Industry Updates

25 August 2022

More than £20 billion could be added to the UK economy in the future from the number of additional businesses created during the pandemic, according to research carried out by the Confederation of British Industry (CBI). Around 800,000 companies were registered in the first year of the pandemic, a 22% increase compared with the previous year. ...

19 August 2022

Insurer Zurich UK has stated that there has been a significant increase in the number of fraudulent claims as a result of the cost-of-living crisis. Zurich found that between 1 January and 31 May 2022, the number of fraudulent property claims rose by 25% compared to the same period in 2021. It also stated that in ...

18 August 2022

The British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) has called for action to help firms employ more staff amidst recruitment difficulties. A survey carried out by the business group revealed that 61% of firms are looking to recruit more employees, but many are facing difficulties in doing so. According to the BCC, the construction sector is facing the ...

14 August 2022

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has warned that the UK faces the slowest rate of growth in the G7 next year. The IMF predicts that UK economic growth will fall to 0.5% in 2023, which is considerably lower than its previous prediction of 1.2%, which was forecast in April. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the ...

11 August 2022

The level at which people start paying national insurance rose from £9,880 to £12,570 from 6 July. According to the government, 30 million people across the UK will benefit from this tax cut. It says the increase will lift 2.2 million people out of paying any personal tax. The threshold change means that 70% of ...

8 August 2022

The Recovery Loan Scheme (RLS) will be relaunched during August 2022 as the government aims to continue supporting recovering small businesses. The RLS launched in April 2021 and was originally scheduled to run until 31 December 2021. At Autumn Budget 2021, the government extended the scheme by six months to 30 June 2022 and made some ...

27 July 2022

New homeowners are being warned about cold calls from rogue tax repayment agents advising them to make speculative Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT) refund claims, which could leave them with large tax bills. The warning comes after a recent spate of Stamp Duty refund claims to HMRC failed to meet specific criteria. The agents have been ...

21 July 2022

HMRC has published the latest issue of the Employer Bulletin. The June issue has information on various topics, including: Please contact us for help with tax matters. Internet link: Employer Bulletin

15 July 2022

Four out of five employers stated that they were immediately impacted by the increase in national insurance contributions (NICs), according to research by the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC). The BCC surveyed more than 1,100 UK employers and found that the NICs increase has caused negative impacts to 81% of businesses. Firms said the rise ...

13 July 2022

The Bank of England (BoE) has raised UK interest rates to a 13-year high of 1.25% and is now predicting inflation will hit 11% this autumn, when energy bills are set to rise again. Six out of nine Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) members voted for a 0.25 basis point hike, leading to a fifth consecutive rise. It ...

9 July 2022

UK inflation rose to 9.1% in May from 9% in April as the cost-of-living crisis continues, according to data from the Office of National Statistics (ONS). It was a slight increase on the 9% figure of the previous month, which was driven upwards by April’s unprecedented rise in the energy price cap and is estimated ...

7 July 2022

HMRC is extending the pilot for Making Tax Digital for Income Tax Self Assessment (MTD ITSA) to more self-employed workers and landlords. From July, those taking part will be able to test MTD ITSA before April 2024, including their own internal processes for managing MTD. Agents and customers are already taking part, and HMRC wants more ...

23 June 2022

HMRC issued 580 penalties totalling over £14 million for minimum wage offences during 2020/21, according to a report released by the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS). The penalties given out for national minimum wage (NMW) and national living wage (NLW) offences have dropped by £4.5 million from the year before, which saw 992 penalties worth £18.5 ...

18 June 2022

Nearly 66,500 taxpayers filed their 2021/22 self assessment return on the first day of the new tax year, according to figures from HMRC. In recent years, there has been an increasing number of ‘early-bird’ customers filing their completed self assessment tax returns at the start of the new tax year – almost 30,000 more customers filed ...

17 June 2022

Inflation has hit its highest level in 40 years amid the deteriorating cost-of-living crisis, according to the latest figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS). The rate shot up to 9% last month – its highest level since comparable readings in 1982. Data released by the ONS showed a broad-based hike in prices for everyday goods ...

15 June 2022

New laws to protect access to cash and help victims of financial scams were announced in the Queen’s Speech at the state opening of parliament on 10 May. The new Financial Services and Markets Bill will ensure the continued availability of withdrawal and deposit facilities across the UK. The Bill will also enable the Payment Systems ...

10 June 2022

The energy price cap is now expected to rise to around £2,800 in October, according to the UK’s energy regulator. Jonathan Brearley, Chief Executive of Ofgem, warned MPs on the Commons business committee about the increase. Mr Brearley told the committee that the price cap, which is currently £1,971, will increase due to continued volatility in ...

7 June 2022

Chancellor Rishi Sunak will impose a windfall tax on energy firms alongside a package to help households with the cost-of-living crisis. Mr Sunak said a ‘temporary, timely, and targeted’ 25% Energy Profits Levy would be introduced for oil and gas companies, reflecting their extraordinary profits. The levy is expected to raise £5 billion for the Exchequer ...

28 May 2022

There are now more than a million workers missing from the workforce compared to pre-pandemic figures, according to a report published by the IPPR think tank. About 400,000 of these are no longer working because of health factors relating to the pandemic, including long Covid, according to the IPPR. The report suggests that unresolved, this ‘will drag ...

24 May 2022

Data published by the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) shows that UK export growth has been effectively stagnant for the past year. The BCC’s quarterly Trade Confidence Outlook revealed that the proportion of exporters reporting increased overseas sales was 29%, whilst 25% reported a decrease. Manufacturers were more likely to report increased export sales than ...

17 May 2022

HMRC has launched a new one-stop online shop designed to provide taxpayers with information on the tax reliefs and financial help available from HMRC. In a new section of the GOV.UK website, HMRC has listed financial support available to ensure individuals are not missing out. There is guidance on relief for childcare and work-related expenses, as ...

12 May 2022

The Treasury has announced that it plans to recognise stablecoins as a valid form of payment as part of a wider government initiative to ‘make Britain a global hub for cryptoasset technology and investment’. The Treasury defines ‘stablecoin’ as ‘a form of cryptoasset that is typically pegged to a fiat currency such as the dollar and is intended to ...

10 May 2022

HMRC has published the latest issue of the Employer Bulletin. The April issue has information on various topics including: Forthcoming deadlines Claiming employment allowance from April 2022 Student loans Coronavirus updates and information Official rate of interest Hybrid working. Small businesses are being invited to share their views of the tax system through the Tell ...

