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...
National Insurance increases and the Health and Social Care Levy

National Insurance increases and the Health and Social Care Levy

On 8th September 2021, the Prime Minister unveiled a major reform package intended to address long standing challenges in health and social care provision across the UK. This initiative includes a detailed funding strategy to ensure the sustainability of social care...
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...
Plan ahead for increases in the dividend tax rates

Plan ahead for increases in the dividend tax rates

As part of the Government’s funding strategy for health and social care, the dividend tax rates are to be increased from April 2022, alongside the temporary increases in National Insurance, and, from April 2023, the introduction of the Health and Social Care Levy. The...
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...
Happy National Payroll Week

Happy National Payroll Week

National Payroll Week is about helping raise awareness of the importance of your payroll, for your employees, to your own business, and the economy. We would like to celebrate our payroll professionals and all the challenges they have had to face throughout the last...
What is a UTR?

What is a UTR?

Unique Taxpayers Reference A UTR is your Unique Taxpayers Reference Number, is what identifies you personally with HMRC. It’s 10 digits in length and is quoted on any correspondence you receive from HMRC, including: Your tax return A Welcome to Self-Assessment letter...
Accessing the Government Gateway

Accessing the Government Gateway

From 15 June 2021, all businesses and organisations will need multi-factor authentication in order to sign into the Government Gateway. Multi-factor authentication Businesses and organisations that use HMRC’s online services and which do not currently receive an...
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...
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...
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...
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...
What is a UTR?

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...
The Job Support Scheme

The Job Support Scheme

Job Support Scheme The Job Support Scheme replaces the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme from 1 November 2020. The scheme, which has already evolved since it was originally announced to provide a greater level of support, will run for six months until 30 April 2021....