News

Claim a tax refund for work expenses
25/05/2023 - More...
HMRC has issued a press release to remind employees that may be able to claim a claim tax relief for bills they pay that are related to their employment. The most recent figures show that more than 800,000 taxpayers claimed tax refunds for work expenses during the 2021-22 tax year with an average claim of £125. A claim can be made online

New patents service
25/05/2023 - More...
The Intellectual Property Office (IPO) is the official UK government body responsible for intellectual property (IP) rights including patents, designs, trade marks and copyright. The process of applying for a patent is set to change significantly over the next 12 months. The IPO has published a transformation document which sets out

Gift aid tax benefits
25/05/2023 - More...
The gift aid scheme, which was originally introduced in 1990, allows charities to reclaim from HMRC the basic rate of Income Tax deducted from qualifying donations by UK taxpayers. This means that when a basic rate taxpayer claims gift aid on a £10 donation, the charity can reclaim from HMRC the £2.50 of tax paid on that donation. If you

Residence affects Income Tax in UK
25/05/2023 - More...
There is an interesting anomaly that can affect taxpayers with homes in Scotland and other parts of the UK. Where this is the case, the question arises as to whether or not the taxpayer is liable to pay Income Tax in Scotland or elsewhere. As a general rule, the Scottish rate of Income Tax (SRIT) is payable on the non-savings and

Clearance to secure exempt distribution status
25/05/2023 - More...
Most payments a company makes to its shareholders, in respect of their shares, will be qualifying distributions and may be subject to Income Tax. If certain conditions are met, the payment can be treated as an exempt distribution. An exempt distribution is a payment that is not treated as a distribution. It is treated as consideration

Transfer of Business as a Going Concern
25/05/2023 - More...
The transfer of a business as a going concern (TOGC) rules concern the VAT liability on the sale of a business. Normally the sale of the assets of a VAT registered or VAT registerable business will be subject to VAT at the appropriate rate. Where the sale of a business includes assets and meets certain conditions the sale will be

Action to contain cost of living pressures – groceries
24/05/2023 - More...
The Competition & Markets Authority has issued an update on the action it is taking to ease price rises in grocery bills. In their press release issued on 15 May 2023, the CMA said: As cost of living pressures have grown, the CMA has been working to understand how well markets in essential goods and services are working. Along with

The importance of being interested
24/05/2023 - More...
Conversation takes a turn for the worse if you have an opinion that your client has no idea how to solve their problem(s) and all they need to do is listen to your solution. And you may be right in your interpretation of the facts, but will the client appreciate your apparent unwillingness to listen? If AI systems ever crack this

HMRC interest rates increase again
18/05/2023 - More...
The Bank of England’s Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) met on 10 May 2023 and voted 7-2 in favour of raising interest rates by 25 basis points to 4.5% in a move to try and continue to tackle continued inflation. This is the twelfth consecutive time that the MPC has increased interest rates with rates now the highest they have been since

Filing deadline for share scheme operators
18/05/2023 - More...
There are a number of government approved share schemes which offer tax advantages to employees. The approved schemes are Share Incentive Plans (SIPs), Save As You Earn (SAYE) schemes, Company Share Option Plans (CSOPs) and Enterprise Management Incentive (EMI) schemes. The deadline for submitting the online employment related securities

Check your NIC record
18/05/2023 - More...
HMRC offers an online service to check your National Insurance Contributions (NIC) record online. In order to use the service, you will need to have a Government Gateway account. If you don't have an account, you can apply online. By signing in to the 'Check your National Insurance record' service you will also activate your personal tax

Consultation on taxation of cryptoasset loans
18/05/2023 - More...
In April 2022, the government announced a package of measures intended to make the UK a global cryptoasset technology hub. One of the issues raised at the time concerned the tax treatment of Decentralised Finance (DeFi) and staking. DeFi lending and staking encompasses a range of activities that reward users who deposit cryptoasset