10 May 2022

Up to eight more nuclear reactors could be delivered to existing sites as part of the UK’s new energy strategy. The plan, which aims to boost UK energy independence and tackle rising prices, also includes plans to increase wind, hydrogen and solar production. Under the government’s new plans, up to 95% of the UK’s electricity could come from low-carbon ...

21 April 2022

Intervention by the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has freed more leaseholders from increasing ground rent terms that saw them trapped in homes they struggled to sell or mortgage. Businesses which had bought freeh­olds from housing developer Countryside have now given formal commitments to the CMA to remove terms that cause ground rents to double ...

15 April 2022

UK economic growth is expected to halve this year amid soaring inflation, major tax rises, and global shocks including Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, warns the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC). The BCC has downgraded its expectations for UK GDP growth in 2022 to 3.6% from 4.2% in its previous forecast in December 2021. This would be ...

13 April 2022

The Bank of England has raised interest rates for the third consecutive time. The Bank also warned that the Ukraine conflict could see under-pressure households hit with double-digit inflation later this year. Members of the Bank’s Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) voted eight to one to increase rates from 0.5% to 0.75%. The move takes rates back ...

11 April 2022

Estimates show that up to £195 million in extra tax revenue has been collected via Making Tax Digital for VAT (MTD for VAT), according to research from HMRC. The research, conducted by HMRC and peer reviewed by independent academics, showed that in 2019/20 the estimated additional tax revenue was between £185 million to £195 million, compared ...

7 April 2022

Chancellor Rishi Sunak announced a 5p per litre cut in fuel duty for petrol and diesel in the 2022 Spring Statement. The government says it is the largest ever cut on all fuel duty rates, which applies from 6pm on 23 March 2022. The Chancellor also announced that the starting thresholds for national insurance contributions (NICs) will rise to ...

2 April 2022

The level at which students begin to pay back their loans will be lowered from £27,295 to £25,000 for new borrowers. From September 2023, the interest rate on student loans will also be set to RPI+0%. Additionally, the length of time that students have to pay their loans back until they can be written off has been ...

29 March 2022

New company car advisory fuel rates have been published and took effect from 1 March 2022. The guidance states: ‘you can use the previous rates for up to one month from the date the new rates apply’. The rates only apply to employees using a company car. The advisory fuel rates for journeys undertaken on ...

24 March 2022

HMRC has revealed that more than one million taxpayers filed their late tax returns in February – taking advantage of the extra time to complete their self assessment without facing a penalty. About 12.2 million taxpayers were expected to file a return for the 2020/21 tax year and more than 11.3 million submitted their returns ...

23 March 2022

The government must overhaul motoring taxes as it phases out new diesel and petrol vehicles, according to MPs. MPs on the Transport Committee say the government must come up with new policy options by the end of the year. A ban on the sale of new diesel and petrol vehicles will be introduced by 2030, which ...

18 March 2022

A partnership agreement to establish two green freeports in Scotland has been reached between the Scottish and UK governments. The locations for the freeports have not yet been decided and there will be an application process with a view to setting up the freeports in 2023. Applicants in Scotland will be required to contribute towards a just ...

16 March 2022

Businesses are being encouraged to apply for remaining coronavirus (COVID-19) grant funding from local authorities. Hospitality, leisure and accommodation businesses can still apply for one-off cash grants of up to £6,000 through the Omicron Hospitality and Leisure Grant scheme. The funding is made up of £556 million available through the Omicron Hospitality and Leisure Grant ...

11 March 2022

The Statutory Sick Pay Rebate Scheme (SSPRS) will close on 17‌‌‌ ‌March‌‌‌ ‌2022. The SSPRS was reintroduced by the government on 21 December 2021 for employers with fewer than 250 employees. The maximum claim per employee is two weeks at the statutory sick pay (SSP) rate of £96.35 per week (£192.70 in total), which is the rate for ...

8 March 2022

Following the decision by the Bank of England to increase the base rate, HMRC has confirmed that the late payment interest rate rose a quarter of a percent. The increase applies from 14 February 2022 for quarterly instalment payments and from 21 February 2022 for non-quarterly instalment payments. On 2 February 2022, the Bank’s Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) increased ...

8 March 2022

The Chancellor must act at the Spring Statement or risk the UK economy drifting backwards to low growth, warns the Confederation of British Industry (CBI). The Spring Statement will take place on 23 March 2022. The CBI has set out a range of policies it says are aimed at sparking growth via business investment. These include a permanent ...

25 February 2022

The British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) has called for urgent action to help improve trade with the EU. A survey carried out by the BCC revealed that 60% of UK exporters reported difficulties trading with the EU. The business group said the number of lorries waiting to get into the port of Dover ‘also offers ...

24 February 2022

Reports of scam HMRC phone calls have fallen by 97% over the last 12 months, according to the latest figures from the tax authority. According to HMRC, reports of scammers impersonating HMRC in phone calls peaked at 79,477 in March 2021 and fell to just 2,491 in December 2021. The fall in scam call reports to HMRC has ...

18 February 2022

Creating an official digital currency in the UK could pose significant risks to the financial stability of banks, a House of Lords committee has warned. The Lords Economic Affairs Committee said introducing a Central Banking Digital Currency (CBDC) ‘would have far-reaching consequences for households, businesses and the monetary system‘. The committee made its conclusions after hearing testimony ...

16 February 2022

The Confederation of British Industry (CBI) has warned the government that the planned rise in national insurance will squeeze budgets and affect economic growth. The rise will see employers, employees and the self-employed pay 1.25p more in the pound from April 2022. From April 2023, the extra tax will be collected as part of the ...

10 February 2022

HMRC has reopened a claims portal for small employers to again claim refunds for coronavirus (COVID-19)-related sick pay. The reopening follows the announcement of the reintroduction of the Statutory Sick Pay Rebate Scheme (SSPRS) from 21 December 2021 for employers with fewer than 250 employees by the government. The maximum claim per employee is two weeks ...

8 February 2022

The government’s Help to Grow: Digital scheme – designed to support smaller businesses in adopting digital technologies – is now open for applications. Under the scheme, eligible businesses can now receive discounts of up to £5,000 off the retail price of approved digital accounting and CRM software from leading technology suppliers. Businesses can also access practical, specialised support and advice ...

