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Risk versus reward: The FX hedging risks you need to know inside-out

Elliot
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Risk versus reward: The FX hedging risks you need to know inside-out

There’s no doubt that forex has become a lot more mainstream over the years. While it might have appeared like some sort of foreign term several years ago, now the basics are at least understood by the Average Joe.

However, whether or not that same Average Joe would be able to identify the various hedging risks associated with this is another matter. In truth, this is a volatile form of trading, and this is one of the reasons hedging currency companies are so in-demand.

Following on from the above, let’s now look at some of the big risks that apply to this type of trading.

Interest rate risks

This first risk really shouldn’t come as a surprise to any reader. After all, pretty much everyone in the world is affected by interest rates in some shape or form. For the typical person they can affect their mortgage rate – and similar rules apply in the world of Forex.

The issue with interest rates is that a rise in them causes a currency to strengthen. At the same time, as soon as they start to drop, the currency weakens. This all relates to how investors are treating a country’s assets.

There is a distinct correlation between forex prices and interest rates. As such, if there is anything in the media suggesting that an interest rate might be about to change, this will impact your forex investments as well.

Transaction risks

This next risk is a little more unknown, so to speak, as it only really applies to the world of trading.

As we all know, trading is performed across the world. As we also all know, different countries in the world operate in different time zones.

However, if we hone in Forex, this is something that occurs on a 24-hour cycle. In other words, it never closes. This means that the exchange rate can change before a trade has settled.

Country risks

This is applicable to most investments, but with Forex it is particularly relevant. In short, there is a lot of risk associated with those so-called weaker countries. Most developing countries will fix their exchange rate with the US dollar. However, in doing this, their own central banks need to keep sufficient reserves of dollars to keep this exchange rate. If payment deficits start to occur, the currency will immediately start to devalue.

Unfortunately, this is a problem that simply snowballs. In other words, as soon as an investor starts to hear that a currency is weakening, and ultimately decreasing in value, they might start to withdraw their assets from the country. This simply enhances the problem, and means that the currency keeps on getting weaker.

This is something that isn’t completely theoretical either. These sorts of problems have occurred in some established financial markets and one only has to look at the Asian Financial Crisis, and even the Argentine Crisis, which have both resulted in home currencies falling apart.

Which collections will be most valuable in the long run?

Elliot
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0
Which collections will be most valuable in the long run?

Collectors often hold on to rare items in order to get as much from them as possible in the future. Whether it’s coins, bottles of wine, art, stamps, or even figures from classic films, investors and collectors will pay huge sums of money for rare items.

But it can be difficult deciding what to start collecting now in order for it to be worth something in the future. Here, we’ll go through some of the most valuable collection pieces in the world, which could give a hint as to what you should start keeping an eye out for now.

Fine wines

A firm favourite for collectors around the world, fine wines have always been able to pull in the cash at auctions. One of the most expensive bottles of wine ever sold, a single 6L bottle of 1947 Cheval Blanc, went for £192,000 in 2010.

It’s important to note that not every wine can be kept to be resold at a later time. It all depends on the vintage and the vineyard where it was produced.

If you think you’ve come across a bottle of wine that may be worth something, the best thing to do is get it valued by a fine wine specialist, such as the London Wine Cellar, who will be able to give exact figures as to how much the wine is worth, as well as assist in its sale.

While it is possible to sell single bottles of wine, collections of wine bottles, especially prestigious ones, tend to sell for more. The most in-demand wines tend to be “old worlds” such as Bordeaux and Grand Cru Burgundy. You can usually buy these in crates of six bottles directly from the vineyard, and will need to store them correctly, and create a paper trail of provenance to prove the wine is not fake. The provenance helps to prove to buyers that it was stored correctly, and that the quality of wine hasn’t been damaged, which can impact the selling price of your bottle or collection. As long as you’ve stored your wine correctly, and the bottle or collection is a rare vintage, you’re sure to have a very valuable investment after a few years.

Individual Lego bricks and sets

Even though Lego bricks are still being mass produced for new collections, there is a huge opportunity to make money by selling old pieces. Older sets can fetch high prices amongst collectors, but perhaps the most surprising thing is how much money individual pieces sell for.

