The Ledger Lounge - Build A Better Business

Handling payroll in-house can be a massive drain on time, energy, and headspace – and getting it wrong isn’t an option. In this episode, we’re joined by Natalie from Payroll Sorted to unpack the real benefits of outsourcing your payroll, what it actually looks like in practice, and how to know if your business is ready to make the switch.The Ledger Lounge is hosted by Matthew Taylor , Katie Allan and Lauren Thompson from ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠James Scott Accountants⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠in Oldham, Greater Manchester. It is recorded at and produced by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠KUPOD Productions⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ in Oldham. The Ledger Lounge – Friendly DisclaimerEverything we chat about on The Ledger Lounge (and in these show notes!) is meant to be helpful, interesting, and easy to understand — but it’s not personal tax, accounting, financial, or legal advice. Everyone’s situation is different, so always speak to a qualified professional before making decisions based on anything you hear in the show.We do our best to keep things accurate and up to date, but rules and regulations can change. The views shared by our hosts and guests are just their own, so please don’t take them as official advice from any organisations we’re connected to.Basically: enjoy the conversation, learn something new, but don’t make big decisions without proper guidance!

The Ledger Lounge is hosted by Matthew Taylor , Katie Allan and Lauren Thompson from ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠James Scott Accountants⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠in Oldham, Greater Manchester. It is recorded at and produced by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠KUPOD Productions⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ in Oldham. The Ledger Lounge – Friendly DisclaimerEverything we chat about on The Ledger Lounge (and in these show notes!) is meant to be helpful, interesting, and easy to understand — but it’s not personal tax, accounting, financial, or legal advice. Everyone’s situation is different, so always speak to a qualified professional before making decisions based on anything you hear in the show.We do our best to keep things accurate and up to date, but rules and regulations can change. The views shared by our hosts and guests are just their own, so please don’t take them as official advice from any organisations we’re connected to.Basically: enjoy the conversation, learn something new, but don’t make big decisions without proper guidance!

The Ledger Lounge is hosted by Matthew Taylor , Katie Allan and Lauren Thompson from ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠James Scott Accountants⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠in Oldham, Greater Manchester. This week on The Ledger Lounge, Matthew and Katie chat with Zoe Bordiuk, the powerhouse behind The Card Machine Queen — a UK-based independent consultant who’s made it her mission to help small businesses stop overpaying on their payment systems.Zoe breaks down the mysteries of card machines, merchant fees, and payment contracts in plain English. You’ll learn what every accountant, bookkeeper, and business owner should know about payment processing — including how to spot hidden fees, choose smarter payment options, and integrate systems seamlessly with your accounting software.If your clients (or your own business) accept card payments, this episode could literally save you money.It is recorded at and produced by ⁠⁠⁠⁠KUPOD Productions⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ in Oldham. The Ledger Lounge – Friendly DisclaimerEverything we chat about on The Ledger Lounge (and in these show notes!) is meant to be helpful, interesting, and easy to understand — but it’s not personal tax, accounting, financial, or legal advice. Everyone’s situation is different, so always speak to a qualified professional before making decisions based on anything you hear in the show.We do our best to keep things accurate and up to date, but rules and regulations can change. The views shared by our hosts and guests are just their own, so please don’t take them as official advice from any organisations we’re connected to.Basically: enjoy the conversation, learn something new, but don’t make big decisions without proper guidance!

The Ledger Lounge is hosted by Matthew Taylor , Katie Allan and Lauren Thompson from ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠James Scott Accountants⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠in Oldham, Greater Manchester. It is recorded at and produced by ⁠⁠⁠⁠KUPOD Productions⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ in Oldham. The Ledger Lounge – Friendly DisclaimerEverything we chat about on The Ledger Lounge (and in these show notes!) is meant to be helpful, interesting, and easy to understand — but it’s not personal tax, accounting, financial, or legal advice. Everyone’s situation is different, so always speak to a qualified professional before making decisions based on anything you hear in the show.We do our best to keep things accurate and up to date, but rules and regulations can change. The views shared by our hosts and guests are just their own, so please don’t take them as official advice from any organisations we’re connected to.Basically: enjoy the conversation, learn something new, but don’t make big decisions without proper guidance!