27 January 2022

More than 440,000 small firms could be forced out of business by the late payment crisis, according to the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB). An FSB study of more than 1,200 business owners found that close to one in three has seen late payment of invoices increase over the last three months, with a further 8% experiencing other ...

24 January 2022

HMRC has published the latest edition of the Employer Bulletin. This guidance for employers, and their agents, includes articles on: reporting PAYE information in real time when payments are made early at Christmas preventing and correcting payroll errors Health and Social Care – National Insurance contribution increase UK-Swiss Convention on Social Security Coordination COVID-19 – ...

22 January 2022

On 20 December 2021, the Welsh government outlined a Budget to ‘build a stronger, fairer and greener Wales‘. The Welsh government unveiled a £116 million package of funding to aid with the economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. This will be combined with existing permanent relief schemes that see over 85,000 properties continue to receive support. ...

20 January 2022

Finance Secretary Kate Forbes delivered the 2022/23 Scottish Budget on 9 December 2021, setting out the Scottish Government’s financial and tax plans. The Budget outlined the government’s spending plans, income tax and Land and Buildings Transaction Tax. Announced in the Budget was almost £2 billion of low-carbon capital investment in infrastructure. This includes the first £20m of ...

19 January 2022

The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) is set to introduce a new consumer duty to better protect users of financial services. The new rules will help tackle harmful practices such as providers of financial services presenting information in a way that exploits consumers’ behavioural biases; selling products or services that are not fit for purpose; or providing ...

14 January 2022

HMRC has reminded self assessment taxpayers to declare any COVID-19 grant payments on their 2020/21 tax return. According to HMRC, more than 2.7 million customers claimed at least one Self-employment Income Support Scheme (SEISS) payment up to 5 April 2021. The tax authority says these grants are taxable and customers should declare them on their ...

10 January 2022

On 21 December 2021, Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rishi Sunak, unveiled a £1 billion COVID-19 fund, including cash grants of up to £6,000 per premises for each eligible firm. Mr Sunak said the government would also help certain firms with the cost of sick pay for COVID-related absences. The Chancellor also announced an extra £30 million to help support ...

4 January 2022

HMRC is waiving late filing and late payment penalties for self-assessment taxpayers for one month. The measure will give those taxpayers affected by the coronavirus (COVID-19) extra time, if they need it, to complete their 2020/21 tax return and pay any tax due. HMRC is still encouraging taxpayers to file and pay on time if ...

22 December 2021

A report published by the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) has revealed that the costs associated with going green have impacted small firms’ plans for becoming more sustainable. The FSB’s report found that the majority of UK small firms are concerned about climate change but just one in three has plans in place to combat ...

22 December 2021

New company car advisory fuel rates have been published and took effect from 1 December 2021. The guidance states: ‘you can use the previous rates for up to one month from the date the new rates apply’. The rates only apply to employees using a company car. The advisory fuel rates for journeys undertaken on ...

18 December 2021

Optimism improved for firms across the services sector in the three months to November, according to the latest Service Sector Survey from the Confederation of British Industry (CBI). However, cost growth continued to pick up, increasing at the fastest pace since survey records began in 1998. Additionally, business volumes continued to grow at a strong ...

16 December 2021

New rules to help protect pension savers from scammers have become law. Under the regulations, pension trustees and scheme managers will be given the power to stop suspicious transfers before cash gets into the hands of fraudsters. Fraudsters frequently offer ‘too good to be true’ incentives to pension savers, such as free pension reviews, early ...

15 December 2021

The standard three-day waiting time for Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) will be reinstated for coronavirus (COVID-19)-related claims from 25 March 2022, unless the government intervenes. Under standard rules in the UK, employers do not have to pay SSP to an employee until the fourth qualifying day in the Period of Incapacity for Work (PIW). The ...

11 December 2021

The UK government marked the inaugural Tax Administration and Maintenance (TAM) Day with the publication of 30 papers covering a wide range of tax issues. Chancellor Rishi Sunak made the commitment to have a TAM Day in the Autumn Budget. The aim was for a dedicated day for the administration and maintenance of the UK ...

7 December 2021

HMRC saw a drop of almost £30 billion in tax revenues in the latest financial year because of the pandemic, according to its annual accounts. In its 2020/21 annual report, HMRC reported that it had collected £608.8 billion in tax revenues, which is down from £636.7 billion collected in 2019/20. HMRC said the drop was due to ...

29 November 2021

Homeowners in England and Wales will be offered subsidies of £5,000 from next April to help them to replace old gas boilers with low carbon heat pumps. The grants are part of the government’s £3.9 billion plan to reduce carbon emissions caused by heating homes and other buildings. It is hoped no new gas boilers ...

26 November 2021

A single person will need a post-tax annual income of £10,900 for a minimum standard of living in retirement, according to the Pensions and Lifetime Savings Association (PLSA). The minimum retirement living standard is based on the Joseph Rowntree Foundation’s Minimum Income Standard and covers a typical retiree’s basic needs plus enough for some social ...

23 November 2021

Businesses that are planning to operate in the UK’s new freeports can now apply to HMRC. The tax authority has published the application forms to operate special customs procedures within the sites, along with further guidance on procedures for declaring goods moving into and out of sites. Freeports are areas that benefit from a range ...

19 November 2021

The Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) has warned that tax rises could threaten the UK’s ongoing recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic. According to the FSB, small businesses are coming up against ‘unprecedented strain’, with the cost of doing business higher than ever. Small businesses are also being affected by disruption to supply chains and increasing ...

15 November 2021

The Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) has predicted that millions of people will be worse off in 2022 as a result of spiralling costs and tax rises. Responding to the Autumn Budget, the IFS predicted that low-income families will be squeezed by a rise in the cost of living. The Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) ...

10 November 2021

Business groups gave a mixed response to Chancellor Rishi Sunak’s 2021 Autumn Budget speech. Responding to the speech, the Confederation of British Industry (CBI) said that the Chancellor had shown a willingness to listen to business with measures that will help firms innovate and the economy grow. However, Tony Danker, Director General of the CBI, ...

8 November 2021

On 27 October, Chancellor Rishi Sunak delivered a Budget to ensure the UK economy bounces back following the coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic. The Chancellor announced that total departmental spending will grow by £150 billion per year in cash terms by 2024/25, marking the largest real term increase in overall departmental spending for any Parliament this century. Public ...