There are a large number of serious Lego collectors around the world, who may be missing just one or two pieces from an old, limited edition set, and be willing to spend large amounts of money to make their collection whole again. If you are the lucky owner of one of these sets, you may consider going through it to see if you have any special, coveted pieces of the over 400 billion Lego blocks there currently are in the world.

There are even websites dedicated to finding, buying, and selling these rare pieces, such as BrickLink.com. The online marketplace gives Lego fanatics the chance to search for and buy out of production bricks, or pieces with a manufacturing fault—such as the red Darth Vader helmet—which is currently going for over £900.

Lego sets and series are now being discontinued quicker than ever, making collections and specific pieces more scarce. Getting hold of one of these sets could work out to be a valuable investment, especially if it’s based around a trend that has a cult following. The Star Wars Ultimate Battle Lego set, for example, is currently on sale for over £400, despite only being released in 2005.

Vinyl records and LPs

When cassettes and CDs took over in the music industry, no one could have guessed that vinyl records would make a comeback. Music purists defended cumbersome LPs for their supposed superior sound quality, and now it seems that younger generations are catching on.

Depending on when the vinyl was pressed, or if it’s been signed by the artist, you could get a huge amount of cash after paying next to nothing. For example, a copy of the critically acclaimed classic record The Velvet Underground & Nico was bought by someone at a New York record store for a mere 75 cents. After realising it was a 1966 acetate pressing that contained very early versions of songs that would end up on the finished album, the LP was sold on eBay for $25,200.

While it’s unlikely that the average person has a rare one-of-a-kind pressing of an iconic album in music history, having a first pressing copy in excellent condition could earn you a decent amount of money. A first pressing of Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, for example, could get you up to £150 if it’s in good condition. Have a look through your old collection of records, or simply start investing in new pressings now, and you could have a vinyl library worth a large amount of cash.

Original comic books

For something so cheap, comic books can be worth a lot of money—depending on the comic. The most expensive comic book ever sold is Action Comics #1, which introduced the world to Superman. The original comic was sold for just 10 cents, and since then, four copies have sold for over $1 million each, with some reaching $3 million. However, there is a grading process in place for comic books, based on their quality. The higher the grade, the better condition the book is in, and the more it is worth.

Of course, there’s no way to tell what new comics will be worth anything in the future, so it can be a gamble to buy new comics solely for the purpose of selling them on in the future. However, if you are hoping to collect comic books for a long-term investment, make sure you keep them in the best condition you can, as it could be the difference between a few hundred and a few million dollars in the future.

Guide to the correct insurance for photography professionals

Elliot
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Guide to the correct insurance for photography professionals

If you have a passion for photography, you may well be thinking of starting your own photography business. Making the transition from amateur to professional photographer can certainly be an exciting prospect, but you’ll need more than just enthusiasm and creative flair if you want to make your dream into a reality.  In order to separate yourself from the countless amateur photographers out there, you’ll need to work hard and plan ahead. Here are some of the things you need to consider before you take the leap.

Don’t neglect the business details

First and foremost, you are starting a business. You can think like an artist during a shoot, but in order to make your new venture a success, you need to start thinking like a business owner. If you’re not the best with numbers, hire an accountant to keep an eye on the financial side of things for you.

Before you start taking on clients, you’ll also want to make sure you have the right type of insurance in place to protect you in the event of any potential claims. If you want more information, insurance provider Hiscox have created a guide to the correct insurance for photography professionals, which covers everything from equipment insurance to liability insurance.

Invest in the right equipment

As a professional photographer, you cannot get by with subpar or incomplete equipment. You need at least one high quality camera, as well as multiple lenses, flashes, and other supporting equipment. You’ll also need software like Photoshop to edit the images.

Make sure you have spares for all the key pieces of hardware because you can never know when a crucial piece of kit might break. Not having back-ups in certain scenarios could cause you major embarrassment and even damage your professional reputation.

Purchasing extra equipment, or upgrading your existing gear might be expensive, but it is absolutely necessary for the success of your new business.

Develop a brand

A distinctive brand identity will help you stand out from the crowd and attract the right type of customers. First, you need to think about what makes you special and how your brand identity could convey that to your prospective customers.

Do some research into the competition in order to see what works well, and also where there’s opportunity for differentiation.