Cybersecurity isn’t just for big corporations — small businesses are one of the top targets for hackers in 2025. But how can you protect your business without a massive IT budget?In this episode of The Ledger Lounge, Tom, Katie and Matthew talk to Steve Cockcroft about the real-world cyber threats facing businesses today and the simple steps you can take to protect your data, your customers, and your reputation.Steve is the founder of Cysec Professionals , a cybersecurity consultancy helping organisations protect against modern digital threats. With years of hands-on experience and a passion for educating businesses, Steve is known for making complex cyber issues simple and practical.The Ledger Lounge is hosted by Matthew Taylor , Katie Allan and Lauren Thompson from ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠James Scott Accountants⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠in Oldham, Greater Manchester. It is recorded at and produced by ⁠⁠⁠KUPOD Productions⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ in Oldham. The Ledger Lounge – Friendly DisclaimerEverything we chat about on The Ledger Lounge (and in these show notes!) is meant to be helpful, interesting, and easy to understand — but it’s not personal tax, accounting, financial, or legal advice. Everyone’s situation is different, so always speak to a qualified professional before making decisions based on anything you hear in the show.We do our best to keep things accurate and up to date, but rules and regulations can change. The views shared by our hosts and guests are just their own, so please don’t take them as official advice from any organisations we’re connected to.Basically: enjoy the conversation, learn something new, but don’t make big decisions without proper guidance!

This episode is the last one of our first ever series, or is it season, of the Ledger Lounge. Topics for discussion include the relentless development and implications of AI in life and accounting, old fashioned telephones and of course, what we've learnt about podcasting. The Ledger Lounge is hosted by Matthew Taylor , Katie Allan and Lauren Thompson from ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠James Scott Accountants⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠in Oldham, Greater Manchester. It is recorded at and produced by ⁠⁠KUPOD Productions⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, Oldham. Audio by Matt Dean with video by Eddie Corteen. The Ledger Lounge – Friendly DisclaimerEverything we chat about on The Ledger Lounge (and in these show notes!) is meant to be helpful, interesting, and easy to understand — but it’s not personal tax, accounting, financial, or legal advice. Everyone’s situation is different, so always speak to a qualified professional before making decisions based on anything you hear in the show.We do our best to keep things accurate and up to date, but rules and regulations can change. The views shared by our hosts and guests are just their own, so please don’t take them as official advice from any organisations we’re connected to.Basically: enjoy the conversation, learn something new, but don’t make big decisions without proper guidance!

In this episode Matthew, Katie and Lauren take a deeper dive into the positives and potential pitfalls of Making Tax Digital (MTD), as HMRC prepare to roll out phase one in April 2026. NOV2025 UPDATE - Since recording HMRC have confirmed that there will be no late submission penalties for quarterly updates during tax year 2026-27. This means that the first wave of taxpayers joining MTD in April 2026 won’t need to worry about being late with their quarterly updates, at least in their first year.The Ledger Lounge is hosted by Matthew Taylor , Katie Allan and Lauren Thompson from ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠James Scott Accountants⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠in Oldham, Greater Manchester. It is recorded at and produced by ⁠KUPOD Productions⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, Oldham. Audio by Matt Dean with video by Eddie Corteen. The Ledger Lounge – Friendly DisclaimerEverything we chat about on The Ledger Lounge (and in these show notes!) is meant to be helpful, interesting, and easy to understand — but it’s not personal tax, accounting, financial, or legal advice. Everyone’s situation is different, so always speak to a qualified professional before making decisions based on anything you hear in the show.We do our best to keep things accurate and up to date, but rules and regulations can change. The views shared by our hosts and guests are just their own, so please don’t take them as official advice from any organisations we’re connected to.Basically: enjoy the conversation, learn something new, but don’t make big decisions without proper guidance!