23 October 2021

UK workers could get more choice over when and where they work under new proposals to make the right to request flexible working a day one entitlement. The government will also introduce a day one right to one week’s unpaid leave for carers balancing a job with caring responsibilities. The government says the plans will ...

21 October 2021

The government has opened a £800 million Reinsurance Scheme to cover live events against cancellations stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic. The live events sector is worth more than £70 billion annually to the UK economy and supports more than 700,000 jobs, including small businesses and the self-employed. The UK Live Events Reinsurance Scheme will support ...

18 October 2021

The government’s scheme that enables small businesses to recoup statutory sick pay costs caused by COVID-19 closed at the end of September. Legislation ending the Coronavirus Statutory Sick Pay Rebate Scheme (SSPRS) was laid before parliament on 9 September. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, employers were obliged to pay Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) to eligible employees ...

14 October 2021

The government’s Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS) ended on 30 September after supporting millions of workers during the pandemic. The government said the wages of more than 11 million people were subsidised for at least some of the scheme’s duration at a cost of around £70 billion. Economists say there is likely to be a ...

10 October 2021

HM Treasury has announced that Chancellor Rishi Sunak will deliver the Autumn 2021 Budget on Wednesday 27 October. On 7 September the Chancellor launched Spending Review 2021, which will conclude on 27 October and will be presented alongside the Autumn Budget. The Spending Review will outline government departments’ resource and capital budgets from 2022/23 to ...

7 October 2021

The government has delayed the introduction of Making Tax Digital (MTD) for Income Tax Self Assessment (MTD for ITSA) for a year, HMRC recently announced. The government says it has made the move in recognition of the challenges faced by many UK businesses as the country emerges from the pandemic. It will now introduce MTD ...

29 September 2021

The government has ‘named and shamed’ 191 companies that have broken National Minimum Wage (NMW) laws. Following investigations by HMRC, the named firms have been fined for owing £2.1 million to over 34,000 workers. The breaches took place between 2011 and 2018. Named employers have since been made to pay back what they owed to ...

25 September 2021

New company car advisory fuel rates have been published and took effect from 1 September 2021. The guidance states: ‘you can use the previous rates for up to one month from the date the new rates apply’. The rates only apply to employees using a company car. The advisory fuel rates for journeys undertaken on ...

21 September 2021

The BCC has urged the government to extend skills training in light of the publication of research which showed that one in five companies are considering making redundancies as a result of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. The BCC has stressed concerns that older workers could go unutilised unless support for retraining is put into place ...

18 September 2021

HMRC has urged taxpayers to stay alert to the threat of digital scams and scammers claiming to represent HMRC. Research published by HMRC revealed that the number of tax-related scams has doubled in the past 12 months. In the past year HMRC has received more than one million referrals from the UK public in regard ...

15 September 2021

The national roll-out of the new £100 spending limit for contactless card payments will begin from 15 October 2021, banking trade body UK Finance has confirmed. The decision to raise the contactless limit from £45 to £100 was made by HM Treasury and the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) following a public consultation and discussions with ...

12 September 2021

HMRC has published a consultation that outlines plans to implement reporting rules for digital platforms first put forward by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). In February 2020, the OECD consulted on proposed rules setting out how digital platforms should collect information about the income of sellers and report it to tax authorities. ...

8 September 2021

HMRC has published a policy paper outlining the forthcoming changes to the penalties for late payment and interest harmonisation for taxpayers. The government intends to reform sanctions for late submission and late payments to make them ‘fairer and more consistent across taxes’. Initially the changes will apply to VAT and Income Tax Self Assessment (ITSA). ...

27 August 2021

Public trust in charities has reached its highest level since 2014, according to research published by the Charity Commission. An independent study showed that people’s trust in charities scored an average of 6.4 out of 10, up from 6.2 a year ago and significantly higher than the low of 5.5 recorded in 2018. The highest ...

23 August 2021

According to the latest figures from Action Fraud the average loss from pension scams has reached £50,949 this year. That is more than double the typical figure of £23, 689 reported last year. Action Fraud said the losses in each case ranged from less than £1,000 to as much as £500,000, and the real figures ...

19 August 2021

The Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS) is being wound down on 30 September 2021 and data published by HMRC has revealed that 1.9 million workers remain on furlough. The data showed that the number of employees furloughed on the CJRS fell by 590,000 during June. The total number of furloughed workers is 1.9 million. The data ...

14 August 2021

HMRC has updated the guidance on salary sacrifice. HMRC has removed the guidance on ‘Salary sacrifice arrangements set up before 6 April 2017’ as the transitional arrangements for calculating the value of the benefit came to an end on 5 April 2021. A salary sacrifice arrangement is an agreement to reduce an employee’s entitlement to ...

11 August 2021

In response to HMRC’s consultation on simplifying the rules relating to land and property, the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW) has urged HMRC to abolish all VAT exemptions and remove all VAT options. The ICAEW stated that the VAT rules regarding land and property are ‘unnecessarily complex’ and stand to benefit ...

7 August 2021

HMRC has issued guidance on claiming the fifth and final self-employed Income Support Scheme (SEISS) grant. Unlike previous SEISS grants the amount of the fifth grant available is determined by how much a self-employed individual’s turnover is reduced. The fifth grant is 80% of three months’ average trading profits capped at £7,500 for those self-employed ...

4 August 2021

The Government has published draft clauses for the next Finance Bill, which broadly cover pre-announced policy changes. The government is committed, where possible, to publishing most tax legislation in draft for technical consultation before the relevant Finance Bill is laid before Parliament. The consultation will close on 14 September 2021. Internet link: GOV.UK Draft Finance Bill ...

28 July 2021

The government’s Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS) begins winding down from 1 July. The latest data from the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) shows that at the end of April 3.4 million jobs were still on furlough so the change to the furlough scheme will affect thousands of employers across the country. Since last March, ...

24 July 2021

More than 282,000 working families used a Tax-Free Childcare (TFC) account during March 2021, according to figures from HMRC. HMRC stated that it is the highest recorded number of families in any one month since the scheme was launched in April 2017. These families received a share of more than £33 million in government top-up ...

21 July 2021

The government has confirmed that employers of all sizes in England can now apply for £3,000 in extra funding to help them take on new apprentices. The boost to the apprenticeship incentive scheme was confirmed by Chancellor Rishi Sunak in the Budget in March. The claims portal opened on 1 June and businesses can apply ...