Then it’s time to develop your name, logo, and perhaps even a tagline. You may choose to use your own name of course, but whatever you decide, make sure that all the imagery and language you use are consistent with your newly defined brand identify.

Online presence

Every photographer should have a slick website that showcases some of the best images from their portfolio. The website also needs to be easy to navigate and include important information like pricings and cancellation policies.

Of course, a stunning website is only one piece of the puzzle these days. You’ll also need to be actively promoting yourself through social media. It’s best to pick just one or two platforms and focus on using them really well. Facebook and Instagram are logical choices. Facebook is a great way to interact with potential customers and will allow people to leave reviews, while Instagram, as a photo-sharing community, is a great platform to promote the business by showing off your amazing photography skills.

With the business well taken care of, you can now devote more time and energy to your passion and further developing your skills as a photographer.

Discrimination against tenants on benefits – what does it mean for landlords?

ABC Staff
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Discrimination against tenants on benefits – what does it mean for landlords?

A recent undercover survey by the housing charity Shelter highlights the growing issue of landlord discrimination against tenants in receipt of housing benefit. While this is not illegal, Shelter considers that some instances may be unlawful under the Equality Act 2010. With this in mind, it is planning a court challenge. The challenge is likely to focus on women and the disabled as the two groups most likely to be in receipt of housing benefit.

No doubt Shelter’s decision to bring the challenge was buoyed by a ruling earlier this year that awarded £2,000 to a single mother who brought a successful sex discrimination claim against a letting agent. The agent had refused to accept her as a tenant on the grounds that she was a benefit claimant. She successfully argued that the policy disproportionately affected single women over single men as the latter were more likely to be in receipt of benefits and more likely to be a single parent. Although not a legally binding precedent, the case has stirred alarm as landlords wake up to the fact that this long-existing practice may, in fact, amount to unlawful sex discrimination.

Although an estimated 43% of private landlords refuse to rent to anyone in receipt of benefits, there may be some rationale to their decision. Many landlord insurance policies either do not cover tenants who receive benefits or charge considerably higher premiums. Mortgage policies may also have an effect. For these reasons, many landlords and lettings agents object to the “discrimination” label that is often applied to them and are as frustrated as their would-be tenants at their inability to rent to those on benefit.

The ongoing roll-out of universal credit further complicates the picture. Housing benefit is just one of six benefits being wrapped up into the new regime. Some landlords may refuse to rent to anyone in receipt of universal credit. This partly due to the reasons already identified above and partly due to a fear that a tenant may fall into arrears, perhaps as a consequence of a payment lag as they move from one system to the other. As a result, it is entirely possible that someone who does not receive housing benefit may experience problems finding a property in the private rental sector if, for example, their entitlement to child tax credit is moved to universal credit.

The very real concerns held by landlords mean that this is not purely an issue of discrimination. It is a matter that needs addressing by insurance companies, mortgage lenders and the Department for Work and Pensions. Failure to do so is not only a disservice to landlords, who risk being trapped between court rulings that they have acted unlawfully and, for example, an insurance company charging unsustainably high premiums for tenants on benefits, but also to tenants themselves.

Article provided by Manchester Solicitors Clifford Johnston and Co  

EuroMillions.com further increases the offer of international games

ABC Staff
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EuroMillions.com further increases the offer of international games

EuroMillions.com:

  • Provider of the most attractive lottery jackpots available in the world at the best prices
  • Safe and efficient platform
  • Platform for learning about the curiosities and odds of lottery
  • Commission-free winnings

EuroMillions.com is an independent company that provides lotto players from any country the opportunity to buy tickets of the most famous national and international lotteries and enjoy the biggest jackpots in the world, at the best prices. The platform has just announced the future release of the games Mega Millions and EuroJackpot; this step will strengthen the position of EuroMillions.com as a first class provider of lotteries to satisfy its growing customer base.

Current Lotteries and benefits

EuroMillions.com is the proud provider of the most famous and internationally recognised lotteries. From the Christmas Spanish lottery “El Gordo de Navidad” to the European lottery EuroMillions and the American PowerBall, EuroMillions.com offers the lotteries with the largest jackpots, which could be in excess of $1.5 billion, as already happened in the past.