In this episode, Matthew and Tom are joined by Sam from Swoop to discuss how they help SME's find the affordable finance they need to thrive and sometimes, survive. Click here to access our Funding and Finance page, with access to our Swoop portal.The Ledger Lounge is hosted by Matthew Taylor , Katie Allan and Lauren Thompson from ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠James Scott Accountants ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠in Oldham, Greater Manchester. It is recorded at and produced by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠KUPOD Productions⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, Oldham. Audio by Matt Dean with video by Eddie Corteen. The Ledger Lounge – Friendly DisclaimerEverything we chat about on The Ledger Lounge (and in these show notes!) is meant to be helpful, interesting, and easy to understand — but it’s not personal tax, accounting, financial, or legal advice. Everyone’s situation is different, so always speak to a qualified professional before making decisions based on anything you hear in the show.We do our best to keep things accurate and up to date, but rules and regulations can change. The views shared by our hosts and guests are just their own, so please don’t take them as official advice from any organisations we’re connected to.Basically: enjoy the conversation, learn something new, but don’t make big decisions without proper guidance!

In this episode Matthew and Katie are again joined by Tom to discuss the benefits of getting on the pensions and savings train as early as possible. The Ledger Lounge is hosted by Matthew Taylor , Katie Allan and Lauren Thompson from ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠James Scott Accountants ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠in Oldham, Greater Manchester. It is recorded at and produced by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠KUPOD Productions⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, Oldham. Audio by Matt Dean with video by Eddie Corteen. The Ledger Lounge – Friendly DisclaimerEverything we chat about on The Ledger Lounge (and in these show notes!) is meant to be helpful, interesting, and easy to understand — but it’s not personal tax, accounting, financial, or legal advice. Everyone’s situation is different, so always speak to a qualified professional before making decisions based on anything you hear in the show.We do our best to keep things accurate and up to date, but rules and regulations can change. The views shared by our hosts and guests are just their own, so please don’t take them as official advice from any organisations we’re connected to.Basically: enjoy the conversation, learn something new, but don’t make big decisions without proper guidance!

The Ledger Lounge is hosted by Matthew Taylor , Katie Allan and Lauren Thompson from ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠James Scott Accountants ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠in Oldham, Greater Manchester. The only thing is Lauren couldn’t make it this time and so we drafted in the James Scott King, Tom the Don. Fresh from his exam success we discuss his route from 6th form to completing his ACCA exams. All achieved through apprenticeships.It is recorded at and produced by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠KUPOD Productions⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, Oldham. Audio by Matt Dean with video by Eddie Corteen. The Ledger Lounge – Friendly DisclaimerEverything we chat about on The Ledger Lounge (and in these show notes!) is meant to be helpful, interesting, and easy to understand — but it’s not personal tax, accounting, financial, or legal advice. Everyone’s situation is different, so always speak to a qualified professional before making decisions based on anything you hear in the show.We do our best to keep things accurate and up to date, but rules and regulations can change. The views shared by our hosts and guests are just their own, so please don’t take them as official advice from any organisations we’re connected to.Basically: enjoy the conversation, learn something new, but don’t make big decisions without proper guidance!

Matthew and Katie are joined by producer Matt to talk about the benefits of getting an accountant on board with your business from the beginning. The Ledger Lounge is hosted by Matthew Taylor , Katie Allan and Lauren Thompson from ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠James Scott Accountants ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠in Oldham, Greater Manchester. It is recorded at and produced by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠KUPOD Productions⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, Oldham. Audio by Matt Dean with video by Eddie Corteen.

In this episode Matthew and Katie scratch the surface on the huge topic that is VAT. The Ledger Lounge is hosted by Matthew Taylor , Katie Allan and Lauren Thompson from James Scott Accountants in Oldham, Greater Manchester. It is recorded at and produced by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠KUPOD Productions⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, Oldham. Audio by Matt Dean with video by Eddie Corteen. The Ledger Lounge – Friendly DisclaimerEverything we chat about on The Ledger Lounge (and in these show notes!) is meant to be helpful, interesting, and easy to understand — but it’s not personal tax, accounting, financial, or legal advice. Everyone’s situation is different, so always speak to a qualified professional before making decisions based on anything you hear in the show.We do our best to keep things accurate and up to date, but rules and regulations can change. The views shared by our hosts and guests are just their own, so please don’t take them as official advice from any organisations we’re connected to.Basically: enjoy the conversation, learn something new, but don’t make big decisions without proper guidance!

