Latest Blogs

Directors’ responsibilities

  Limited company directors and secretaries are collectively referred to as ‘officers’. Directors are appointed by members (shareholders and guarantors) to run and manage the day-to-day operations of the business. Secretaries are optional for private companies, but not public companies. They are usually appointed to assist directors with important administrative tasks. An Overview Company directors…

EU competition infringements by European truck manufacturers

  The European Commission imposed fines of €3.4 billion in July 2016 and September 2017 following findings that a number of manufacturers were party to a cartel at senior management level from 1997-2001. Breakdowns of the fines for the companies involved were as follows: Daimler/Mercedes – €1 billion Scania – €880 million DAF – €752…

Compulsory Purchase Orders: Opportunity to tax efficiently diversify?

  With numerous businesses currently being forced to sell property under compulsory purchase orders (COP’s), a little known tax rule may be of assistance in enabling you to diversify your investment in your trade into a buy-let-investment without incurring any tax: HMRC guidance HS292 Business asset rollover relief is a long established rule which allows…

Trust Tax Demand errors

  HMRC are now issuing statements to taxpayers ahead of the 31 January 2018 tax payment deadline.   Unfortunately, for a large number  of trust taxpayers, HMRC’s calculation and statement is incorrect, resulting in HMRC demanding an incorrect amount.   HMRC’s Nottingham Trusts district is apparently aware of this issue, and is currently having to…

Tax implications for employee gifting

Some employers like to give their employees a small gift at this time of year. A tax exemption applies giving employers reassurance that the benefits provided are exempt and won’t result in a reportable employee benefit. To ensure the benefit is exempt, the following conditions must be met:- The cost of the benefit does not…

Charity Accounts: New Independent Examination Rules

  For many years now, many mid-sized UK charities have been required to subject their annual statutory accounts to independent examination. For such charities, with income within the range of £25,000 to £1m and gross assets of less than £3.26m, an independent examination is a lighter touch of independent scrutiny than a full audit. As…

Buy to Let – minimising income tax

In recent years the tax system has been used increasingly to try to influence behaviour in the buy to let property market – the increases in Stamp Duty Land Tax, the restriction of tax relief for mortgage interest and the higher rate of capital gains tax for residential property sales are all examples of government…

Autumn Budget – Property taxes

SDLT for First time buyers – The government has introduced a new relief from SDLT for first-time buyers (in England, Wales and Northern Ireland) for all transactions with an effective date on or after 22 November 2017. The relief works as follows: £300,000 or less: no SDLT payable £300,001 and £500,000: no SDLT on the…

IR35: Private Sector consultation announced

As we predicted in past blogs, the Chancellor announced a consultation into IR35 private sector contractors in the Autumn Budget. Since April 2017, contractors in the public sector are no longer responsible for evaluating their IR35 status; the end client is required to carry out an IR35 assessment instead. The Treasury believe this has increased…

Autumn Budget 2017

What’s in it for Tech Companies? Philip Hammond’s second Budget had to steer a precarious path. Within the parameters of slowing UK growth, preparing for Brexit and a lack of spare money, he had to somehow end public sector austerity and continue reducing the deficit. Whilst trying to restore his own political reputation. Not an…