Playing online lottery offers significant benefits compared to the traditional methods. It is more comfortable and convenient as it is just a few clicks away from wherever you are and it provides access to a wider range of games. This allows choosing the most appropriate games depending on the interests of the customers: lower cost, larger jackpots etc. For example, some American games like the Powerball could be more convenient to play than local ones like UK Lottery. Furthermore, because for similar prices they offer bigger jackpots and in some cases even more chances of winning. This is the reason why EuroMillions.com will soon be offering new games such as Mega Millions and EuroJackpot. In addition, playing the lottery online is also a safer option than other methods since the ticket will not be lost, damaged or stolen.

For those unfamiliar with EuroJackpot, the game consists on choosing correctly 5 number out of a list of 50 and 2 additional numbers out of a list of 10. Thanks to the transnational nature of EuroJackpot, it is possible to offer large jackpots that range between 10 Million Euros up to the cap of 90 Million Euros. It should be noted here that the 90 Million Euros prize has been won several times in the recent history of the game.

Playing the Irish lottery is also straightforward. It requires the player to choose 6 numbers between 1 and 47. Additionally, if the player wishes to increase the jackpot, it is possible to select for a small additional fee two more boxes, Lotto+1 and Lotto+2. The famous Irish lottery has also awarded prizes in excess of 18 Million Euros.

Customers can also discover further details about the Irish lottery including information about some of the unique Irish Lotto 3 draws.

Checking the winning numbers and choosing the correct game

EuroMillions.com already offers the possibility of checking the results of Irish Lotto, Eurojackpot and other lotteries. This allows the customer to analyse in depth those games with the larger jackpots to decide which of them are the best to play and prepare his strategy.

How IoT is bringing impressive changes to healthcare

ABC Staff
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How IoT is bringing impressive changes to healthcare

When Apple took the veil off the Apple Watch Series 4 in September, the world was reminded of the flourishing potential of wearable devices for use in protecting health. The new Apple Watch’s exciting headline features outlined on the Apple website include alerts about unusually high or low heart rates and “fall detection” that lets the wearer quickly call emergency services after a hard fall.

Seeing the official reveal of the Apple Watch Series 4 might have also inadvertently reminded you of how it could fit into a broader IoT network for safeguarding patients’ health. IoT stands for the Internet of Things and is ripe with potential for the healthcare sector.

In fact, much potential of IoT for healthcare purposes is already being realised, as this article’s examples of practical use cases illustrate.

What obstacles are arising in the IoT healthcare space?

Patients have bought millions of consumer devices – including smartwatches and more rudimentary fitness trackers – that are packed with health-based functionality. This emerging trend could lead many technology industry watchers to opine that, for many healthcare professionals, much of the hard work has now been done and they simply need to analyse data from these wearable devices.  

However, the situation isn’t quite as simple as that, with HealthITAnalytics.com pointing out the difficulty of telling which of the many new devices will genuinely help patients. For all of the press hype, many of these devices haven’t been thoroughly tried and tested.

Many healthcare providers are also unsure whether, out of their current workflows, they can squeeze enough bandwidth to accommodate IT technology’s integration. IoT seems to pose an array of growing pains for the healthcare sector – but, if you work in this sector, you could overcome many of those issues surprisingly easily. It would, however, depend on you taking the right approach.

Why Hewlett Packard Enterprise could come to the rescue

If you are considering introducing IoT to your operations as a healthcare provider, you could do so to particularly impressive effect if an enterprise IT company guides you through the process. As you could find particularly strong comfort in a big name, Hewlett Packard Enterprise – and, in particular, its division HPE Pointnext – could be an especially good choice of enterprise IT outfit for this purpose.  

With its recent acquisition of the cloud consultancy firm RedPixie, HPE Pointnext has strengthened the quality and reliability of its HPE services. On its own website, RedPixie has highlighted various examples of how IoT can effectively work in a healthcare context.

How IoT data can be effectively utilised

You might have assumed that, in healthcare, IoT’s true value is realised in how an array of devices can now be seamlessly connected. However, this would be a mistaken belief; as RedPixie points out, acquiring data from these devices is “the true end point”.

For example, from patients wearing smartwatches and similar devices, healthcare providers could continuously collect telemetry data. With this data at hand, you could better react to an array of concerning events – such as a fall, irregular heartbeat or sudden change in temperature. If an epileptic seizure or migraine starts emerging, on the other hand, you could notify the device wearer.

