Latest blogs for Specialisms

On Thursday 25th September, members of our farming group were deep in thought whilst attending the ICAEW Annual Farming Conference; the theme of the day being ‘Farming in an Uncertain Landscape.’   There were a variety of speakers on the day, and the virtual event provided a wide platform for professionals within the industry to…

HMRC are beginning the process of phasing in taxpayers who are self-employed or with income from property over a number of years, so you may be wondering ‘When Will It Affect Me?’.   The limits will be calculated from your latest Self Assessment Tax Return so the current tax year ending 5th April 2025! If…

With a Budget expected in a few months, and the expectation that taxes will need to rise, it appears to have been leaked that the Government are considering charging landlords NIC on their net rental profits. This has brought into focus the possibility of incorporating a property business, to counter this. Along with this potential…

With the potential tax changes that are making the headlines, is it time to plan ahead?   As the 2025 Autumn Statement approaches, as always, speculation is swirling over the potential tax changes that could be implemented. Having already seen significant hikes in the Spring 2025 budget, and with a rumoured £50billion black hole to…

Set in Stone… or at least, paper. On 21st July 2025 the government published the long-awaited policy paper on changes to Inheritance Tax Agricultural Property Relief (APR) and Business Property Relief (BPR) following the Autumn 2024 Budget.   Despite much lobbying from farmers, professionals and industry leaders, and indeed a lot of wishful thinking, there…

The Government is proposing to overhaul the leasehold sector and has recently published a White Paper on the matter. They are proposing to abolish the leasehold tenure and replace this with a form of property ownership called commonhold.   Commonhold is a form of freehold which will remove the need for a freehold landlord. Common…

Are We Nearly There Yet? Well, yes is the answer and Making Tax Digital for Income Tax (MTD for IT) will finally begin from 6 April 2026, when it becomes mandatory for landlords and the self-employed whose gross income is over £50,000 in the tax year just passed 2024/25, with the introduction of quarterly returns.…

Farming can happen under many different arrangements. Whether that’s in-house, a tenancy where a landowner lets their land to another to farm, a Contract Farming Agreement (CFA) between a landowner (or tenant farmer) and a contractor, casual contracting on an ad hoc basis or machinery sharing. It’s important to understand each option to consider which…

What is a HMRC Nudge Letter? HMRC have been using nudge letters since 2017 to encourage taxpayers to check their previously declared taxable income and submitted returns. These are used to help identify whether there is any undeclared taxable income. A nudge letter is a type of communication that HMRC use to encourage individuals or…

Land is the nation’s greatest natural asset, being the source of food, the foundation stone of nature and the support system of the environment on which we rely. It’s the place where we live, work and rest. Due to the climate and biodiversity crises, global shocks and the needs of consumers and businesses, there is…