DPC Accountants Stoke-on-Trent
DPC Business & Tax Advisers
Creating Relationships – Driving Success
Wherever you are in your business journey, just starting out, established and running a successfully business, looking to retire to grow your business, or just need some help with meeting your tax obligations, DPC Accountants Stoke-on-Trent have all the skills to help you achieve your financial goals and keep you compliant.
Our aim is to build lasting relationships to understand your business and personal financial goals and help you achieve them.
We can provide you a professional, honest, and personal service from day-to-day business accounting and compliance, through to specialist tax or business advice, and auditing.
Our team have a wealth of experience to help individuals, entrepreneurs, and businesses to reach their full potential and grow and develop.
We help a wide range of businesses from corporate groups, owner managed businesses, sole traders and partnerships working across multiple business sectors and industries.
We use and embrace technology to enable us to deliver accurate and efficient information to you which enables us to provide advice that adds value to your business.
Our staff are trained to a high standard and our work is regulated by the ICAEW accountancy body, ensuring we deliver a high standard of service to all our clients.
Working with you to ensure the success of your business relies on strong relationships, trust and integrity.
As a well-known Staffordshire firm of chartered accountants and business advisers, DPC Chartered Accountants Stoke-on-Trent use intelligent accounting solutions and expert advice to guide business and private clients.
Continual staff training and in-house skills are invested in to deliver the most up-to-date services compliant with HMRC, digital technology and data protection.
Whether you run a start-up company, a growing business, are looking to exit a business or require taxation advice, you can be assured of the highest quality guidance and tax solutions.
DPC Chartered Accountants are part of The DPC Group Limited, built on over 80 years’ experience.
The heritage of DPC Group Limited originated with Edwin Downward on February 9, 1943 who set up shop as a sole practitioner in Wellesley Street, Stoke-on-Trent.
Welcoming John Plumb in 1962 and Mike Colclough in 1963, the firm became known as Downward, Plumb and Colclough – later adopting the acronym DPC.
Over the course of its rich history as a firm of accountants in Stoke-on-Trent (80-years celebrated in July 2023) DPC has gone from strength to strength embracing many changes and a commitment to constant innovation.
When computers were a fledgling industry, DPC took a chance by investing into new technology by spending £3,500 on a revolutionary Logabax accounting machine in June 1967.
The investment enabled advanced accounting (at the time) for some of Staffordshire’s most prominent businesses. The efficiency in financial affairs resulted in many of these organisations achieving international success.
Looking to work as an accountant in Stoke-on-Trent? We welcome people at all stages in their careers, from school leavers and recent graduates to experienced professionals.
We’re focused on attracting the best talent, putting people into the right roles and offering the best professional training and personal development to deliver a first class client service.
We offer fully funded and supported professional training at each stage of an accountancy/ audit/ tax career i.e. AAT, ACCA, ACA (ICAEW), ATT, or CTA. This is supplemented with an in-house mentor and Personal Development Plan.
We offer structured career paths across a range of roles within the practice
We are hiring
Personal Tax Assistant
In this role you will work across a varied portfolio of c400 personal tax clients, from sole traders, property investors, to simple directors of owner managed businesses. Over time as you develop within the firm and role there will be increasing client contact / portfolio management responsibility and scope for involvement in delivering wider tax planning services.
Audit Senior
You will provide a wide range of audit services across a diverse range of clients, collaborating with internal and external stakeholders to deliver a high calibre audit service. Our audit function is growing, and the successful candidate will have a defined pathway for personal and professional development along with opportunities for career progression.
Tax Senior
You will manage a varied portfolio of personal tax clients, from sole traders, property investors, to simple directors of owner managed businesses, acting as a first point of contact. Our people first culture means you will benefit from high quality personal development and on the job training to develop your leadership and tax skills to enable you to become a trusted business adviser.
Accounts and Audit Semi-Senior
You will work with multiple clients to complete full Accounts Preparation, Corporate Tax Returns and Management Accounts. You will have opportunities to work with a varied client portfolio including SME, Sole Trader and Limited Companies as well as larger clients where you have the option to develop skills within audit if you would like.
Accounts and Audit Senior
You will manage a varied portfolio of clients (SME, Sole Trader and Limited Companies as well as larger clients), acting as a first point of contact. You will be responsible for their end-to-end accounts. The nature of our clients and our approach will also give you the opportunity to work within audit if you would like.
Accountants in Stoke-on-Trent
5 essential steps to successfully establish and grow your new business
If you are embarking on the exciting journey of starting your own business, then we wish you many congratulations! As you navigate the path to entrepreneurship, it’s crucial to lay a solid foundation that sets your venture up for success and sustainable growth. Here are five important steps to consider as you establish and grow your new business…
New digital service to check your State Pension forecast launched
A new digital service has been launched that makes it easier to check if you have any gaps in your National Insurance (NI) record that may affect your State Pension entitlement. The service is called Check Your State Pension forecast and can be accessed via GOV.UK or the HMRC app. You will need to register for or login to your Personal Tax Account to find the service.