If you remain reluctant to place faith in consumer-grade wearables, keep in mind that you could still correlate readings from such devices with data from clinical-grade devices. This shines a strong light on the beauty of IoT; with a wide range of technology connected in a single large network, you can tap into benefits that vary across this field of technology while you continue to minimise drawbacks.

Publishing industry on borrowed time as self-destruction eBooks go on sale

ABC Staff
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Publishing industry on borrowed time as self-destruction eBooks go on sale

Mission: Impossible-style ebooks which self-destruct after reading went on sale in Britain yesterday.

Digital products at the Nobu.store are fitted with electronic fuses that are set to ‘detonate’ when the rental period expires.

Consumers have between two and 20 days to read the book before a ‘coded bomb’ explodes and wipes “every trace of data” from their smartphone or tablet.

Similar software is already in use for movie and box set rentals, but it is the first time that so-called “timestamp tech” of this kind has been applied to the publishing industry.

Until now, publishers have only managed to restrict access to expired downloads, rather than permanently removing them from a user’s device.

The technology, which is patented but “highly secret”, is currently used on the Nobu.store site for electronic book, magazine and movie rental in PDF format. Ebooks are read on the Nobu Reader app .

But the “self-shred” software, which is embedded into the PDF code, could also prove invaluable for the military, governments and other publishers of sensitive data.

Without it, old devices discarded by spooks, soldiers, doctors and CEOs could provide enemies and competitors with a “treasure trove” of confidential information.

Speaking yesterday the bookstore’s billionaire founder, Nobu Su, said: “Nobu.store provides publishers and authors with the first platform of its kind that rents ebooks or other works for a specified period of time.

“But it is also the world’s first marketplace that utilises timestamp technology to completely remove every trace of data from a user’s device after that rental period has expired.

“As such, it helps consumers by removing old data and memory from their device, and it helps publishers by protecting their copyright against piracy.”

Nobu, the chairman of shipping firm TMT, added: “In time, it will no doubt prove a useful tool to those corporations and governmental organisations who need to protect important data from falling into the wrong hands.”

“Can I cadge a quid?”: Zopa reveals the variety of words and phrases used by Brits across the UK when discussing money

ABC Staff
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“Can I cadge a quid?”: Zopa reveals the variety of words and phrases used by Brits across the UK when discussing money

 Zopa, the pioneering financial services company, has unveiled a list of the many ways people from different UK regions talk about borrowing.

Working with Dr Rob Drummond, Senior Lecturer in Linguistics at Manchester Metropolitan University, Zopa has created a compelling glossary of over a dozen different words and phrases and an accompanying illustrative regional map. The collaborative research highlights the wide and varied use of different words for borrowing money used throughout the nation.

For example, those in Scotland were found to use phrases such as ‘giez a lend’ or ‘giez a bung’ when asking to borrow money, whilst those in the North-West of England would ask to ‘cadge’ or ‘borrow me’ some cash.

Liverpudlians are more likely to say ‘front me a loan’ or ask for ‘a sub’, while those in Newcastle and the North-East would instead say ‘spot us a fiver’ when they need to borrow money. If you’re a Londoner you may use the phrase ‘touch me a loan’ and historically would have ‘whispered’ when looking to borrow.

Clare Gambardella, Zopa’s Chief Customer Officer, said, “Everyone knows of words and phrases that crop up in conversation but that are met with a blank face when you use them with someone from a different part of the country. Equally there are instantly recognisable phrases that tell you that the user is from your hometown. What’s interesting about the list we’ve compiled is just how expressive and varied the words and phrases people use in place of borrowing are. At Zopa, we like to keep things simple so we always stick to terms that can be easily understood nationwide.”

Dr Rob Drummond, Senior Lecturer in Linguistics at Manchester Metropolitan University, said, “It’s always fascinating to look at the various ways in which people from different areas of the country talk about the same thing, and even when some of the words appear in multiple regions, as is the case here, they will of course be pronouncing them according to their own regional accent. The fact that there is so much variation on the topic of money is no surprise, as it’s such a central part of everyday life, and it’s this variety of language which helps make us who we are.”

