Latest Business Tax

From April 2023, the government will be tightening up the rules in England where currently some landlords do not pay either business rates or council tax on their furnished holiday lets.  In most cases, however, landlords will want to be assessed for business rates in the hope of qualifying for small business rates relief (SBRR),…

If you operate a trade through a limited company, and your ‘numbers’ are big enough, then there are some scenarios where it is often best advice to insert a parent company above this trading company, to create a simple group structure: As a risk management measure, to enable valuable assets (eg business premises, investment property,…

Businesses may be hoping they can hold their annual Christmas parties this month. Providing the event is annual, open to all employees and the total cost, including VAT, is less than £150 per person (including non employee guest attendees), this will be a non-taxable benefit in kind (ie free of PAYE tax and National Insurance…

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…

HRMC continue their campaign against broadcasters, with another successful case against former Sky presenter Dave Clark. Mr Clark presented and commentated on professional darts tournaments, and tried to argue his company’s relationship to Sky was one of self-employment.   His appeal has been rejected, with almost all the usual “badges of trade” having failed. Sky…

Well, mixed news in the Budget for our hospitality sector, I would say.   A cut in business rates by 50% for qualifying businesses in retail, hospitality, and the leisure sector for a further year will hopefully help with that large overhead. No extension of the temporary reduced rate of VAT beyond 1 April 2022…

In the Chancellor’s Budget on 27 October 2021 it was announced that the planned date for reducing the Annual Investment Allowance limit from £1m to £200k is being extended from 1 January 2022 to 31 March 2023. This will effect businesses who are planning on investing more than £200k in plant and machinery from January…

A tax tribunal has made a landmark ruling against HMRC, by declaring that the construction taxpayer (Quinn) was validly entitled to claim SME research and development (R&D) tax relief totalling approximately £1m, even though this work was specifically undertaken to order for a customer, which would normally mean the ‘subsidised’ rule would prohibit eligibility under…

The 2021 Budget included two key tax measures for SME businesses: The retention of the £1m annual investment allowance for capital expenditure, up to 31 March 2023, is to be welcomed and is a measure to encourage businesses to  keep investing in new plant and machinery. The Budget also confirmed the Government’s commitment to R&D…

A business must compulsorily register for VAT if taxable 12 month turnover exceeds £85,000. They can voluntarily register for VAT as soon as they start trading, providing they expect to make taxable supplies in the future.   Businesses that provide to other businesses may choose to register for VAT voluntarily before the registration threshold is…