15 July 2021

HMRC has confirmed that almost 800,000 employees who have been working from home during the pandemic have already claimed tax relief on household related costs. The saving is worth up to £125 per year for each employee, and eligible workers can claim the full year’s entitlement if they have been told to work from home ...

13 July 2021

From 1 July 2021 there are changes to the Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT) and Land Transaction Tax (LTT) bands for residential property. SDLT is payable by the purchaser in a land transaction occurring in England and Northern Ireland. The following rates and thresholds apply for SDLT from 1 July 2021 to 30 September 2021: ...

8 July 2021

HMRC is reminding tax credit claimants that they have until 31 July 2021 to renew their claims. According to HMRC, 440,000 claimants have yet to renew their claims. More than 2.5 million annual tax credits packs were posted to claimants between late April and early July 2021. Claimants will have either received an ‘auto-renewal’ reminder ...

25 June 2021

The Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW) has urged HMRC to rethink the requirement for companies to report quarterly under Making Tax Digital for corporation tax (MTD for CT). In response to HMRC’s consultation on expanding the MTD initiative to corporation tax, the ICAEW suggested that HMRC should reconsider reporting requirements ‘at ...

21 June 2021

The forms P11D which report details of benefits and some expenses provided to employees and directors for the year ended 5 April 2021, are due for submission to HMRC by 6 July 2021. The process of gathering the necessary information and completing the forms can take some time, so it is important that this process ...

17 June 2021

New company car advisory fuel rates have been published and took effect from 1 June 2021. The guidance states: ‘You can use the previous rates for up to one month from the date the new rates apply’. The rates only apply to employees using a company car. The advisory fuel rates for journeys undertaken on ...

15 June 2021

The Treasury has launched a review into the effectiveness of the Office of Tax Simplification (OTS), the independent body responsible for helping to make the UK tax system simpler and easier to interact with for taxpayers. In a new call for evidence, the Treasury said that whilst the review is internal, it is keen to ...

14 June 2021

The UK government has confirmed that its plastic packaging tax (PPT) will come into force on 1 April 2022. The PPT will be charged at a rate of £200 per metric ton of chargeable plastic packaging components of a single specification. It will apply to plastic packaging components manufactured in or imported into the UK. ...

7 April 2021

The government has published over 30 updates, consultations and documents on the UK’s first ever Tax Day. The announcements, which would traditionally be published at Budget, have been released later to allow for scrutiny from stakeholders. It was announced that HMRC will tighten rules to force holiday let landlords to prove they have made a ...

5 April 2021

The government is to extend business rates relief with a £1.5 billion fund targeted at those businesses unable to benefit from the current COVID-19 support. Retail, hospitality and leisure businesses have not been paying any rates during the pandemic, as part of a 15 month-long relief which runs to the end of June this year. ...

9 March 2021

Businesses that took out government-backed Bounce Back loans to get through the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic will now have greater flexibility to repay their loans, the government has announced. The Pay as You Grow repayment flexibilities now include the option to delay all repayments for a further six months. This means businesses can choose to make ...

8 March 2021

Business groups welcomed the Chancellor’s Budget for protecting the economy now and kickstarting recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. Tony Danker, Director General of the CBI, said: ‘The Chancellor has gone above and beyond to protect UK businesses and people’s livelihoods through the crisis and get firms’ spending. ‘Thousands of firms will be relieved to receive ...

5 March 2021

Chancellor Rishi Sunak set out a Budget to protect businesses through the pandemic, fix the public finances and begin building the future economy. The Chancellor once again pledged to do ‘whatever it takes’ during the COVID-19 pandemic and confirmed that the furlough scheme would be extended until September 2021 to support jobs through the crisis. ...

2 March 2021

HMRC has published a briefing on its approach to the changes to off-payroll working rules, commonly known as IR35, which will be introduced on 6 April 2021. Reiterating its advice from last year, HMRC has confirmed that it will not issue penalties for inaccuracies in the first 12 months of the regime, unless there is ...

1 March 2021

HMRC has announced that Self Assessment taxpayers will not be charged a 5% late payment penalty if they pay their tax or set up a payment plan by 1 April. The payment deadline for Self Assessment is 31 January and interest is charged from 1 February on any amounts outstanding. Normally, a 5% late payment ...

26 February 2021

HMRC has announced that businesses that deferred VAT payments last year can now join the new online VAT Deferral New Payment Scheme to pay it in smaller monthly instalments. To take advantage of the new payment scheme businesses will need to have deferred VAT payments between March and June 2020, under the VAT Payment Deferral ...

25 February 2021

The twice-delayed introduction of the domestic VAT reverse charge for construction services came into effect on 1 March 2021. The change was originally scheduled to come into effect from 1 October 2019 but was deferred for 12 months after industry bodies highlighted concerns about the lack of preparation and the impact on businesses. It was ...

10 February 2021

The Confederation of British Industry (CBI) has urged the government to provide more financial assistance to businesses affected by the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic ahead of the Budget on 3 March 2021. The business group has outlined support measures required to help protect UK businesses through the spring. It has called for: an extension of the ...

10 February 2021

HMRC has revealed that more than 10.7 million taxpayers submitted their 2019/20 Self Assessment tax returns by the 31 January deadline. The remaining 1.8 million whose tax return is now late will not be charged a late filing penalty provided they submit their return online by 28 February. Taxpayers who did not pay their Self ...

8 February 2021

The Low Incomes Tax Reform Group (LITRG) has urged the government to raise the High Income Child Benefit Charge (HICBC) threshold to avoid it affecting basic-rate taxpayers for the first time in April 2021. The LITRG stated that this goes against the original policy intent, and is ‘likely to cause the government additional difficulties in raising ...

4 February 2021

The government has announced that employers can now apply for a £1,000 bonus, a cash boost, to help them take on new trainees. The new scheme will support young people to gain the skills and experience they need from the start, helping them to get a job, an apprenticeship, or to pursue further study. The ...

2 February 2021

As part of the Scottish Budget, Finance Secretary Kate Forbes also announced changes to Land and Buildings Transaction Tax (LBTT) which apply from 1 April 2021. The Scottish Government’s stated policy priority for residential LBTT remains to help first-time buyers and to assist people as they progress through the property market. The current rates and ...