How to defend your business from email compromise
Email phishing attacks that target senior leaders and finance personnel in the business are on the increase. The National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) has published guidance aimed at helping small to medium sized businesses to deal with Business Email Compromise (BEC).
Views sought from female entrepreneurs
Small Business Britain, Square and Clearpay have commissioned a joint survey to understand the opportunities and challenges for female entrepreneurs in the UK. The survey wants to find out about the experience female entrepreneurs have in running their own business and the ups and downs that go along with it. Insights from the survey will be published in June 2024.
Is your use of AI compliant with health and safety?
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has published an article outlining its approach to regulating artificial intelligence (AI) in workplaces. The article has some implications that businesses should consider, including regulatory compliance and risk assessment.
How might the changes to company size thresholds affect your business?
From October 2024, company size thresholds are to increase by 50%. For each company, these new thresholds will begin to apply from the start of the next accounting period commencing on or after 1 October 2024. But what are the implications of these changes to your company?
Lessons to be learned from a data breach
The Information Commissioners Office (ICO) recently reported on a reprimand they issued to a housing association after personal information became accessible in an online customer portal. Clyde Valley Housing Association in Lanarkshire launched a new portal in 2022. On the first day of its release a resident discovered they could access personal information about other residents. As a result, they called a customer service adviser to report the breach.
Avoiding Business Pitfalls: 7 things you should NOT do as a business owner
Recent surveys of UK business owners show us to be under pressure. This is no surprise. As a business owner, you’re constantly juggling multiple responsibilities and facing a myriad of challenges. While there are countless strategies for success, it’s equally important to be aware of potential pitfalls that could derail your efforts. In this article, we’ll explore seven common mistakes that business owners should avoid at all costs.
Increasing your profit – why it’s not the same as growing sales
The so-called Micawber principle, as stated by Wilkins Micawber in Charles Dickens’ novel David Copperfield, says: “Annual income twenty pounds, annual expenditure nineteen and six, result happiness. Annual income twenty pounds, annual expenditure twenty pounds nought and six, result misery.” This widely used quote on personal finance is just as relevant for business finance. For any business to be successful and sustain itself over the long term, it must make a profit, i.e. revenue must exceed costs.
Hybrid working – what counts as a business journey for tax purposes?
HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) have updated their guidance on what qualifies as ordinary commuting and private travel for tax purposes to include hybrid or flexible working. Generally, where an employee works at home as an objective requirement of the job, then HMRC will usually accept that the employee is entitled to tax relief for the expenses of travelling from their home to another workplace, such as the office, when this is in performance of the duties of their job.
Financing your business – what should you know?
Growing a business often requires capital. If you don’t have that capital personally or already in the business, then one option is to get finance from a bank. What types of finance are available? How can you present a request to a bank and have it accepted? We will endeavour to answer those questions in this article.
Switch to digital landlines
Since it was decided in 2017, landlines across the UK are being updated by telecom companies to new digital technology using an internet connection. The switchover should be complete by December 2025. The old analogue system, referred to as Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN), has reached end of its serviceable life, and telecom companies are now finding it difficult to source the parts they need to continue maintaining it.
Procurement – can the principles work for smaller businesses?
Larger corporations often have dedicated purchasing departments to handle procuring supplies, services and other business purchases. The government recently published a press release congratulating its procurement department on its 10th anniversary for saving taxpayers £3.8 billion last year. Specialising in this way allows for finding or negotiating the best deals for purchases and can save businesses considerable amounts of money.
Inflation falls in March
According to the latest figures released by the Office for National Statistics, the Consumer Prices Index (CPI) rose by 3.2% in the 12 months to March 2024. This is down from 3.4% in February. The main reason for the change was that prices for food are rising by less than a year ago.
New service to manage import duties and VAT accounts
HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) have published guidance on a new online service to help businesses with their import duties and VAT accounts.
If you or your business are involved in importing goods into England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, you can use the new service to get your import VAT statements and certificates; manage your payment accounts; and manage or view authorities.
Lump sum death benefit charge – what do you need to tell HMRC?
New guidance has been published by HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) to help legal representatives find out what they need to tell HMRC to calculate the lump sum death benefit charge. When someone passes away and their estate includes certain financial products like pensions or life insurance products, any lump sum death benefit received by the beneficiaries might be subject to inheritance tax.
Don’t get caught out by tax avoidance
HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) are running a campaign to help people avoid being caught out by tax avoidance schemes. This is particularly relevant to those who are contractors, agency workers, or are working through an umbrella company.
Updated VAT road fuel scale charges from 1 May 2024
From 1 May 2024, the VAT road fuel scale charges will be updated. The new rates will need to be used from the start of the next VAT accounting period that begins on or after 1 May. So, if your next VAT quarter starts on 1 June, you will begin using the new rates for the quarter that begins on 1 June.