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Helen Christopher

Helen Christopher is a chartered accountant, business mentor, and founder of award-winning Beansprout. With 30 years’ experience, she now supports ambitious small business owners with profit strategies, financial mentoring, practical tax, and accounting advice. A former COO, Helen is passionate about empowering clients to grow with confidence, clarity and control.

The ‘wait and see’ approach to Companies House ID verification is over, with consequences for inert directors and Persons of Significant Control now looming large.

3rd September, 2025 | Limited Companies

Official or not, a delay to an arduous filing change for micro and small company directors is a U-turn we can all get behind.

Who MTD by HMRC applies to; who it applies to next, and who’s at risk from the ‘MTD net.’

15th May, 2025 | Money

‘Just because there’s no law against it doesn’t make it not misleading or unfair’ -- plus Direct Debit Guarantee tips.

29th August, 2024 | Money

PSCs face the odd prospect of having to put their divi deets on an ‘employment page,’ so HMRC can deepen its IR35 insight.

Resolved: Are the coaching fees my guru charges an allowable business expense?

30th May, 2024 | Limited Companies

Knowing the status you have as a company director is key to unlocking your holiday pay entitlement.

22nd May, 2024 | Limited Companies

Navigating a self-assessment tax return isn’t for the fainthearted. But getting an accountant, and getting organised, is half the maze-like battle.

26th March, 2024 | Money

Revealed: the key interactions with Companies House -- which you’ll be penalised if you duck.

21st March, 2024 | Limited Companies

With new requirements now in force, directors must tread carefully to avoid tripping in the addresses minefield.

14th March, 2024 | Limited Companies

Help for a stuck and seemingly early stage tech entrepreneur with three businesses, who’s already not naming names for fear of HMRC.

8th February, 2024 | VAT

What limited company contractors need to do to reduce a HMRC liability of £14,476 to not even £9k.

A director’s new smartphone (but not his old Samsung) gets the green light as a claimable company expense.

30th January, 2024 | Limited Companies

Totted up: the amount of NICs you owe HMRC whether you’re Limited, Self-Employed, Agency or Umbrella.

11th January, 2024 | Money

Despite them being more taxing since April, dividends still deliver higher take-home than paying salary alone.

19th May, 2022 | Limited Companies

A breakdown of the NICs floor going up in July, by which time rates will have gone in the same direction.

24th March, 2022 | Successful Contracting

1.25%, or 10%? Either way, the April hike in National Insurance has the potential to be painful.

Explainer for limited company shareholders on foregoing their right to part of the next dividend.

30th September, 2021 | Limited Companies

The age-old perk of putting a vehicle on your company is more fiction than fact.

24th September, 2021 | Limited Companies

To unlock start-up reimbursements, remember the key cuts-offs: four years, seven years, six months.

14th September, 2021 | Expenses