Jan 23

Current list of deliberate tax defaulters

HMRC publishes details of deliberate tax defaulters, those people who have received penalties either for: deliberate errors in their tax returns or deliberately failing to comply with their tax obligations. Internet link: GOV.UK deliberate defaulters

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Jan 20

Welsh government publishes Draft Budget

The Welsh government has published its Draft Budget, setting out revenue raising and capital spending plans for 2020/21. The Draft Budget confirms no changes are proposed to Welsh income tax rates, or Land Transaction Tax rates and bands. The Draft Welsh spending plans for the longer term will depend on the next UK Budget and […]

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Call for review of High Income Child Benefit Charge blog

Jan 17

Call for review of High Income Child Benefit Charge

The Low Incomes Tax Reform Group (LITRG) is calling on the government to address issues with the High Income Child Benefit Charge (HICBC). The HICBC is designed to claw back child benefit where the claimant or their partner earns in excess of £50,000. According to LITRG some households think making a child benefit claim is […]

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pensions tax arrangement for NHS staff

Jan 02

Temporary pensions tax arrangement for NHS staff

In a letter in November 2019, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, Matt Hancock, has agreed to a temporary commitment to make payments to certain clinical staff outside of the NHS pension schemes to restore the value of their pension benefits package. These rules apply if they have elected to use the […]

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Dec 27

Research and Development spend

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) has revealed that UK businesses spent £25 billion on Research and Development (R&D) in 2018. Data from the ONS showed that total R&D expenditure increased from £23.7 billion in 2017 to £25 billion in 2018. The report showed: the aerospace industry saw the largest increase in R&D expenditure with […]

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Dec 23

Latest guidance for employers Dec 2019

HMRC has issued the latest Employer Bulletin. This issue includes articles on a number of areas including: guidance for employers on reporting PAYE information in real-time when payments are made early at Christmas electronic payment deadline falls on a weekend Ultra-Low Emission Vehicle High-Income Child Benefit Charge deadline 31 January Tax-Free Childcare payments update on […]

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Dec 20

HMRC offers tips on avoiding Self Assessment tax scams

HMRC is giving information to taxpayers to help them avoid scams ahead of the Self Assessment deadline. HMRC is warning millions of Self Assessment taxpayers to be aware of fraudsters in the run-up to the 31 January deadline. Over the last year, HMRC received almost 900,000 reports from the taxpayers about suspicious HMRC contact, in […]

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New company car advisory fuel rates have been published which took effect from 1 December 2019

Dec 17

Advisory fuel rates for company cars – December 2019

New company car advisory fuel rates have been published which took effect from 1 December 2019. 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 undertaken on […]

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Dec 14

Check employment status for tax tool update

HMRC has issued an update to the Check employment status tool (CEST) in advance of the introduction of new tax rules proposed for individuals who provide their personal services via an ‘intermediary’ to medium or large business. The tool is designed to give HMRC’s view of the status of contracts and has received criticism. The […]

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Dec 12

Making sure gifts to employees are tax-free

Some employers may wish to give a small gift to their employees. As long as the employer meets the relevant conditions, no tax charge will arise on the employee. A tax exemption is available which should help employers ensure that the benefits provided are exempt and do not result in a reportable employee benefit in […]

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Dec 06

Genuine HMRC contact and recognising phishing emails and texts

HMRC has updated their guidance on how to recognise when contact from HMRC is genuine and how to recognise phishing or bogus emails and text messages. Internet link: GOV.UK recognising phishing emails

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Dec 03

HMRC countdown: file your tax return

With less than 60 days until the self-assessment tax return deadline of 31 January 2020, HMRC is urging taxpayers to complete their tax returns early, in order to avoid the last-minute rush. HMRC report that last year more than 2,000 people submitted their tax returns on Christmas Day. Taxpayers should consider submitting their returns early […]

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Nov 29

Guidance for employers Nov 2019

HMRC has published the October 2019 issue of the Employer Bulletin which contains guidance on a number of issues relevant for employers. Topics in this edition include: Changes for UK employers sending workers to the EU, the EEA or Switzerland PAYE Settlement Agreements and Welsh rate of Income Tax Guidance for employers on reporting PAYE […]

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Nov 26

Charities fraud protection failures

According to a report published by the Charity Commission, the majority of UK charities admit fraud is a major risk, but are still failing to carry out basic tasks in order to protect themselves. More than 3,300 charities took part in the Charity Commission’s survey into fraud awareness, resilience, and cybersecurity in the sector. Over […]

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Nov 21

Increase in probate fees abandoned

The government has abandoned its planned increase in probate fees. The increase in fees was originally expected to take effect from 1 April 2019. However, in March 2019 HMRC postponed the introduction of the increase, attributing the delay to pressure on Parliamentary time. As part of the government’s plans, estates that are valued between £50,000 […]

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Nov 18

Clamp down on enablers of tax avoidance schemes

HMRC says it is clamping down on the promoters and enablers of tax avoidance schemes in the wake of the loan charge controversy. Penny Ciniewicz, Director General of Customer Compliance at HMRC, told the Treasury Select Committee that HMRC is ‘doubling the resources’ to tackle those in the ‘avoidance supply chain’. In response to questions […]

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Nov 15

Christa Ackroyd loses IR35 appeal

Former BBC presenter Christa Ackroyd has lost her appeal against a ruling that she was an employee, not a freelance contractor, when she worked for the BBC via a personal service company. The IR35 rules in broad terms mean that those working via a personal service company have to consider whether, if the services were […]

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Nov 14

Experts warning over insolvency debts

Prioritising HMRC over other creditors in insolvencies will have a ‘negative impact on the UK’s economic growth’, experts have warned Chancellor of the Exchequer Sajid Javid. The warning was issued in a letter from 11 business organisations and insolvency experts to the Chancellor. Signatories of the letter include the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England […]

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Nov 11

Independent review of the Loan Charge

The government has initiated a review of the Loan Charge and whether the policy is an appropriate way of dealing with disguised remuneration loan schemes used by individuals who entered directly into these schemes to avoid paying tax. Sir Amyas Morse, the former Comptroller and Auditor General and Chief Executive of the National Audit Office (NAO), […]

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Nov 06

HMRC collects record amounts of IHT

The government has announced that HMRC collected a record sum of £5.4 billion in inheritance tax (IHT) during the 2018/19 tax year. The increase comes on the back of a 15% rise in the number of estates liable for IHT. Between 2015/16 and 2016/17, the number of estates paying IHT rose by 3,600 to 28,100. […]

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