The most significant change to personal tax administration in nearly three decades is on its way and it will affect thousands of Yorkshire’s sole traders and landlords. Making Tax Digital (MTD) for income tax, which becomes mandatory for many from April 2026, represents a major shift in how income is recorded and reported.

The chartered accountancy profession stands at a crossroads. As sustainability once again climbs the business agenda across the UK and beyond, chartered accountants are uniquely positioned to play a transformative role.

The latest national Business Confidence Monitor (BCM) shows that business sentiment slipped deeper into negative territory amid uncertainty about the Budget and rising concern about both the tax burden and regulations. However, companies are optimistic that domestic sales and exports growth will improve over the next 12 months.

Leeds is now firmly established as the UK’s Northern Powerhouse of financial services, with the city and the wider West Yorkshire region recognised as a national engine for growth, innovation, and opportunity. The latest figures show that West Yorkshire is home to over 18,000 business, financial, and professional services (BFPS) firms, employing 192,000 people and generating £15 billion in Gross Value Added (GVA) in 2023, accounting for a fifth of the region’s economy.