Capital Gains during separation and divorce
18/05/2023 - More...
The Capital Gains Tax (CGT) rules that apply during separation and divorce changed for disposals that occur on or after 6 April 2023. These changes extended the period for separating spouses and civil partners to make no gain/no loss transfers for up to three years after they cease to live together. The new rules also provide for an

Tax on public transport season tickets
18/05/2023 - More...
There are certain tax rules that it is important to be aware of where you pay for the public transport costs of your employees. The provision of public transport costs include: season tickets provided for employees; season ticket costs reimbursed to employees; loans made to employees to buy season tickets; and contributions to

Tax by stealth
17/05/2023 - More...
There is a plausible link between a rise in tax payments if tax rates increase or if tax allowances and reliefs fall. But what happens if there is no change in tax rates or allowances? In this case, there would be an assumption that taxes would not increase; why would they if rates and allowances remain stable? However, whilst tax rates

Tax Diary June/July 2023
15/05/2023 - More...
1 June 2023 - Due date for corporation tax due for the year ended 31 August 2022. 19 June 2023 - PAYE and NIC deductions due for month ended 5 June 2023. (If you pay your tax electronically the due date is 22 June 2023). 19 June 2023 - Filing deadline for the CIS300 monthly return for the month ended 5 June 2023. 19 June 2023 - CIS

Monthly chores for CIS contractors
11/05/2023 - More...
The Construction Industry Scheme (CIS) is a set of special rules covering tax and national insurance for those working in the construction industry. Businesses in the construction industry are known as 'contractors' and 'subcontractors' and should be aware of the tax implications of the scheme. Under the scheme, contractors are required

Cost of living payments 2023-24
11/05/2023 - More...
The Cost of Living support package has been designed to help over 8 million households in receipt of mean tested benefits. The details for Cost of Living Payments due in the 2023-24 tax year have been published. Eligible recipients will receive up to 3 Cost of Living Payments of £301, £300 and £299. This includes those receiving pension

Withholding tips from staff now unlawful
11/05/2023 - More...
A new law that stops employers from withholding tips from people working in the hospitality, leisure and services sectors has come into force. The Employment (Allocation of Tips) Act 2023 received Royal Assent on 2 May 2023. The Bill makes it unlawful for businesses to hold back service charges from their employees, ensuring staff

National Insurance for company directors
11/05/2023 - More...
Directors are classed as employees and pay National Insurance on annual income from salary and bonuses that exceeds the Primary Threshold. The annual threshold is £12,570 in the current 2023-24 tax year. Many director shareholders take a minimum salary and any balance of remuneration as dividends. This tends to reduce National Insurance

Business Relief for IHT
11/05/2023 - More...
There are a number of reliefs available that can reduce liability to Inheritance Tax (IHT). One of these reliefs is known as IHT Business Relief and is a valuable tax relief for taxpayers with business interests, offering either 50% or 100% relief from IHT on the value of the business assets if certain conditions are met. For

What is a P11D?
11/05/2023 - More...
A P11D form is a form used by employers to list certain ‘benefits in kind’ provided to directors or employees. P11D forms are used to provide information to HMRC on all Benefits in Kind (BiKs), including those under the Optional Remuneration Arrangements (OpRAs) unless the employer has registered to payroll benefits. This is known as

The winds of change
09/05/2023 - More...
A new King, the possibility of a change of government next year, and signs that we may, at last, be emerging from the disruptions created by Brexit and COVID. Meanwhile, back at helms of our small business sector firms, entrepreneurs are obliged to deal with the challenges that have arisen in recent years.

Simplified tax system for savers
04/05/2023 - More...
The government has announced a number of new measures to help millions of people boost their future savings. One of these measures is a simplification of the Help to Save scheme. The Help to Save scheme was launched by the government in September 2018 to help those on low incomes to boost their savings. Under the scheme, those eligible