You’ve Risk Assessed Your Stall… But Have You Risk Assessed Yourself?

April is when traders start getting ready – Gas checks, equipment checks, and risk assessments are printed and ready to go. Everything is geared towards getting set up safely for the season ahead.

But there’s one risk most people don’t think about….. And it’s the one that can stop your business overnight!

What happens if you are unable to run your business?

Not just for a day. Not just for a weekend, but properly – illness, accident, or something more serious.

Because for most catering businesses, the reality is simple: The business relies on you!

You’re the one taking bookings, managing money, dealing with customers, and keeping everything moving.  So, if you’re out of action… what happens next?

Let’s be honest for a second.

If something happened tomorrow:

• Who can access your business bank account?
• Who can speak to clients or cancel bookings?
• Who can deal with suppliers or staff?
• Who can actually make decisions on your behalf?

In most cases, the answer is: no one. Not legally, anyway, and that’s where businesses come unstuck.

This is the reality we see – and this isn’t rare.

We’ve seen situations where:

• Families can’t access funds to keep things running
• Bookings are lost because no one can act
• Income stops overnight
• Businesses stall – not because of demand, but because of a lack of authority

Not because anything was done wrong, but because nothing was put in place.

This is part of your risk assessment – you wouldn’t trade without checking your gas safety, and you wouldn’t serve food without allergen awareness. So why run your business without a plan for the one risk that affects everything?

This isn’t about being dramatic; it’s about being prepared.  Most traders are good at managing physical risks. But personal risk? That’s the one that gets ignored. And it’s often the one with the biggest impact.

The two protections most business owners never get around to are simple to get in place:

1. Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA)

This allows someone you trust to step in and manage things if you can’t.  That includes finances, decisions, and keeping your business running.

2. A Will

This makes sure everything you’ve built goes where you want it to when you have passed away. Without one, decisions are made for you, and it’s rarely straightforward.

Not sure where to start?

That’s where we come in.  We’re offering NCASS members a free 30-minute legal telephone consultation to discuss Wills and LPAs, and how to protect your business properly.

Support available:

• Wills from £200
• LPAs from £250

Send us a message. It’s one of those things you don’t like to think about – but you will really wish you had.

📨 [email protected]

Or call your nearest office:

☎ 0118 321 4188 (Berkshire & Home Counties)

☎ 01260 212414 (Cheshire & Northwest)

☎ 01843 808021(Kent & Southeast)