COLUMNIST – FINANCE
2: Accept that the devil’s in the detail Accuracy matters. You will no doubt have heard urban rumours about bookkeepers staying up all night to track down a missing ten pence. That sounds absurd to many but getting those details right is what ensures mistakes haven’t been made
How UK businesses can offer work to Ukrainian refugees Roger Eddowes
further up the line. You may still ask why that matters anyway. The
New government guidance has been released
answer is simple. The figures and statistics you’re
for any business that wants to hire Ukrainians
managing are the critical business information
displaced by the war. If you want to offer them
you need to make decisions. Every entry into your
work, then there are some rules you need to follow…
accounting software has to be made in the right
The support for Ukrainians from the United
place. Otherwise the reports it spits out at the end
Kingdom has been unprecedented. Apart from
of each month, quarter, or year will be wrong.
the Government military and economic support,
However, if that isn’t motivation enough,
our citizens have been welcoming refugees into
consider this. Every time you make a mistake, your
their homes and even businesses want to help. The
accountant has to fix that at a later date. And that’s
Government’s new guidance covers recognition
going to increase their bill. Plus, if you’re submitting
of professional qualifications, information about
VAT returns regularly according to the Making-Tax-
employee rights as well as how to determine the
Digital rules, you don’t want the VAT man to get the
immigration status for their right to work in the UK.
wrong idea!
The first thing you need to do is complete a Vacancy Information Questionnaire outlining details
3: Keep your regular transactions on the straight and narrow
of the roles on offer. You will then be contacted
Ensure you enter regular payments and receipts
within just a few days to discuss the roles you have
the same way every time. Just get into the habit of using the same labels, cost categories, and classifications each session. Nothing stands out more as a poorly run business than disorganised
by the National Employer and Partnership Team in the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) available. Any opportunities will be shared across the entire DWP Jobcentre Plus network and with the Refugee Employment Network (REN) which is a charity working with organisations supporting refugees into work. If Ukrainians hold professional qualifications, they’ll need them to be recognised in the UK when they work in a regulated profession. My own industry is the perfect example of this, and you can speak to the UK Centre for Professional Qualifications if you need to. And finally, any individual arriving under the Ukraine Family Scheme or the Ukraine Sponsorship Scheme will be granted leave to remain in the UK for three years which means they can live and work here as well as access benefits and public services! Remember, the same employment rights that every UK employee is entitled to must be extended to eligible Ukrainians you want to hire, so the likes of the National Minimum Wage will apply.
Essendon Accounts and Tax 07595 021376 roger.eddowes@essendonaccounts.co.uk essendonaccounts.co.uk
