Why Bookkeeping Gets Delayed (And Why It’s Often Not the Bookkeeper’s Fault)
One of the most common frustrations in bookkeeping isn’t complicated transactions or tricky reconciliations—it’s missing or delayed information from clients.
Even the most skilled bookkeeper can only work with what’s provided. To keep books accurate and up to date, a few essentials are required:
Invoices and receipts
Bank and credit card statements or active bank feeds
Explanations for transfers, owner draws, or unusual transactions
Payroll records and employee expense reports
Timely responses to questions and requests
When any of these pieces are missing, the entire bookkeeping process slows down. Reconciliations stall, reports are delayed, tax preparation becomes more difficult, and cash flow visibility suffers
Why completing your Self-Assessment before Christmas is a priority
Every year, over a quarter of people due to file a Self-Assessment tax return complete it in the final 4 days before the 31st January deadline
And 5% of returns are filed in the final 24 hours.
However, leaving it to the last minute isn’t really wise as you never know what may come up to prevent you from completing it in time.
With an instant fine of £100 if you miss the deadline, and daily fines of £10 (for up to 90 days) if you haven’t filed by 30th April – there are plenty of financial incentives not to be late.
Besides the obvious problems shown above, here at The Hollies Bookkeeping Services in Shropshire know there are a few more very persuasive reasons why you should complete your Self-Assessment before the Christmas holidays.
Companies House Fees Are Changing From 1 February 2026 – What This Means for Your Bookkeeping
Companies House carries out an annual review of its fees to ensure they accurately reflect the cost of delivering its services. As a result of the latest review, several key fees will change from 1 February 2026.
Here’s what you need to know:
The incorporation digital filing fee will change to £100
The confirmation statement digital filing fee will change to £50
The voluntary strike-off digital filing fee will change to £13
A full list of all fee changes has been published for businesses to review.
Companies House says these fees remain low when compared internationally, and they support essential services that benefit every business registered with Companies House—such as limited liability protection, improved access to finance, and greater credibility in the marketplace.
The Hollies Bookkeeping are finalists in the LUCA Bookkeeper’s awards!
The Hollies Bookkeeping Services in Shropshire is delighted to announce we are finalists in the LUCA awards, better known as the Oscars of the Bookkeeping Awards!
We entered the awards earlier this year and were recently revealed as one of six finalists in the Large Practice of the Year category.
After much discussion and deliberation from our judges we are pleased to announce the finalists for the LUCA Bookkeepers Awards 2025. The finalists have been chosen by a panel of independent judges as the very best from this year’s impressive selection of entries.”
The team will find out if they are winners at the awards dinner on 17 November at the QEII Centre, London.