Zopa, who collated the list with Dr Rob Drummond, reached the £3bn lent-to-date milestone in January 2018. Zopa offers a range of peer to peer investment products, including the Innovative Finance ISA (IFISA), as well as simple loans with competitive rates. It hopes to achieve another set of exciting milestones over the coming year as it launches a bank in order to broaden its product offering to customers.

THE ZOPA UK LENDING GLOSSARY

 

WORD/PHRASE

MEANING

USE

REGION MOST ASSOCIATED WITH

Borrow/lend

Cadge (verb)

To borrow money from someone.

Can I cadge a few quid off you?

Northern England, especially North-west; Scotland.

Cadger (noun)

Someone who borrows.

He’s such a cadger.

Northern England, especially North-west; Scotland.

Tap (verb)

To ask to borrow money from someone.

Tap me a tenner.

She’s on the tap.

Various places, especially Scotland.

Spot (verb)

To ask to borrow money from someone.

Spot me a fiver will you?

Various places, especially Northern England and Scotland.

Lend (verb)

To borrow some money.

Can I lend some money off you?

Various places.

Lend (noun)

A loan.

Gie us a lend.

Scotland.

Borrow (verb)

To lend some money.

Can you borrow me twenty quid?

Various places.

Bung (noun)

A loan.

Gie us a bung, will you? I’m skint.

Scotland.

Touch (verb)

To ask to borrow money from someone.

She touched me for a loan.

London and elsewhere.

Front (verb)

To ask to borrow money from someone.

Can you front me some cash?

Liverpool and elsewhere.

Whisper (verb)

To ask to borrow money from someone.

We can always whisper a few quid.

London (archaic).

Hark-Ye-ing or harking (verb)

Taking someone aside and whispering

(see above).

He was hark-ye-ing

London (archaic).

Mooch (verb)

To borrow money.

He’s always mooching money. He’s on the mooch.

Scotland (also US).

Moocher (noun)

Someone who mooches. Also, a freeloader.

Minnie the Moocher.

Scotland (also US).

5 Questions To Ask a Specialist Contractor Accountant

ABC Staff
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5 Questions To Ask a Specialist Contractor Accountant

If you’re setting up your own limited company for the first time, you’re going to have questions, it’s a learning process and it takes time to understand everything about contracting. But you can alleviate the learning process by speaking to a specialist contractor accountant who has hundreds of accountants that all have years of experience in contracting, accountancy and contracting law.

Here are some of the main things you should consider when speaking to a specialist contractor accountant before you hire them to look over your finances.

What Types of Clients Do You Deal With?

It’s important to understand the kind of clients the specialist contractor accountant works with on a daily basis and if they’re related to what you do. This gives you an idea of the quality of the service they’re providing. If they have no other contractors on the books then it gives you a good idea of what type of accountant they are, they most likely won’t have the experience to fully help you out if tricky problems arise.

Ensure that you are speaking with a specialist contractor accountant and not somebody that claims to be. You will need an accountant that understands what you as a contractor goes through on a monthly basis and you’ll want their knowledge and experience in troubling times.

What Services Do You Provide?

To understand what you’ll receive throughout your partnership with the specialist contractor accountant it’s a good idea to understand the full range of services that they offer. Without having full knowledge of the services you may find yourself in a situation where you need financial advice on mortgages for example and not realise that your own specialist contractor accountant provides an extra service for that, potentially losing you money in the meantime.

What Kind of Support Can I Expect?

Get to know what kind of support that they will provide on a 24 hour basis. There’s no use signing up to their services and realising weeks later that they don’t work for 2 days of the week. Having a full overview of the support you’ll be receiving gives you a much better chance of making contracting a success.

What is IR35?

You’ll hear IR35 thrown around now and then and it’s extremely important, especially when setting up limited companies. One of the first questions you should be asking your specialist contractor accountant is, what exactly is IR35? Even if you personally won’t have to deal with it, it’s good to have an idea of what it is, so you can save time and avoid contracts that’ll make IR35 apply to you.

The specialist contractor accountant will have years of experience in dealing with IR35 and what it encompasses so they’ll have no problem breaking it all down for you.

How Will I Get Paid?

