Tell us a bit about your career so far
My accountancy career began at Hazlewoods after I applied for a job after reading the Agricultural Focus at a family member’s house. Coming from an agricultural background and having a love for numbers, the team felt like the perfect fit to me. I left school after completing A-Levels and joined Hazlewoods as an Association of Accountancy Technicians (AAT) apprentice and went on to become an Associate Chartered Accountant (ACA) in 2021.
What is it like being an accountant in the agricultural sector right now?
The agricultural sector is always interesting and constantly presents new challenges. It can be the weather, the high interest rates, having little influence on sales prices, cash flow concerns or tax – most notably the changes to the inheritance tax reliefs available for farming businesses.
Following the Autumn 2024 Budget, estate and succession planning is now at the forefront of client’s minds, playing a key part in most conversations and meetings. The changes have brought forward those difficult discussions that may not have happened before. Helping clients to consider their options, weigh up the advantages and disadvantages of those, whilst remembering not to let the tax tail wag the dog.
Why Hazlewoods?
I love working at Hazlewoods and being part of such a fantastic Farms and Estates team. There is a wealth of knowledge within the team, both industry specific and technical, and everyone is incredibly supportive. The team is ever expanding due to the great apprenticeship programme offered by Hazlewoods. I enjoy supporting the new recruits and seeing them learn about the industry.
Our team is one of many within Hazlewoods, which means we can draw on expert advice from across the firm whenever needed.
The clients are also one of the best things about Hazlewoods. Each brings unique opportunities and challenges, from smaller family farms to large estates with extensive diversification. They are great people to work with, and I enjoy building personal relationships and getting to know their businesses.
