South Cumbrian accountancy and business advisory firm MHA Moore and Smalley has grown its digital solutions team as it helps more businesses prepare for new digital reporting rules.

The firm has appointed Ben Dugdale as a digital solutions assistant taking the specialist team to eight members ahead of the new Making Tax Digital legislation that takes effect on April 1 this year.

The regime is hailed as the biggest tax shake-up in a generation and will require any business registered for VAT with a turnover over £85,000 to keep digital records for VAT purposes.

They will also need to submit VAT returns to HMRC online through compatible software.

Judith Dugdale, director and head of digital solutions at MHA Moore and Smalley, said: “At the start of 2018 we were a team of three, and we have now grown to a team of eight, with Ben being our latest appointment.

Mr Dugdale, who studied at Nelson and Colne College before joining the firm, said: “This is an exciting time to have joined the firm with businesses having to get to grips with huge changes in the way they report their accounts.

“I’m looking forward to supporting business owners and their teams as they prepare for the new rules."