2 February 2021

Finance Secretary Kate Forbes delivered the 2021/22 Scottish Draft Budget on Thursday 28 January 2021, setting out the Scottish Government’s financial and tax plans. The Government has devolved powers to set the rates and bands of income tax (other than those for savings and dividend income) which apply to Scottish resident taxpayers. The Scottish Budget ...

15 January 2021

HMRC has issued some guidance to taxpayers that deferred their VAT payments between 20 March and 30 June 2020 and still have payments to make. HMRC is advising taxpayers who deferred their VAT payments to: pay the deferred VAT in full on or before 31 March 2021 or opt in to the VAT deferral new ...

12 January 2021

HMRC is advising the self employed that the Self-Employment Income Support Scheme (SEISS) has been extended. Taxpayers who were not eligible for the first and second grant will not be eligible for the third. To make a claim for the third grant the taxpayer’s business must have had a new or continuing impact from coronavirus between 1 ...

8 January 2021

The Institute of Directors (IoD) has warned the government that a rise in CGT would affect Britain’s entrepreneurial spirit. The business group believes CGT could be targeted by the Treasury and increased in order to help put public finances back on a stable footing following the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Tej Parikh, Chief Economist at the ...

7 January 2021

Chancellor Rishi Sunak has announced a new £4.6 billion package of grants to support businesses through the latest national lockdown. UK businesses in the retail, hospitality and leisure sectors are to be given one-off grants worth up to £9,000. The payments are expected to support 600,000 business properties across the UK. A further £594 million ...

2 January 2021

Chancellor Rishi Sunak has extended the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS) until the end of April 2021. Businesses adversely affected by the coronavirus (COVID-19) can make use of the CJRS until the end of April, with the government continuing to pay 80% of employees’ salaries for hours not worked. Employers will only be required to ...

12 November 2020

From 1 January 2021, the UK will operate a full external border with the EU, which will entail major changes for imports and exports to and from the trading bloc. From 1 January 2021, declarations will be needed to import or export specific (limited) goods categorised as ‘controlled’. However, for non-controlled goods brought from the ...

11 November 2020

Chancellor Rishi Sunak has announced approved additional funding for cash grants to support businesses required to close in England due to the lockdown. Those businesses affected will be eligible for the following: For properties with a rateable value of £15,000 or under, grants to be £1,334 per month, or £667 per two weeks For properties ...

9 November 2020

The government has increased the support available to self-employed workers and extended its emergency business loan schemes as the UK heads for a second national lockdown. On 5 November Rishi Sunak announced an increase in the level of the third instalment of the Self-employment Income Support Scheme (SEISS) from 55% to 80% of average trading profits ...

7 November 2020

The Association of Taxation Technicians (ATT) has issued a last call for businesses looking to make use of the increased Annual Investment Allowance (AIA). The AIA will be reduced from £1 million to £200,000 from 1 January 2021. Businesses that incur significant expenditure on plant and machinery before the end of this year are likely ...

6 November 2020

On 5 November, Chancellor Rishi Sunak announced that as part of the new national lockdown the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS) has been extended until the end of March 2021. This announcement updates the Prime Minister’s previous announcement on 31 October that the CJRS would be extended for a month until December. The scheme has ...

30 October 2020

Self assessment taxpayers are now able to benefit from enhanced payment plans and can apply online for additional support to help spread their tax bill into monthly payments. The online payment plan service was already able to set up instalment arrangements for paying tax liabilities up to £10,000. From 1 October 2020, HMRC increased the ...

29 October 2020

HMRC has published the latest issue of the Employer Bulletin. The October issue has information on various topics including: coronavirus support schemes and what employers need to do from November onwards National Insurance Number delays Guidance on off payroll working rules (IR35) grants for businesses that complete customs declarations new Employment Allowance status option on ...

21 October 2020

HMRC has received more than 54,800 claims from taxpayers using a new online portal which allows workers to claim tax relief for working at home. From 6 April 2020, employers have been able to pay employees up to £6 a week tax-free to cover additional costs if they have had to work from home. Launched ...

6 October 2020

As part of the Winter Economy Plan the Self-Employment Income Support Scheme (SEISS) will be extended under the name SEISS Grant Extension. The grant: will be limited to self-employed individuals who are currently eligible for the SEISS, and will be available to individuals who are actively continuing to trade but are facing reduced demand due ...

5 October 2020

Over half a million businesses deferred VAT payments, which were due in March to June 2020, with these payments becoming due at the end of March 2021. As part of the Winter Economy Plan the government has now announced the option for such businesses to spread their payments over the financial year 2021/22. Businesses will ...

3 October 2020

The existing job support scheme, the furlough scheme, comes to an end on 31 October. As part of the Winter Economy Plan the government announced it will be introducing a new Job Support Scheme from 1 November 2020. For employers to participate in the scheme: employees will need to work a minimum of 33% of ...

2 October 2020

HMRC has issued detailed guidance on the domestic reverse charge changes scheduled for 1 March 2021. The reverse charge represents part of a government clampdown on VAT fraud. Large amounts of VAT are lost through ‘missing trader’ fraud. As part of this type of fraud, VAT is charged by a supplier, who then disappears, along ...

1 October 2020

The Bounce Back Loan Scheme (BBLS) has provided support to many UK-based small businesses. Loans are between £2,000 and £50,000, capped at 25% of turnover, with a 100% government guarantee to the lender. The borrower does not have to make any repayments for the first 12 months, with the government covering the first 12 months’ ...

30 September 2020

Businesses in England that are required to shut because of local interventions will now be able to claim up to £1,500 per property every three weeks. To be eligible for the grant, a business must have been required to close due to local COVID-19 restrictions. The largest businesses will receive £1,500 every three weeks they ...

8 September 2020

Two self assessment deadlines are approaching: 5th October 2020 For those individuals who have not previously completed a tax return but need to report a liability for 2019/20. 31st October 2020 For those individuals who have previously submitted ‘paper’ self assessment tax returns the deadline for the 2019/20 return is 31 October 2020. Returns submitted ...

3 September 2020

On 2 September 2020, the government’s £2 billion Kickstart Scheme opened for employer applications. The scheme is part of the Plan for Jobs announced during Chancellor Rishi Sunak’s July Summer Economic Update. The Kickstart Scheme aims to create work placements for young people who are at risk of becoming unemployed for the long-term. Businesses can ...

