31 July, 2026<\/time><\/span><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"card-post__meta-text\"><span class=\"reading-time\">9 min read<\/span><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t<p class=\"card-post__title h5\">\n\t\t\t6 things you need to know about Making Tax Digital for Income Tax\t\t<\/p>\n\n\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t<\/article>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"col col-6 col-lg-3 card-grid__item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<article\n\t\tclass=\"card-post related-post related-post-2 post-10211 post type-post status-publish format-standard has-post-thumbnail hentry category-money-matters category-strategy-legal-operations tag-accountant-accounting tag-accountant-tax tag-accountants-online-hub-gb tag-business-finances tag-mtd-accountants tag-mtd-business tag-making-tax-digital-for-income-tax tag-making-tax-digital-for-vat tag-need-to-know tag-tax tag-vat business_type-small-business business_type-accountants\"\n>\n\t\t\t<a\n\t\t\tclass=\"card-post__link\"\n\t\t\thref=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/hmrc-penalty-making-tax-digital\/\"\n\t\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t<figure class=\"card-post__media\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"684\" height=\"384\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2022\/04\/GettyImages-1267191201_updated-684x384.jpg\" class=\"card-post__image\" alt=\"\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2022\/04\/GettyImages-1267191201_updated-684x384.jpg 684w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2022\/04\/GettyImages-1267191201_updated-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2022\/04\/GettyImages-1267191201_updated-1440x810.jpg 1440w\" sizes=\"auto, (min-width: 48em) 250px, (min-width: 30em) 100vw, 100vw\" \/>\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"card-post__meta\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"card-post__meta-text\"><span class=\"posted-on \"><time class=\"entry-date published\" datetime=\"2026-07-31T09:06:37+01:00\">31 July, 2026<\/time><\/span><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"card-post__meta-text\"><span class=\"reading-time\">8 min read<\/span><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t<p class=\"card-post__title h5\">\n\t\t\tMaking Tax Digital for Income Tax penalties: HMRC&#8217;s new systems explained\t\t<\/p>\n\n\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t<\/article>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"col col-6 col-lg-3 card-grid__item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<article\n\t\tclass=\"card-post related-post related-post-3 post-10039 post type-post status-publish format-standard has-post-thumbnail hentry category-money-matters category-strategy-legal-operations tag-bookkeeping tag-business-finances tag-mtd-business tag-need-to-know tag-tax business_type-small-business\"\n>\n\t\t\t<a\n\t\t\tclass=\"card-post__link\"\n\t\t\thref=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/mtd-for-income-tax-complete-guide\/\"\n\t\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t<figure class=\"card-post__media card-post__media--video\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"684\" height=\"384\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2022\/04\/GettyImages-608166769-684x384.jpg\" class=\"card-post__image\" alt=\"\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2022\/04\/GettyImages-608166769-684x384.jpg 684w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2022\/04\/GettyImages-608166769-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2022\/04\/GettyImages-608166769-1440x810.jpg 1440w\" sizes=\"auto, (min-width: 48em) 250px, (min-width: 30em) 100vw, 100vw\" \/>\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"card-post__play-video\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<svg role=\"presentation\" aria-hidden=\"true\" focusable=\"false\" class=\"card-post__play-icon svg-icon\" width=\"28\" height=\"28\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" viewbox=\"0 0 33 36\"><path d=\"M3.947.936C1.889 1.016 0 2.661 0 4.878v27.11c0 2.956 3.36 4.896 5.999 3.463l24.965-13.555c2.715-1.474 2.715-5.451 0-6.925L6 1.416a3.96 3.96 0 0 0-2.052-.48Zm.032 2.6c.232-.001.475.058.713.187L29.66 17.28c.986.535.986 1.774 0 2.309L4.692 33.144c-.952.517-1.999-.088-1.999-1.155V4.878c0-.533.261-.95.642-1.17.19-.11.411-.171.644-.172\" \/><\/svg>\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"card-post__meta\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<svg role=\"presentation\" aria-hidden=\"true\" focusable=\"false\" width=\"24\" height=\"24\" class=\"card-post__meta-icon svg-icon\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" viewbox=\"0 0 24 24\"><path d=\"M5.25 3C3.74 3 2.5 4.24 2.5 5.75v12.5C2.5 19.76 3.74 21 5.25 21h14c1.51 0 2.75-1.24 2.75-2.75V5.75C22 4.24 20.76 3 19.25 3zm0 1.5h14c.699 0 1.25.551 1.25 1.25v12.5a1.24 1.24 0 0 1-1.25 1.25h-14A1.24 1.24 0 0 1 4 18.25V5.75c0-.699.551-1.25 1.25-1.25m.25.75a.5.5 0 0 0-.5.5v.5a.5.5 0 0 0 .5.5H6a.5.5 0 0 0 .5-.5v-.5a.5.5 0 0 0-.5-.5zm13 0a.5.5 0 0 0-.5.5v.5a.5.5 0 0 0 .5.5h.5a.5.5 0 0 0 .5-.5v-.5a.5.5 0 0 0-.5-.5zm-8.25 2.751A1.248 1.248 0 0 0 9 9.251v5.5c0 .442.231.849.613 1.074.389.231.846.237 1.239.021l5.001-2.751c.396-.219.646-.639.646-1.094s-.25-.876-.646-1.095l-.001-.001-5.002-2.751a1.25 1.25 0 0 0-.601-.153zM5.5 8.25a.5.5 0 0 0-.5.5v.5a.5.5 0 0 0 .5.5H6a.5.5 0 0 0 .5-.5v-.5a.5.5 0 0 0-.5-.5zm13 0a.5.5 0 0 0-.5.5v.5a.5.5 