Hopefully that attention grabbing subject line has grabbed your attention cos you're going to need to know all about Making Tax Digital. Since we have your attention, let Matthew, Katie and Lauren explain...NOV2025 UPDATE - Since recording HMRC have confirmed that there will be no late submission penalties for quarterly updates during tax year 2026-27. This means that the first wave of taxpayers joining MTD in April 2026 won’t need to worry about being late with their quarterly updates, at least in their first year.The Ledger Lounge is hosted by Matthew Taylor , Katie Allan and Lauren Thompson from ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠James Scott Accountants ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠in Oldham, Greater Manchester. It is recorded at and produced by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠KUPOD Productions⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, Oldham. Audio by Matt Dean with video by Eddie Corteen. The Ledger Lounge – Friendly DisclaimerEverything we chat about on The Ledger Lounge (and in these show notes!) is meant to be helpful, interesting, and easy to understand — but it’s not personal tax, accounting, financial, or legal advice. Everyone’s situation is different, so always speak to a qualified professional before making decisions based on anything you hear in the show.We do our best to keep things accurate and up to date, but rules and regulations can change. The views shared by our hosts and guests are just their own, so please don’t take them as official advice from any organisations we’re connected to.Basically: enjoy the conversation, learn something new, but don’t make big decisions without proper guidance!

Matthew and Katie return from the Digital Accounting Show with news of AI developments and we delve into understanding Directors Loan Accounts.The Ledger Lounge is hosted by Matthew Taylor , Katie Allan and Lauren Thompson from ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠James Scott Accountants ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠in Oldham, Greater Manchester. It is recorded at and produced by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠KUPOD Productions⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, Oldham. Audio by Matt Dean with video by Eddie Corteen. The Ledger Lounge – Friendly DisclaimerEverything we chat about on The Ledger Lounge (and in these show notes!) is meant to be helpful, interesting, and easy to understand — but it’s not personal tax, accounting, financial, or legal advice. Everyone’s situation is different, so always speak to a qualified professional before making decisions based on anything you hear in the show.We do our best to keep things accurate and up to date, but rules and regulations can change. The views shared by our hosts and guests are just their own, so please don’t take them as official advice from any organisations we’re connected to.Basically: enjoy the conversation, learn something new, but don’t make big decisions without proper guidance!

Cashflow is vital to keep any business going and in this week's episode, Matthew, Katie and Lauren discuss the impact it has and tips to help make sure that you're paid on time, every time! The Ledger Lounge is hosted by Matthew Taylor , Katie Allan and Lauren Thompson from ⁠⁠⁠⁠James Scott Accounting ⁠⁠⁠⁠in Oldham, Greater Manchester. It is recorded at and produced by ⁠⁠⁠⁠KUPOD Productions⁠⁠⁠⁠, Oldham. Audio by Matt Dean with video by Eddie Corteen. The Ledger Lounge – Friendly DisclaimerEverything we chat about on The Ledger Lounge (and in these show notes!) is meant to be helpful, interesting, and easy to understand — but it’s not personal tax, accounting, financial, or legal advice. Everyone’s situation is different, so always speak to a qualified professional before making decisions based on anything you hear in the show.We do our best to keep things accurate and up to date, but rules and regulations can change. The views shared by our hosts and guests are just their own, so please don’t take them as official advice from any organisations we’re connected to.Basically: enjoy the conversation, learn something new, but don’t make big decisions without proper guidance!

In this episode producer Matt joins the conversation as a small business owner and client of James Scott to discuss the challenges of starting a business and why getting an accountant on board early is so important.The Ledger Lounge is hosted by Matthew Taylor , Katie Allan and Lauren Thompson from ⁠⁠⁠James Scott Accountants ⁠⁠⁠in Oldham, Greater Manchester. It is recorded at and produced by ⁠⁠⁠KUPOD Productions⁠⁠⁠, Oldham. Audio by Matt Dean with video by Eddie Corteen. The Ledger Lounge – Friendly DisclaimerEverything we chat about on The Ledger Lounge (and in these show notes!) is meant to be helpful, interesting, and easy to understand — but it’s not personal tax, accounting, financial, or legal advice. Everyone’s situation is different, so always speak to a qualified professional before making decisions based on anything you hear in the show.We do our best to keep things accurate and up to date, but rules and regulations can change. The views shared by our hosts and guests are just their own, so please don’t take them as official advice from any organisations we’re connected to.Basically: enjoy the conversation, learn something new, but don’t make big decisions without proper guidance!