1 September 2020

The fee for plastic shopping bags in England will be doubled to 10 pence and extended to all shops from April 2021. Small retailers, those employing 250 people or fewer, will no longer be exempt, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) said. According to Defra, since the charge was first introduced in ...

29 August 2020

HMRC has published the latest edition of the Employer Bulletin. This guidance for employers, and their agents, includes articles on: Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme and what employers need to do from August onwards making sure you are paying the correct workplace pension contributions new laws to ensure furloughed employees receive full statutory redundancy payments the ...

27 August 2020

New company car advisory fuel rates have been published which take effect from 1 September 2020. The rates only apply to employees using a company car. The guidance states: ‘You can use the previous rates for up to one month from the date the new rates apply.’  The advisory fuel rates for journeys undertaken on ...

26 August 2020

The government has announced that more than 64 million meals were enjoyed by diners across the country during the government’s Eat Out to Help Out discount scheme. The scheme closed on 31 August 2020. Government figures show that restaurants had claimed for more than 64 million discounted meals as Eat Out to Help Out entered ...

26 August 2020

Over £30 million has been lost to pension scams since 2017, according to the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) and The Pensions Regulator (TPR). A total of £30,857,329 in pension savings has been lost to scammers since 2017, data published by the FCA and the TPR revealed. Reported losses ranged from under £1,000 to as much ...

19 August 2020

HMRC are inviting those individuals that are self employed or a member of a partnership and have been adversely affected by coronavirus to claim a second grant under the Self Employed Income Support Grant. Applications for the first grant under the scheme closed on 13 July 2020. The second and final taxable grant is worth ...

2 August 2020

On 1 August, the government’s Eat Out to Help Out scheme began operating at eateries across the country. The scheme was announced by Chancellor Rishi Sunak in his Summer Economic Update. It provides a 50% reduction of up to £10, for sit-down meals in participating cafes, restaurants and pubs across the UK from Monday to ...

1 August 2020

HMRC has outlined the eligibility requirements for the Job Retention Bonus (JRB) that follows the furlough scheme as part of the government’s measures to support the economy through the COVID-19 lockdown. The government’s Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme ends on 31 October 2020 and the JRB aims to provide additional support to employers who keep on ...

28 July 2020

On 27 July, the Welsh government reduced the rate of Land Transaction Tax (LTT) following the cuts made to SDLT and LTT across the rest of the UK. LTT is payable by the purchaser of residential or non-residential property occurring in Wales. From 27 July 2020, the starting threshold for residential LTT rose from £180,000 ...

22 July 2020

The government has published a call for evidence on the overhaul of the business rates system that applies in England. The government announced at the 2020 Budget in March that it would conduct a review of the business rates system in England. It is seeking views from businesses, business representative organisations, local authorities, rating agents, ...

22 July 2020

On 21 July, the Treasury set out the next steps in its plan to extend Making Tax Digital (MTD) to all businesses and those taxpayers that file self assessment returns. Currently, businesses above the VAT threshold of £85,000 are required to comply with Making Tax Digital for VAT (MTD for VAT). From April 2022, the ...

19 July 2020

Chancellor Rishi Sunak has asked the Office of Tax Simplification (OTS) to carry out a thorough review of capital gains tax (CGT). In a letter to the OTS, the Chancellor requested that the independent office review CGT and aspects of the taxation of chargeable gains in regard to individuals and small businesses. Mr Sunak requested ...

16 July 2020

Taxpayers who have received CJRS or SEISS grants are urged to doublecheck their entitlement as the 90 day period to inform HMRC of any overclaimed amounts is now law. Finance Act 2020 includes legislation that the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS), Self-employment Income Support Scheme (SEISS), Coronavirus Statutory Sick Pay Rebate Scheme and coronavirus business ...

16 July 2020

On 15 July, the Scottish government reduced the rate of Land and Buildings Transaction Tax (LBTT) following a similar reduction to the rate of residential Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT) announced by Chancellor Rishi Sunak in the recent Summer Economic Update. LBTT is payable by the purchaser in a land transaction occurring in Scotland. SDLT ...

10 July 2020

On 8 July, Chancellor Rishi Sunak announced a three-point plan to support jobs in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic when he delivered a Summer Economic Update to Parliament. Mr Sunak confirmed the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS) will end as planned this October. The Chancellor said furloughing had been the right measure to protect ...

8 July 2020

Chancellor Rishi Sunak announced a temporary cut in the rate of Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT) in order to boost confidence in the flagging housing market in his Summer Economic Update. Property transactions fell by 50% in May this year and house prices have fallen for the first time in eight years. In response, the ...

2 July 2020

On 1 July, changes to the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS) saw flexible furloughing introduced, so employees will no longer have to be furloughed for a minimum period of three weeks. Following the change the CJRS has more flexibility to allow claims on a pro rata basis. Employers will be able to permit employees to ...

1 July 2020

The Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) has found that the UK’s late payment crisis has worsened during the coronavirus (COVID-19) lockdown. 62% of small businesses have been subject to late or frozen payments during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to research carried out by the FSB. Just 10% of small firms have agreed changes to payment ...

28 June 2020

The government has expanded its COVID-19 support for start-ups and innovative companies with the launch of a new fund. On 27 June the government announced the Sustainable Innovation Fund (SIF), which is aimed at helping businesses to keep ‘cutting edge’ projects and ideas alive during the pandemic. The SIF will make almost £200 million available ...

19 June 2020

On 18 June, the Bank of England increased the stock of purchases of UK government bonds by an additional £100 billion to help boost the UK economy following the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. The £100 billion in additional quantitative easing funds takes the total to £745 billion. The MPC also voted to cut the cost of ...

17 June 2020

The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) has opened an inquiry into the UK’s management of £155 billion of tax relief. The inquiry follows the February publication of a National Audit Office (NAO) report that identified over 300 such tax interventions, totalling £155 billion per year. The NAO raised concerns about the effectiveness of management of tax ...

17 June 2020

The UK government published its plans for a new import tariff regime following the end of the Brexit transition period. Following its departure from the EU, the UK has the ability to set its own rules and charges. The scheme includes the abolition of tariffs on imports worth over £30 billion, although economists say the ...

17 June 2020

The government is making changes to insolvency and company law as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Corporate Insolvency and Governance Bill outlines that struggling companies will be given extra time to consider rescue plans presented to them. As part of the changes, companies will have 20 business days to consider a rescue plan, ...

