Mercia Podcast

Hosted by Mercia Group

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Episodes

174

Latest episode

Oct 2026

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EN-GB

About the show

Keeping you abreast with the latest developments in the accountancy profession. https://linktr.ee/merciagroup

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60 recent

November 12, 2026Episode 1385 min

HMRC Targets Directors’ Loan Accounts

Tax lecturer and consultant Mark Morton explains why directors’ loan accounts are back on HMRC’s compliance radar. With HMRC under pressure to raise more revenue and the tribunals issuing a steady stream of decisions, Mark draws on his years as a tax inspector and his recent client work to show where the risks now lie. In this episode: Why the push to raise revenue is bringing loan account enquiries back How a problem can reach back four, six or even 20 years, depending on behaviour The recurring themes in HMRC’s enquiry questions, which appear to be centrally generated Basic checks that still matter, such as repayment dates and whether dividends were actually paid Whether interest is legally due, and the National Insurance and benefit in kind angles What tribunals say counts as a write off, and the rarely seen rules on indirect loans now resurfacing Mark covers all of this in depth in a dedicated two and a half hour course on loan accounts for Mercia members on 16 November. It will be recorded for anyone who cannot attend live. Visit the Mercia website to enrol, and email Mark your questions in advance so he can address them during the session. For more information on this topic and more, please visit www.mercia-group.com for further details.

October 29, 2026Episode 13728 min

The Budget Breakdown 2026 - Episode 6 - Final thoughts

The morning after the Budget, tax lecturers and consultants Mark Morton and Norman Allison unpick what the Chancellor’s “breathing space” Budget really means for businesses, landlords, savers and pensioners. In this episode: Why the fuel duty “cut” is really a delayed rise Higher tax on property and savings income, and the U-turn restoring the £20,000 cash ISA The new state pension tax reducer, and why it is no simplification Approved mileage rates rising to 55p and 35p, and the end of full write off for electric company cars BADR’s lifetime limit cut to £500,000, alongside a proposed new founders relief More frequent payments on account, MTD and the 2029 e-invoicing timetable For the full detail, catch our Budget webinar, and we’ll cover every change on our Finance Act courses next year. For more information on this topic and more, please visit www.mercia-group.com for further details.

October 20, 2026Episode 1369 min

The Budget Breakdown 2026 - Episode 5

Mark Morton, Tax lecturer and consultant, looks ahead to the Autumn Budget on 28 October. HMRC and the government have been unusually quiet, so Mark covers the press rumours of a bank tax, the cash ISA changes for under 65s, devolved rates on property income, and why the promise to pensioners on the state pension is harder to deliver than it sounds. Order your Budget summaries here: Autumn Budget 2026 For more information on this topic and more, please visit www.mercia-group.com for further details.

October 2, 2026Episode 13511 min

The Budget Breakdown 2026 - Episode 4

Mark Morton records as the nights draw in and the party conferences wrap up, with the Budget weeks away and remarkably little being said about tax. In this episode: Why the conferences produced almost no detailed tax comment from anyone, the government included Big promises on the personal allowance from the Lib Dems and Reform, and the awkward question of how they get funded A hundred billion of a 1.2 trillion income going on debt interest, and what thirty years of never balancing the books has left behind Whether this government is quietly reaching George Osborne's conclusion of 80% cuts to 20% tax rises The triple lock watered down rather than tackled, and public sector pay quietly driving average earnings Why a VAT escalator on fuel could take ten pence off a litre, and why nothing has been done Mercia will be covering the Budget in full on the day, with Mark and Norman mulling over what was actually said, and why, the morning after. Autumn Budget 2026 For more information on this topic and more, please visit www.mercia-group.com for further details.