Probably the first question you’ll ask them and rightfully so, it’s important after all. You need to know the process in which you’ll get paid and how they’ll go about processing tax. If you fully understand the process in which you get paid then there’ll be no surprises at the end of the month when you check your account. Full transparency is the best way forward, for both parties.

Get in touch with a specialist contractor accountant today, such as Brookson, and start getting to know how they work.

Hiring the Right Facilities for Your Event

ABC Staff
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Hiring the Right Facilities for Your Event

Are you busy organising an outdoor event? Whether it’s a music festival or a corporate away day you’ll have your work cut out for you, so making sure that you hire the right facilities can be crucial to making sure the event runs smoothly. If you fail to plan you’ll be planning to fail, so it’s important you nail down the facilities you need well in advance.

What event are you organising?

The facilities you need will differ according to the event you’re organising. For example, a music festival involves hiring generators, lighting and staging. You’ll need to organise outdoor catering, first aid and provide adequate toilet hire facilities, including at least 1 disabled toilet per 2000 people if it’s a ticketed event so you comply with disability discrimination legislation.

For a corporate event, you’ll need to hire a good PR system and organise a central administration office. For a wedding, catering and entertainment facilities will be at a premium. Both events require toilet facilities that offer an extra level of comfort and luxury to prevent negative feedback and guests’ discomfort.

What’s the layout of the location?

Knowing your venue layout is critical in when deciding on the facilities you need. For example, if you’re organising a sports or music event in a field then you’ll need a good spread of standard recirculating hire toilet cubicles around the venue. If you’re likely to encounter mud and flooding, then make sure you opt for trailer toilet hire to keep mess to a minimum. For a wedding, opt for a luxury trailer that can be installed directly into the marquee for maximum comfort. Location access will also be a factor when deciding what extra equipment to hire, such as linen and tablecloths.

What’s your demographic?

Knowing the demographic of your attendees can influence hiring decisions. For example, if you know there’ll be more men at the event then opt for urinal hire to keep queues to a minimum. If you’re expecting more women and children at a family fun day, ensure you have adequate toilet hire facilities to accommodate them.

What time of day?

If your event takes place during daylight hours then you may not need to hire generators and additional lighting. If it’s an evening or overnight event, then ensure there’s adequate pathway lighting for guests’ security and clearly signal the direction to campsites and toilet facilities. When hiring toilet trailers, make sure that the cubicles are well lit and bear in mind that this may require you to hire additional power and water sources.

What about hygiene?

If visitors have access to food and beverages then you’ll need additional toilet facilities. It’s also a good idea to provide hand washing stations both for food preparation areas and for guests for optimal hygiene. Make sure you position adequate toilet hire facilities where food and drink are being sold, and hire extra urinals if alcohol is for sale so you can accommodate everyone’s needs.

If you’re running an outdoor pet show or any event that involves livestock handling, you’ll also need to provide hygiene stations. Make sure that there are adequate supplies of hand sanitising gel as well as hand wash stations close to any animal exhibits.

Is your event aimed at diversity and inclusivity?

For any event to be successful, you’ll need to make sure that the facilities you hire create a fully inclusive and welcoming atmosphere. That might include providing a temporary hearing loop or setting up big screens for the visually impaired. You may need to think about closed captioning and translation for any guest speakers.

You may also want your toilet hire to include a gender neutral toilet trailer or several disabled toilet facilities. Whatever the event you’re organising, carefully considering the logistics and planning meticulously will help you make stress free decisions when it comes to hiring the right facilities.

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  • bitcoinBitcoin (BTC) $ 89,767.00 3.04%
  • ethereumEthereum (ETH) $ 3,013.22 2.96%
  • tetherTether (USDT) $ 0.999815 0.01%
  • bnbBNB (BNB) $ 871.22 0.15%
  • xrpXRP (XRP) $ 1.97 2.53%
  • usd-coinUSDC (USDC) $ 0.999921 0.01%
  • solanaSolana (SOL) $ 128.72 0.03%
  • tronTRON (TRX) $ 0.281404 0.48%
  • staked-etherLido Staked Ether (STETH) $ 3,014.53 3.14%
  • cardanoCardano (ADA) $ 0.396673 3.06%
  • avalanche-2Avalanche (AVAX) $ 12.53 3.31%
  • the-open-networkToncoin (TON) $ 1.54 0.16%
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