SSP Rebate Scheme

SSP Rebate Scheme

To help employers affected by the spread of the Omicron variant of COVID-19, the Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) rebate scheme for small employers is being reintroduced. In addition, the period for which an employee can self-certify a sickness absence is increased...
File your 2020/21 tax return by 31 January 2022

File your 2020/21 tax return by 31 January 2022

If you need to file a self-assessment tax return for the year to 5 April 2021, you have until midnight on 31 January 2022 to file your return if you have not already done so. You must also pay any tax that you owe for 2020/21 by the same date. Do I need to file a...
New Making Tax Digital (MTD) timetable

New Making Tax Digital (MTD) timetable

Making Tax Digital (MTD) is a Government initiative that aims to provide the UK with one of the most digitally advanced tax administrations in the world. Under MTD, taxpayers are required to keep electronic records and report to HMRC digitally. The new MTD timetable...
Keeping the Christmas Party Tax-Free

Keeping the Christmas Party Tax-Free

If you are holding a Christmas party for staff this year, you’ll want to keep it tax-free so you may want to take advantage of the tax exemption for annual parties and functions to prevent your employees from suffering a benefit-in-kind tax charge. Keeping the...
Annual Investment Allowance (AIA) Transitional Limit Extended

Annual Investment Allowance (AIA) Transitional Limit Extended

Annual Investment Allowance (AIA) transitional limit extended The Annual Investment Allowance (AIA) is a capital allowance that enables you to claim an immediate deduction against your profits for qualifying capital expenditure up to the available limit. The AIA limit...
New VAT rate for hospitality and leisure

New VAT rate for hospitality and leisure

New VAT rate for hospitality and leisure To help the hospitality and leisure industries recover from the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and associated lockdowns, a reduced rate of VAT of 5% applied from 15 July 2020 until 30 September 2021. This rate has now come to...
Budget Highlights 2021 – A Complete Spotlight

Budget Highlights 2021 – A Complete Spotlight

The Chancellor presented his Autumn Budget and Spending Review on 27 October 2021 and we’re here to discuss some of the highlights. Income tax rates and thresholds The rates and thresholds applying for 2022/23 were confirmed. Personal allowance As...
End of the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS)

End of the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS)

The Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS) came to an end on 30 September 2021. The scheme has provided financial help to employers and employees during the COVID-19 pandemic, allowing employers to claim grants with which to pay furloughed and flexibly furloughed...
Reclaiming SSP for periods of self-isolation

Reclaiming SSP for periods of self-isolation

The recent ‘pingdemic’ has resulted in large numbers of employees self-isolating. Where an employee meets the qualifying conditions, you must pay them SSP while they are self-isolating. As qualifying periods of self-isolation count as a Coronavirus-absence, if you are...
3 QuickBooks Basics

3 QuickBooks Basics

Whether you’re brand new to QuickBooks or you use it already, there’s always more to learn to ensure you’re maximising the resources you have available to you. With this blog we are sharing our top 3 QuickBooks Basics. 1. Connecting and reconnecting the bank When you...
Amending a PSA for COVID-19 benefits

Amending a PSA for COVID-19 benefits

You can use a PAYE Settlement Agreement (PSA) if you wish to settle the tax liability arising on the provision of a benefit-in-kind or an expense on an employee’s behalf. This can be useful if you wish to preserve the goodwill nature of a particular benefit. Nature of...
Paying CJRS grants back

Paying CJRS grants back

As the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS) enters its final months, now is the time to review grants that you have claimed under the scheme, and pay back any amounts claimed in error. You may also choose to repay voluntarily funding that you have received under...
SEISS grant 5

SEISS grant 5

Claims for the fifth grant under the Self-Employment Income Support Scheme (SEISS) will open from late July. If, based on your tax returns, HMRC think that you are eligible for the grant, they will contact you in mid-July and give you a date from which you can submit...
Can Staff be made redundant if they are on furlough?

Can Staff be made redundant if they are on furlough?

Furlough Redundancy Although the furlough system was designed to keep workers employed, unfortunately it doesn’t protect furloughed staff from being made redundant. But it doesn’t affect their redundancy pay rights if they are let go from their job amid...
Shareholder Deadlock

Shareholder Deadlock

Shareholder disputes often arise on matters such as company strategy, salaries and dividends. Disputes amongst shareholders can cause particular difficulties in smaller businesses where shareholders are also directors and therefore need to make all board level...
Taxation of company cars in 2021/22

Taxation of company cars in 2021/22

Taxation of company cars What is taxation of company cars? If you are an employee with a company car, you will be taxed on the benefit derived from the car being available for your private use. If you are an employer who makes company cars available to your employees,...
Recovery loan scheme

Recovery loan scheme

Recovery loan scheme If you need to access finance to help your business recover from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Recovery Loan Scheme may be for you. Nature of the scheme The Recovery Loan Scheme is designed to provide access to finance in order to...
Extended carry-back for losses

Extended carry-back for losses

To help businesses which have suffered losses as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, the period for which certain trading losses can be carried back is extended from one year to three years. The extended carry-back period applies for both income tax and corporation tax...
How long do you need to keep your records for?

How long do you need to keep your records for?

Business records if you’re self-employed You must keep your records for at least 5 years after the 31 January submission deadline of the relevant tax year. HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) may check your records to make sure you’re paying the right amount of tax....
Family companies and the optimal salary for 2021/22

Family companies and the optimal salary for 2021/22

If you run your business as a personal or family company, you will need to decide how best to extract profits for your personal use. A typical tax-efficient strategy is to pay yourself a small salary and then extract any further profits as dividends. Where this...
Garden Office At Home

Garden Office At Home

As more people are now working from home, the desire for a designated workspace has become a priority for many. The past year has forced many workers to fill up the dining table and any other flat surface available with monitors, computers, laptops, cables, Wi-Fi...
Thresholds and allowances frozen until April 2026

Thresholds and allowances frozen until April 2026

Thresholds and allowances frozen! To help meet some of the costs of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Chancellor has opted to freeze various allowances and thresholds until April 2026, rather than increase the rates of income tax and capital gains tax. As incomes rise over...
Checking your tax code – 2021/2022

Checking your tax code – 2021/2022

Checking your tax code – 2021/2022 If you pay all or some of your income tax via PAYE, it’s important to check that you are on the correct Tax Code (CT). As we start the new 2021/2022 tax year, HMRC will be sending out your individual coding notices (usually via...
Super-Deduction

Super-Deduction

New capital allowances super-deduction Companies thank incur corporation tax can invest in new plant and machinery in the two years from 1 April 2021 are able to benefit from two new first-year allowances, including a super-deduction of 130%. Details of the measure...