In this episode we meet new recruit to the podcast, Lauren Thompson and discuss the benefits of the digital solutions accountants can offer their clients to help save time, manage cash flow and make better business decisions. The Ledger Lounge is hosted by Matthew Taylor , Katie Allan and Lauren Thompson from ⁠⁠James Scott Accountants from ⁠⁠Oldham, Greater Manchester. It is recorded at and produced by ⁠⁠KUPOD Productions⁠⁠, Oldham. Audio by Matt Dean with video by Eddie Corteen. The Ledger Lounge – Friendly DisclaimerEverything we chat about on The Ledger Lounge (and in these show notes!) is meant to be helpful, interesting, and easy to understand — but it’s not personal tax, accounting, financial, or legal advice. Everyone’s situation is different, so always speak to a qualified professional before making decisions based on anything you hear in the show.We do our best to keep things accurate and up to date, but rules and regulations can change. The views shared by our hosts and guests are just their own, so please don’t take them as official advice from any organisations we’re connected to.Basically: enjoy the conversation, learn something new, but don’t make big decisions without proper guidance!

In this episode, Matthew and Katie have a look at everyone's favourite topic...tax!The Ledger Lounge is hosted by Matthew Taylor and Katie Allan from ⁠James Scott Accountants from Oldham, Greater Manchester. It is recorded at and produced by ⁠KUPOD Productions⁠, Oldham. Audio by Matt Dean with video by Eddie Corteen. The Ledger Lounge – Friendly DisclaimerEverything we chat about on The Ledger Lounge (and in these show notes!) is meant to be helpful, interesting, and easy to understand — but it’s not personal tax, accounting, financial, or legal advice. Everyone’s situation is different, so always speak to a qualified professional before making decisions based on anything you hear in the show.We do our best to keep things accurate and up to date, but rules and regulations can change. The views shared by our hosts and guests are just their own, so please don’t take them as official advice from any organisations we’re connected to.Basically: enjoy the conversation, learn something new, but don’t make big decisions without proper guidance!

James Scott have 40 years of accounting and business advisory experience to share, so they're inviting you into the Ledger Lounge! In this episode you'll meet Matthew and Katie from the company as they embark on their podcasting journey...The Ledger Lounge is hosted by Matthew Taylor and Katie Allan from James Scott Accountants in Oldham, Greater Manchester. It is recorded at and produced by KUPOD Productions, Oldham. Audio by Matt Dean and video by Eddie Corteen. The Ledger Lounge – Friendly DisclaimerEverything we chat about on The Ledger Lounge (and in these show notes!) is meant to be helpful, interesting, and easy to understand — but it’s not personal tax, accounting, financial, or legal advice. Everyone’s situation is different, so always speak to a qualified professional before making decisions based on anything you hear in the show.We do our best to keep things accurate and up to date, but rules and regulations can change. The views shared by our hosts and guests are just their own, so please don’t take them as official advice from any organisations we’re connected to.Basically: enjoy the conversation, learn something new, but don’t make big decisions without proper guidance!

This episode of the Ledger Lounge is hosted by Matthew Taylor and Katie Allan from ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠James Scott Accountants⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠in Oldham, Greater Manchester. It is recorded at and produced by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠KUPOD Productions⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for ⁠⁠⁠⁠Become Content⁠⁠⁠⁠ in Oldham. The Ledger Lounge – Friendly DisclaimerEverything we chat about on The Ledger Lounge (and in these show notes!) is meant to be helpful, interesting, and easy to understand — but it’s not personal tax, accounting, financial, or legal advice. Everyone’s situation is different, so always speak to a qualified professional before making decisions based on anything you hear in the show.We do our best to keep things accurate and up to date, but rules and regulations can change. The views shared by our hosts and guests are just their own, so please don’t take them as official advice from any organisations we’re connected to.Basically: enjoy the conversation, learn something new, but don’t make big decisions without proper guidance!