September 12, 2026Episode 13416 min

Modernising Corporate Reporting Consultation

Lee Eagling, A&A and Compliance Technical Consultant at Mercia Group, gives his initial reaction to the government's long awaited consultation on modernising corporate reporting. Seventy pages, sixty questions, and just about everything on the table. In this episode: Bringing company law and financial reporting requirements under one roof Reshaping the frameworks: UK endorsed IFRS, FRS 102, UK GAAP for SMEs and FRS 105 Diluting true and fair for SMEs, and what that could mean for the quality of financial statements Medium entities moving closer to the small company regime, with knock on audit implications Replacing distributable profits with a solvency test for declaring dividends Redefining headcount on a full time equivalent basis The consultation closes on 30 November. You do not need to answer every question, so pick the ones that matter most to you. Mercia will be submitting a response and would welcome your views. Join us this autumn: Accounting: what's new for autumn 2026 Accounting and audit: what you need to know in autumn 2026 For more information on this topic and more, please visit www.mercia-group.com for further details.

September 9, 2026Episode 13310 min

The Budget Breakdown 2026 - Episode 3

Recording from a hotel room ahead of our Autumn Tax Update course, Mark Morton reflects on the Chancellor's first major speech and everything it didn't say about tax. In this episode: An awkward day in Coventry, as Jaguar Land Rover announces significant job cuts down the road The letter to MPs signalling less consultation, and whether HMRC consultation ever really meant consultation Fiscal devolution: high on the government's agenda, but is it high on anyone else's? A growth message set against national insurance and minimum wage rises High borrowing costs, a spent surplus, and no stated tax policy Why two months of Budget speculation leaves businesses unable to plan Mercia will be covering the Budget in full detail on Wednesday, 28th October 2026, followed by Pat's rapid reaction webinar the morning after. https://www.mercia-group.com/marketing/budget-and-tax-rates/ For more information on this topic and more, please visit www.mercia-group.com for further details.

August 24, 2026Episode 13215 min

The Budget Breakdown 2026 - Episode 2

Mark Morton explores the upcoming Autumn Budget, examining rumours around stamp duty, council tax reform, social care funding, inheritance tax, defence spending, and Making Tax Digital (MTD). He shares practical observations on housing affordability, government policy challenges, and what advisers and businesses should be watching ahead of the Chancellor's October announcement. The next UK Budget is scheduled for Wednesday 28 October 2026 . Chancellor John Healey confirmed the date, and the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) will publish its accompanying economic and fiscal forecast on the same day. For more information on this topic and more, please visit www.mercia-group.com for further details.

July 26, 2026Episode 13117 min

The Budget Breakdown 2026 - Episode 1

Mark Morton reviews the first major announcements from the new government, explores the implications of potential tax changes, and discusses how policy leaks, cost-of-living measures and public finances could shape the upcoming Autumn Budget. For more information on this topic and more, please visit www.mercia-group.com for further details.

July 14, 2026Episode 1306 min

Making Tax Digital: A Costly Failure or a Necessary Change?

Mark Morton shares his reaction to a recent BBC Radio 4 Money Box interview on Making Tax Digital (MTD) , questioning its effectiveness, highlighting concerns about low taxpayer engagement, and discussing whether the initiative is delivering any real benefits for self-employed businesses and HMRC. Based on current uptake figures and industry feedback, Mark argues that MTD may be creating additional costs and complexity without achieving its original objectives. https://www.mercia-group.com/courses/making-tax-digital-where-are-we-now/ For more information on this topic and more, please visit www.mercia-group.com for further details.

July 10, 2026Episode 1298 min

ICAEW’s New Appraisal Requirements for Training Employers: What Firms Need to Know

In this episode, Lee Eagling ( Technical Consultant at Mercia Group ) discusses the new ICAEW requirements effective from July 2026, requiring authorised training employers to implement formal annual appraisals for partners, directors, audit staff, and students. The podcast explores the background to the changes, compliance expectations, practical implementation options, and why effective appraisal processes can deliver benefits beyond regulatory compliance. For more information on this topic and more, please visit www.mercia-group.com for further details.