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The Government has announced a further scheme to support businesses through the Coronavirus crisis. The Coronavirus Large Business Interruption Loan Scheme (CLBILS) is aimed at large businesses with annual turnovers of between £45 million and £500 million. These businesses cannot access facilities through the Coronavirus...

The Government has made several amendments to the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS), which was first announced by Chancellor, Rishi Sunak on 20 March, immediately after the Prime Minister ordered the closure of pubs, restaurants and bars. The scheme is intended to reimburse up to 80 per cent of the wage costs (capped at...

The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) is fast-tracking new measures that will force banks to freeze loans and credit card payments for up to three months to help those individuals whose finances are affected by the Coronavirus outbreak. The measures should be in force by 9 April 2020 and will include...

The Government has announced significant revisions to the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme (CBILS) that come into effect from Monday 6 April 2020, opening up the scheme to a wider range of businesses. The Scheme provides UK-based SMEs with turnovers of up to £45 million access to facilities of between £1,000 and...

The Government has issued fresh warnings to members of the public and businesses about the potential for fraud related to the Coronavirus pandemic. Local authorities, police forces and specialist fraud organisations across the UK are issuing guidance to companies and individuals following a 400 per cent increase in fraud in recent weeks.

The Government has published new guidance for local authorities on the small business and retail sector grant schemes. These are one of several measures introduced by the Government to help businesses that are most at risk of failure due to the actions taken to prevent the spread of the Coronavirus. As previously discussed in our...

The Government has confirmed in its guidance for the operation of the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS) that employers will not be at risk of breaching minimum wage rules where they opt not to top-up the wages of furloughed employees. The CJRS was announced by the Chancellor shortly before the Stay at Home rules came into effect...

Thousands of employees who have started a new job after the 28 February 2020 will not be able to benefit from the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS) and may need to be laid off or sacked to help businesses cut costs. To be eligible for the scheme, which covers 80 per cent of a furlough workers employment costs up to £2,500 per...

If you work through your own limited company, you will no doubt have been disappointed to discover that the measures announced by the Chancellor last week for self-employed individuals do not apply to you. However, the guidance for the use of the Self-Employed Income Support Scheme (SEISS) advises that there may be two...

The Government has announced that existing rules around annual leave will be relaxed to allow workers who have not used their statutory annual leave entitlement this year due to COVID-19 to carry it over into the next two years. Most full-time British workers are entitled to 28 days holiday each year, including bank holidays.

The Government has announced important changes to UK insolvency law that suspends director liability for wrongful trading. Seeking to provide reassurance to business directors in light of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the Government has retrospectively suspended restrictions around wrongful trading from the 1 March 2020...

HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) has announced that the second phase of Making Tax Digital for VAT will now be postponed until 1 April 2021. The first year of MTD was subject to a one-year “soft-landing period”, which has seen HMRC holding back from pursuing businesses that should have signed up.

Much of the coverage of the Coronavirus Jobs Retention Scheme (CJRS) has focused on the Government’s commitment to cover the cost of 80 per cent of the usual wages of ‘furloughed employees’ – those who remain on the payroll but are not working. In fact, the CJRS will pay employers more than 80 per cent of an employee’s...

If any of your employees are working from home due to Coronavirus because your workplace has closed or you are following advice to self-isolate then you may be able to deduct some of the costs of home working as a taxable expense. The rules around expenses and whether or not they are taxable differs depending on the type...

To help you plan through this pandemic, we have put together a checklist to help you mitigate some of the business impacts: Consult with employees, on matters including: Statutory sick pay, Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme, Redundancies and layoffs, Defer tax payments by establishing Time to Pay agreements with HM...

Small to medium-sized businesses in the UK are now able to apply for finance via the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme (CBILS) to help them deal with the operating costs of their business and to assist with maintaining cash flow. To help you apply for a loan, we have answered some common queries below...

Two significant elements of the measures announced by the Government to ease the financial impact of the Coronavirus crisis have been business rates reliefs and grants to certain ‘at risk’ businesses. These include grants for businesses in the hospitality, leisure and retail sectors, a grant for businesses that pay no or little business...

Many businesses will be struggling with a variety of issues due to the impact of the Coronavirus outbreak, but a key consideration for many will be employment costs and staff safety. The Government has taken significant steps to help businesses protect jobs by introducing measures that seek to subsidise wages and provide refunds...

It is possible that businesses, especially those in certain sectors, will see a reduced workload as a consequence of Coronavirus. In these circumstances, and where allowed for in the contract of employment, employees can be laid off temporarily.

Following the announcement that businesses will be reimbursed by HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) for 80 per cent of the employment costs of ‘furloughed’ workers for at least three months from March, the Chancellor has announced a similar scheme for self-employed individuals. he Self-Employed Income Support Scheme (SEISS) will pay...

As part of its measures to reduce the economic impact of the Coronavirus crisis, the Government has announced deferrals to a number of HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) and Companies House deadlines to ease the strain on businesses and self-employed individuals.

Businesses affected by the COVID-19 pandemic can apply to Companies House to request an extension to file their accounts, reports and confirmation statements. Companies House is offering a maximum extension of three months for struggling businesses, but they must meet stringent conditions, including a rule that an appeal to extend...

The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic is having a significant impact on all aspect of individual’s lives, not least their personal finances. During this difficult period, it is likely that your staff may look to you for advice if their own income is affected by the economic impact of this virus.

With the Government recommending that people work from home where possible, many businesses will have had employees working from home for the first time in recent weeks. Amidst the logistics and practicalities of setting employees up to work from home, it could be easy to overlook the implications of increased home working...

