Our people

James Ebdon

BA(Hons), BFP, FCA

Associate Director

Joined

2006

Associate Director at BPC Partners and a Fellow of the ICAEW. James manages the team and drives the firm's app stack, working with owner-managed businesses across Gloucestershire on accounts, tax and live reporting built from their own Xero data.

Outside of work, James spends time with his young family, plays cricket when the body allows, and follows most things sport related.

← Meet the rest of the team

Insights

Articles

Software

MCP servers, and what they change about working with your accounts

An open standard that lets AI tools connect directly to your accounting systems rather than working from pasted exports. What it makes possible, and the boundaries worth setting before you connect anything.

James Ebdon

Business

Using savings pots to keep VAT, corporation tax and personal tax out of your working balance

VAT you have charged, PAYE you have deducted and corporation tax on profit already earned are not your money, but they sit in the same balance. Separating them into pots as the money arrives is the simplest fix there is.

James Ebdon

Tax

The Employment Allowance, and why most one-person companies cannot claim it

Up to £10,500 off the employer National Insurance bill, unless your only employee paid above £5,000 is a director. That rules out most one-person companies. What the exclusion costs, and what a second employee changes.

James Ebdon

Reporting

Syft, Power BI or Claude: what should actually produce your management accounts?

The job splits into extraction, presentation and interpretation, and the three tools are strong in different columns. Two of those layers are commoditising fast. The third is the one worth selling.

James Ebdon

Reporting

Xero is the ledger. It is not the reporting

Xero is excellent at recording what happened and adequate at telling you what it means. Where the line falls, why the spreadsheet in the middle is a liability, and when you should build nothing at all.

James Ebdon

Tax

Trivial benefits: tax-free staff gifts of up to £50

The trivial benefits exemption lets employers give small gifts to staff free of tax and National Insurance. The conditions are strict, and directors have an annual cap.

James Ebdon

Tax

Car or van: what counts as a van for tax purposes

Whether a vehicle is a car or a van changes the benefit in kind, capital allowances and VAT. Here is how the test works, including the rules for double cab pick-ups.

James Ebdon

Tax

Why some expenses are not allowed for tax

Not every cost in your accounts reduces your tax bill. Here is why some expenses are disallowed, the common examples and how it affects the tax you pay.

James Ebdon

Tax

What is section 455 tax on directors' loans

Section 455 tax is a charge on companies whose directors or shareholders owe them money at the year end. Here is how it works, the 2026 rate rise and how to avoid it.

James Ebdon

Tax

Illegal dividends: are you paying more than your company can?

A dividend paid without enough distributable profits is unlawful. Here is how it happens, what the consequences are for directors and shareholders, and how to make sure your dividends are valid.

James Ebdon

Tax

Are staff parties tax free? The £150 rule explained

A staff party is tax free if it is open to all employees and costs £150 a head or less in the tax year. Here is how the limit works, what counts towards it and what happens if you go over.

James Ebdon

Tax

Side income and HMRC: online selling, platforms and disclosure

Online platforms now report sellers' income to HMRC, and HMRC uses that data to send letters. Here is when side income is taxable, the £1,000 allowances, and what to do if you have not declared it.

James Ebdon

Business

Can AI tools like ChatGPT replace your marketing team?

AI tools can take a lot of time out of everyday marketing tasks, but they do not replace judgement, customer knowledge or accountability. A balanced view for 2026.

James Ebdon

Tax

What taxes do company directors pay?

A plain guide to the taxes a director of an owner-managed company pays for 2026/27: PAYE on salary, dividend tax, self assessment and the company's corporation tax, with a worked example.

James Ebdon

Tax

HMRC Time to Pay: spreading a tax bill you cannot pay

If you cannot pay a tax bill in full, HMRC may let you spread it over monthly instalments. Who qualifies, the online limits, interest and how to apply.

James Ebdon

Tax

Preparing your business for sale

Preparation for a sale ideally starts two to three years ahead. How to improve value, reduce risk for a buyer and plan the tax, including BADR at 18 percent from April 2026.

James Ebdon

Business

How to get customers to pay on time

Clear terms, prompt and accurate invoices, easy ways to pay and a consistent chasing routine. Plus your statutory rights when business customers pay late.

James Ebdon

Software

How automation can ease your business workload

Many routine finance and admin tasks can now run with little or no manual input. Here is where automation helps most in a small business, and where it still needs a person.

James Ebdon

Tax

Selling your business: what happens after you exit

Completion is not the end of the story. Earn-outs, deferred payments, warranties and the timing of capital gains tax all carry on after the sale, along with your own plans for the money.

James Ebdon

Tax

Five things to set up before you die

A will, lasting powers of attorney, the right shareholder agreements, up-to-date pension nominations and suitable insurance can save your family and your business a great deal of difficulty.

James Ebdon

Business

Could a four-day week work for your business?

A four-day week can help with recruitment and retention, but it needs careful planning around cover, pay and holiday. Here is how to decide whether it could work for you.

James Ebdon

What clients say

The advice I have received has been excellent and very useful to us as a growing company. No request is refused — BPC will always find a way for me through the tough times.

Annette, Frankland (UK) Ltd

Client since 2009

bpc partners

Technology-led chartered accountants in Cheltenham, supporting businesses and landlords across Gloucestershire and beyond.

Business

Business accounting Bookkeeping Xero and the app stack Live reporting

Personal

Personal tax Making Tax Digital

Specialisms

Finance Partner Landlords and property Personal service companies

Practice

About Pricing Changing accountants Insights Tools and calculators Contact

Areas we cover

Accountants in Cheltenham Accountants in Gloucester Accountants in Tewkesbury Accountants in Cirencester Accountants in Stroud

BPC Partners Limited is a member firm of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales, registered as Chartered Accountants and subject to the ICAEW Code of Ethics. Our registration can be checked at find.icaew.com. Regulatory information and complaints: /provision-of-services

3 Royal Crescent, Cheltenham GL50 3DA · 01242 226789