10 June 2020

On 5 June 2020, HMRC announced a five-month delay to the introduction of the domestic VAT reverse charge for construction services, due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the sector. The change will now apply from 1 March 2021 and will overhaul the way VAT is payable on building and construction invoices as ...

5 June 2020

Chancellor Rishi Sunak has announced changes to the government’s Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (JRS), which will be slowly wound down between July and October. The changes mean businesses will be able to bring furloughed employees back on a part-time basis from 1 July. Furloughed staff will continue to get 80% of their salary until the ...

1 June 2020

On 26 May 2020, HMRC opened up its Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) rebate claim service. Eligible employers are able to recoup up to two weeks’ worth of SSP payments made to employees off work for COVID-19-related reasons since 13 March 2020 (16 March 2020 if the employee was shielding). This is an ongoing scheme for ...

30 May 2020

The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has confirmed further support for users of certain consumer credit products if they are experiencing temporary payment difficulties due to the coronavirus pandemic. The measures outline the options firms will provide for credit card, revolving credit and personal loan customers who are coming to the end of a payment freeze. ...

28 May 2020

Several changes to the CLBILS scheme have taken effect from 26 May. The government has extended the maximum loan size available through the Coronavirus Large Business Interruption Loan Scheme (CLBILS) from £50 million to £200 million. However, companies borrowing more than £50 million through the CLBILS will be subject to restrictions on dividend payments, senior pay and ...

25 May 2020

On 20 May 2020, the government launched its Future Fund package, which aims to support start-up businesses not eligible for other COVID-19 rescue measures. The Future Fund offers government loans of between £125,000 and £5 million to UK-incorporated companies, provided private investors at least match the funding supplied by the state. The package is aimed ...

22 May 2020

The introduction of off-payroll rules to the private sector will go ahead as planned next April after an attempt to delay them failed in the House of Commons. The reforms of the off-payroll rules to the private sector, which are known as IR35 and have applied to the public sector since 2017, was reviewed earlier ...

20 May 2020

HMRC has confirmed it will not charge penalties for the late reporting of capital gains tax (CGT) on disposals of UK residential property by UK residents made by 31 July 2020. On 6 April changes were made so that if a UK resident sells a residential property in the UK, they now have 30 days ...

20 May 2020

The Centre for Policy Studies (CPS) has suggested that government borrowing may rise to £300 billion in 2020 as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. The think tank has been working to estimate the cost of the COVID-19 crisis to the government’s finances, and has incorporated official data from the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR). ...

18 May 2020

The UK government launched an online platform to help businesses access financial support during the COVID-19 crisis. The Coronavirus Business Support Finder Tool will guide businesses through the range of loans, tax reliefs and cash grants to combat the adverse economic effects of the COVID-19 lockdown. The tool asks business owners to fill out a ...

14 May 2020

HMRC has released guidance on the COVID-19 Self-employment Income Support Scheme. Under the scheme, self-employed individuals will be able to claim a taxable grant based on an average of their earnings over the past three years. To be eligible, workers must have filed all relevant income tax self assessment returns; have traded in the 2018/19 ...

11 May 2020

On 4 May 2020 the government launched a micro loan scheme for small businesses as it continues to try and mitigate the economic damage caused by the coronavirus (COVID-19) lockdown. The Bounce Back Loan Scheme allows small businesses adversely affected by COVID-19 to apply for up to £50,000, with the government guaranteeing 100% of the ...

6 May 2020

As part of its drive to encourage green motoring, the government has introduced a new emissions test, as well as new car benefit percentages. The scale of charges for working out the taxable benefit for an employee who has use of an employer provided car is computed by reference to bands of CO2 emissions multiplied ...

6 May 2020

Legislation has been enacted to change reporting obligations for residential property gains chargeable on UK resident individuals, trustees and personal representatives. Also introduced is a requirement to make a payment on account of the associated capital gains tax (CGT) liability. For disposals made on or after 6 April 2020: a standalone tax return is required ...

5 May 2020

The Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) has warned that the UK economy could shrink by 35% this quarter due to the COVID-19 crisis. The OBR said that the outcome was modelled on an assumption that the current lockdown would last for three months. It stated that a three-month lockdown followed by three months of partial ...

5 May 2020

Businesses that have been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic and are seeking to make use of the VAT deferral have been urged to cancel their direct debits ‘as soon as they can’. Businesses are advised to contact their bank to cancel their direct debits as soon as possible. UK VAT-registered businesses with a VAT payment ...

30 April 2020

On 27 April 2020 the UK’s seven largest small business lenders announced they had relaxed their evidence requirements for applications to the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme (CBILS). The lenders will use their own information when processing and approving applications, rather than relying on businesses providing forecasts and business plans. In a joint statement, the ...

24 April 2020

HMRC has delayed the introduction of off-payroll rules to the private sector as part of its measures to support businesses through the COVID-19 pandemic. The reforms will shift the responsibility for assessing employment status to the organisations employing individuals. The rules would have applied to contractors working for medium and large organisations in the private ...

22 April 2020

On 20 April 2020 the government’s Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme went live for applications. The scheme allows businesses to furlough their employees, with the government paying 80% of their wages up to a maximum of £2,500. The Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme is open for four months and was backdated from 1 March 2020 to the ...

22 April 2020

Financial regulators have requested a moratorium on corporate financial reports for at least two weeks. The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has been communicating with the Financial Reporting Council (FRC) and the Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA) about a package of measures to ‘reinforce trust in the reporting system’. These will be aimed at ensuring companies and ...

15 April 2020

On 26 March, Chancellor Rishi Sunak announced a scheme to help self-employed workers who have been hit by the COVID-19 crisis. Under the scheme, the government will pay self-employed people a taxable grant based on an average of their earnings over the past three years. The grant will cover up to 80% of earnings, up ...

10 April 2020

On 17 March, Chancellor Rishi Sunak unveiled a £330 billion package of support for the UK economy as it combats the COVID-19 pandemic. The measures dwarf the £12 billion made available in the 2020 Budget. The package includes an increase in government-backed loans, higher cash grants, widened business rates relief for some sectors and mortgage ...

6 April 2020

From 1 April the spending limit for contactless card payments rose from £30 to £45. The decision to increase the payment limit was reached following consultation between the retail sector and the finance and payments industry, and echoes similar increases in other European countries. UK Finance stated that the change had been under consideration before ...