Value Added Tax (VAT) is a significant consideration for businesses. It impacts your cash flow, the amount of admin work needed, and even your overall profitability. One option available to businesses – with a VAT exclusive turnover of £150,000 or less – is the VAT Flat Rate Scheme (FRS), which offers a simplified approach to […]
In November 2023’s Autumn Statement, the government announced some National Insurance (NI) changes. Some of these changes went into effect in January 2024, whereas others will come into effect on 6 April 2024. Here is a reminder of the changes. Cut to the main rate of Class 1 employee NI contributions from 12% to 10% […]
Last week, the government named and shamed 524 businesses for failing to pay the minimum wage to their staff. These failures amounted to a total of nearly £16 million that had not been paid to their workers. Each of the employers named has had to repay their staff for the shortfall and have also faced […]
When starting a business, or indeed as an established business, choosing the most suitable legal structure for your business is an important thing to consider. Two popular options are operating as a sole trader or forming a limited company. Each of these options comes with its own set of pros and cons, especially when it […]
We are now within the final two months of the tax year, and for many businesses, the end of the tax year is also the end of the business’s financial year. This can be a good time to review your business tax planning to ensure that you minimise tax. Assessing profit extraction methods Particularly for […]
The Office of National Statistics released official figures last week showing the UK is now officially in recession. Gross domestic product (GDP) for the October to December 2023 quarter dropped by 0.3%. This followed a fall in the July to September 2023 quarter of 0.1%. A fall in GDP in two or more consecutive quarters […]
HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) are warning that fraudsters could focus on Self Assessment taxpayers. With the tax return filing deadline having just passed at the end of January, an email, phone call or text message that offers a tax rebate may appear more believable than usual. HMRC say that they have responded to 207,800 […]
The latest Labour Market Overview by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) showed the following highlights for the final months of 2023. Vacancies decline yet remain above pre-COVID levels: The report reveals a continued decline in job vacancies, with the estimated number of vacancies in the UK decreasing by 49,000 in October to December 2023, […]
The table below sets out the HMRC advisory fuel rates from 1 March 2024. These are the suggested reimbursement rates for employees’ private mileage using their company car. Where the employer does not pay for any fuel for the company car, these are the amounts that can be reimbursed in respect of business journeys without […]
It’s not too late to undertake some end of year tax planning. If you have some spare cash, an obvious tax planning point would be to maximise your ISA allowances for the 2023/24 tax year (currently £20,000 each). You might also want to consider increasing your pension savings before 5 April 2024. USE A LIFETIME […]
