Useful Links

Click the main title of each section below to be taken directly to the website

Chartered Association of certified Accountants

ACCA (the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants) is the global body for professional accountants. We aim to offer business-relevant, first-choice qualifications to people of application, ability and ambition around the world who seek a rewarding career in accountancy, finance and management.

what we do

We support our 162,000 members and 428,000 students throughout their careers, providing services through a network of 89 offices and active centres. Our global infrastructure means that exams and support are delivered at a local level, directly benefiting stakeholders wherever they are based.

Institute of Directors

We offer IoD members extensive and exclusive support that saves them time, money and effort, whilst gaining them a competitive advantage. You can:

Business Information Service – valuable and tailored information on topics ranging from market forecasts and industry trends to trading abroad and employee salaries from our professional researchers
Business Library – a comprehensive collection of online databases as well as books, directories, journals and newspapers
Directors’ Advisory Service – unbiased and confidential advice on legal, financial, human resources or marketing aspects of running your business, as well as career advice from our business and legal expert advisors
Directors’ Law Express – prompt answers to your questions on employment, company, commercial and personal legal issues from specialist solicitors
Directors’ Tax Line – prompt answsers to your questions on business and personal tax, NIC and VAT from tax experts
Company formation and company secretarial support packages – ensure that you have the right corporate structure with a constitution that works for your business

HMRC

We are the UK’s tax authority. We are responsible for making sure that the money is available to fund the UK’s public services and for helping families and individuals with targeted financial support.

We were established by Act of Parliament in 2005 as a new department replacing the Inland Revenue and Customs and Excise.

We are a non-ministerial Department established by the Commissioners for Revenue and Customs Act (CRCA) 2005, replacing the Inland Revenue and Customs and Excise. CRCA vested responsibility for the administration of the tax system in Commissioners appointed by the Queen. The Commissioners are drawn from the Department’s top management.

We report to Parliament through our Treasury minister who oversees our spending.

The Treasury lead on strategic tax policy and policy development. HMRC leads on policy maintenance and implementation. This arrangement for policy making is known as the ‘policy partnership’.

Business Links … Gov.uk

The best place to find government services and information – Simpler, clearer, faster

In the UK, the Prime Minister leads the government with the support of the Cabinet and ministers. You can find out who runs government and how government is run, as well as learning about the history of government.

Department for Business, Enterprise & Regulatory Reform

What we do

The Department for Business, Innovation & Skills (BIS) is the department for economic growth. The department invests in skills and education to promote trade, boost innovation and help people to start and grow a business. BIS also protects consumers and reduces the impact of regulation.

BIS is a ministerial department, supported by 49 agencies and public bodies.

State Pension forecast

Get an estimate of how much State Pension you may receive either online or in the post.

You can also use the State Pension calculator to find out when you’ll reach State Pension age, or for a quick estimate of the basic State Pension you may get.

Federation of Small Businesses

About the FSB

The FSB is non-profit making and non-party political

The Federation of Small Businesses is the UK’s largest campaigning pressure group promoting and protecting the interests of the self-employed and owners of small firms. Formed in 1974, it now has 200,000 members across 33 regions and 194 branches.

Lobbying

Our lobbying arm – led by the Westminster Press and Parliamentary office – applies pressure on MPs, Government and Whitehall and puts the FSB viewpoint over to the media. The FSB also has Press and Parliamentary Offices in Glasgow, Cardiff and Belfast to lobby the devolved assemblies. Development Managers work alongside members in our regions to further FSB influence at a regional level.

Companies House

Our main functions

The main functions of Companies House are to:

incorporate and dissolve limited companies;
examine and store company information delivered under the Companies Act and related legislation; and
make this information available to the public.

Validate EU VAT registration number

About us

Welcome to the website developed and managed by the European Commission’s Taxation and Customs Union Directorate-General. Here we aim to disseminate information on the Commission’s work in the areas of taxation and the customs union (see also our mission statement), policy fields that contribute to the promotion of growth and development as well as to the competitiveness of EU businesses.