It’s been another busy month at ICS Accounting. After Rachel Reeves’ much-anticipated budget, it’s not exactly quiet across the economic and business sectors, either, but with ICS Accounting on your side, we’re all over the announcements, changes and implications for your business. Whether you’re Self-Employed, a Sole Trader, Umbrella Employee or Limited Company Director; if you’ve any queries, just contact our team – that’s what we’re here for!
Click here for our Budget Summary.
ICS Triumphs Two Years Running at the National Contracting Awards!
There might have been some sore ICS staff heads on 13th November, as we celebrated winning Best Contractor Accountancy for the second year running at the black-tie final of the prestigious Contracting Awards, Park Lane. With stiff competition, we also made the final in Best Umbrella Company and Customer Service: great validation for the trust, care and compliance demonstrated with passion and dedication demonstrated by our great team every day.
Client feedback was an important part of the judging process, just as it is for us. Thanks to everyone taking the time and effort to share your experiences with us, we read, value and act on every one. Striving to do better for you every day, Contracting Awards 2026? You’re in our sights…
Welcomes and Well-Dones
We’re always looking to recruit the best talent and potential, so a catch-up welcome to our most recent new ICS team members: Deb Gardner: Practice Manager, Susan Dominguez: Bookkeeper, Edward Barnes and Lucie Ramsey: Senior Accountants, Maree Parker: Accounts Assistant.
Adding another rung on their professional qualification ladder, well done to Luke for passing his Performance Management exam, Adam LH for passing his first AAT Level Two exam, and Corey Fairgrieve for passing his AAT Level Two exam (four exams in total) – congratulations!
ICS in the Heart of the Bay Business Community
We had a great day manning the ICS stand at the Lancaster District Business Support Expo. Organised by Lancaster City Council and the Lancaster & Morecambe Chamber of Commerce, it’s a great networking event offering business owners, entrepreneurs, startups, scale-ups, freelancers and sole traders the opportunity to connect with like-minded professionals and tap into the wealth of help available across our district to start or grow a business, something we heartily support.
Jamie set up the stand with Helen and Tina manning it, while work experience student Milena took up the challenge of interviewing fellow exhibitors and led our Halloween Anagram challenge. Well done to our competition winners, who each won treat bags purchased from brilliant local suppliers Atkinsons Coffee, Bier&Twist, Expressions, The Cornish Bakery and Vincenzos.
At ICS, we Never Fudge the Figures
You know we are non-negotiably rigorous in terms of compliance, accuracy and accounting- so we’re happy to share the shock news that the ICS sales team DIDN’T set a new record for new client registrations last month! They “only” matched the record set the previous month- which we have to admit, is pretty impressive top-performing consistency. The payroll team just pipped them, setting a monthly record for the number of payments processed.
Office Antics
Halloween meant fantastic office decorations and treat bags for everyone courtesy of Jamie- who also, it turns out, carves a mean ICS-themed pumpkin. Kim’s delicious home-baked spider cookies kept us fuelled as we stretched our brains over Jenna’s fiendish Halloween-themed office quiz. A few days later, it was out to some brilliant local firework displays, and Light Up Lancaster, a huge well done to all involved. If you’ve not experienced this incredible annual town-wide series of art installations, make a note for next year!
It’s now all about Christmas, year-end, New Year and seasonal festivals in the ICS office, with decorations appearing daily, and our Christmas party on the 5th December.
Warmest winter wishes,
The ICS Accounting Team