0 0 0 .5.5h.5a.5.5 0 0 0 .5-.5v-.5a.5.5 0 0 0-.5-.5zm-8 1.423L14.731 12 10.5 14.328zm-5 1.577a.5.5 0 0 0-.5.5v.5a.5.5 0 0 0 .5.5H6a.5.5 0 0 0 .5-.5v-.5a.5.5 0 0 0-.5-.5zm13 0a.5.5 0 0 0-.5.5v.5a.5.5 0 0 0 .5.5h.5a.5.5 0 0 0 .5-.5v-.5a.5.5 0 0 0-.5-.5zm-13 3a.5.5 0 0 0-.5.5v.5a.5.5 0 0 0 .5.5H6a.5.5 0 0 0 .5-.5v-.5a.5.5 0 0 0-.5-.5zm13 0a.5.5 0 0 0-.5.5v.5a.5.5 0 0 0 .5.5h.5a.5.5 0 0 0 .5-.5v-.5a.5.5 0 0 0-.5-.5zm-13 3a.5.5 0 0 0-.5.5v.5a.5.5 0 0 0 .5.5H6a.5.5 0 0 0 .5-.5v-.5a.5.5 0 0 0-.5-.5zm13 0a.5.5 0 0 0-.5.5v.5a.5.5 0 0 0 .5.5h.5a.5.5 0 0 0 .5-.5v-.5a.5.5 0 0 0-.5-.5z\" \/><\/svg>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"card-post__meta-text\"><span class=\"posted-on \"><time class=\"entry-date published\" datetime=\"2026-07-30T12:09:15+01:00\">30 July, 2026<\/time><\/span><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"card-post__meta-text\"><span class=\"reading-time\">14 min read<\/span><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t<p class=\"card-post__title h5\">\n\t\t\tMaking Tax Digital for Income Tax explained (free guide)\t\t<\/p>\n\n\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t<\/article>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"col col-6 col-lg-3 card-grid__item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<article\n\t\tclass=\"card-post related-post related-post-4 post-9916 post type-post status-publish format-standard has-post-thumbnail hentry category-strategy-legal-operations tag-bookkeeping tag-business-finances tag-mtd-business tag-need-to-know tag-tax business_type-small-business\"\n>\n\t\t\t<a\n\t\t\tclass=\"card-post__link\"\n\t\t\thref=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/mtd-income-tax-landlords-need-to-know\/\"\n\t\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t<figure class=\"card-post__media\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"684\" height=\"384\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2021\/04\/GettyImages-535442114-684x384.jpg\" class=\"card-post__image\" alt=\"\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2021\/04\/GettyImages-535442114-684x384.jpg 684w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2021\/04\/GettyImages-535442114-768x585.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2021\/04\/GettyImages-535442114-1064x810.jpg 1064w\" sizes=\"auto, (min-width: 48em) 250px, (min-width: 30em) 100vw, 100vw\" \/>\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"card-post__meta\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"card-post__meta-text\"><span class=\"posted-on \"><time class=\"entry-date published\" datetime=\"2026-07-30T10:12:31+01:00\">30 July, 2026<\/time><\/span><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"card-post__meta-text\"><span class=\"reading-time\">17 min read<\/span><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t<p class=\"card-post__title h5\">\n\t\t\tMaking Tax Digital for Income Tax for landlords: Answers to FAQs\t\t<\/p>\n\n\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t<\/article>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Discover some top tips to help you keep track of your business&#8217;s cash flow and manage it like a pro during the festive season.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1750,"featured_media":11661,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_sage_video":false,"post_featured_image_hide":false,"sage_hide_published_date":false,"sage_hide_read_time":false,"sage_hide_share_buttons":false,"_pwl_sage_podcast_buzzsprout_src":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[135,24,15],"business_type":[4],"lilypad":[],"context":[],"industry":[],"persona":[73,74,75],"imagine_tag":[109],"coauthors":[650],"class_list":["post-16910","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-money-matters","tag-business-finances","tag-cash-flow","tag-grow-business","business_type-small-business"],"sage_meta":{"region":"en-gb","author_name":"Fran Warrington","featured_image":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2022\/04\/GettyImages-1291959616.jpg","imagine_tags":{"109":"Small business"}},"distributor_meta":false,"distributor_terms":false,"distributor_media":false,"distributor_original_site_name":"Sage Advice UK","distributor_original_site_url":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog","push-errors":false,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16910","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/users\/1750"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=16910"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16910\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/media\/11661"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=16910"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=16910"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=16910"},{"taxonomy":"business_type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/business_type?post=16910"},{"taxonomy":"lilypad","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/lilypad?post=16910"},{"taxonomy":"context","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/context?post=16910"},{"taxonomy":"industry","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/industry?post=16910"},{"taxonomy":"persona","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/persona?post=16910"},{"taxonomy":"imagine_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/imagine_tag?post=16910"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/coauthors?post=16910"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}