To support UK businesses, the Government has confirmed that commercial tenants that are unable to pay their rent due to disruption caused by the Coronavirus pandemic will not face eviction. The Government had already banned evictions on private residential tenants but has now confirmed that the three-month moratorium.

HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) has now published detailed guidance for operation of the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme, which is intended to reimburse up to 80 per cent of the wage costs of a ‘furloughed worker’.

Following the announcement that businesses will be reimbursed by HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) for 80 per cent of the employment costs of ‘furloughed’ workers for at least three months from March, the Chancellor has announced a similar scheme for self-employed individuals. The Self-Employed Income Support Scheme (SEISS) will pay...

With substantial restrictions for everyone on the circumstances in which we can leave our homes, and many businesses being forced to close, the Chancellor has announced a scheme to reimburse up to 80 per cent of the cost of the wages of ‘furloughed workers’.

Our office is closed until further notice. Please send emails for attention. Please see the Blog section of our website where we are posting Covid 19 updates Stay Safe all of you…The Inn Control Team

Payroll is a vitally important function within a business and never more so now that the Government has confirmed that it will be paying furloughed workers* up to 80% of their wages through reimbursement via HMRC.

The Government has pledged more than £330 billion overnight to help businesses struggling with the economic impact of the ongoing COVID-19 outbreak. The Chancellor, Rishi Sunak, has pledged to do “whatever it takes” to help businesses survive through these difficult and uncertain times and we are also standing by this commitment.

The UK is seeing an unprecedented amount of disruption due to the current coronavirus outbreak and in response the Chancellor has announced a number of measures to help businesses deal with this crisis. Understandably, business owners will be concerned during these difficult times, but they must take practical steps now to help...

Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme The business interruption loans announced at last week’s Budget have been significantly extended allowing small businesses to borrow up to £5 million to pay rent, salaries, suppliers or purchase stock. The loans will be interest-free for the first six months, thanks to a pledge from the Government to cover interest payments during this period.

As the situation develops regarding the Coronavirus outbreak, there will be a lot of conflicting information available. As a firm, we will try to only contact you when it is confirmed or standardised information available – making the wrong decisions before the information is confirmed and settled could cause your business more trouble than good. There are a number of things that you can do immediately and there are things that currently are still being finalised, such as the government grants/loans that will not be clarified or reach availability until next week. These steps and information is broken down below and attached to other emails that you will receive from us – please check your junk folder if you do not receive more emails from us.

We’ve had a several enquiries messages from clients who wanted to know what Government measures are being put in place in light of the COVID-19 outbreak to assist small business experiencing financial hardship…we are as always please to discuss this in detail however the measures in outline follow:

When Philip Hammond delivered the last Budget 499 days ago, in the midst of the Brexit negotiations, he could not have imagined that the next Budget would be dominated by the spread of a lethal contagion. Nor is it likely that he thought Rishi Sunak – then a relatively inconspicuous junior minister – would be the one delivering it...

Speculation is increasing that Chancellor, Sajid Javid, will announce significant curbs on Entrepreneurs’ Relief in the Budget, or could even scrap the valuable tax relief altogether. According to the Financial Times, ministers are concerned that Entrepreneurs’ Relief is too generous to wealthy individuals.

Monday 6 April 2020 will see a range of tax changes come into effect with the start of the 2020/21 tax year. Some of these changes have the potential to have considerable implications for your tax bill, depending upon your specific circumstances. Here is a selection of the most significant changes...

Businesses that rely on the production of guides, physical books, newspapers or other printed materials currently enjoy a zero-rating for VAT. However, those who sell and publish similar content online have had to pay VAT at the standard rate. This is now set to change after a decision made by the Upper Tax Tribunal (UTT) confirmed...

A recruitment business has been ordered to pay £10,890 after avoiding their automatic enrolment duties and misleading the Pensions Regulator (TPR). Hertfordshire-based SKL Professional Recruitment Agency Ltd’s managing director Linus (known as Lee) Kadzere has been sentenced at Brighton Magistrates’ Court for wilfully failing to comply...

Most workers assume that their National Insurance Contributions (NICs), as reported by their employer or through their own records, are accurate and up to date. After all, within the Income Tax system, we have the comfort of an annual reconciliation process, so why would NICs be any different? However, it may come as a shock to...

If you are in the process of getting divorced, it is likely that the tax considerations involved are not foremost in your mind. However, divorce can have extensive implications for your tax bill, including in relation to Capital Gains Tax (CGT). This means it is crucial that you take your tax position into consideration when...

Now that the UK has left the EU, we have entered an implementation period that will last the rest of 2020, during which the UK’s future relationship with the EU will be agreed, giving businesses the chance to prepare for the UK’s new trading arrangements. While much of the detail is still to be decided, we do know that businesses...

Instead of tucking into turkey or unwrapping their gifts, 3,003 taxpayers completed their self-assessment returns on 25 December 2019, according to HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC). Every year hundreds of people across the UK use the Christmas break as a time to manage their financial affairs, with HMRC declaring it a “Christmas tradition”.

We are aware that the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) has been contacting companies to remind them of their legal obligation to pay a data protection fee. The ICO has confirmed that the UK’s 4.2 million limited companies will receive letters sent to their registered office addresses making them aware of this obligation...

According to the latest data, UK SMEs now have to wait up to 23 days on average for late payments to be made. MarketFinance, a peer-to-peer invoice finance platform, has analysed late payment data between 2013 and 2019 from 100,205 invoices raised by UK SMEs to give a detailed overview of the late payments pressures SMEs face.

On 1 April 2020 the Government will introduce increases to the National Living and Minimum Wage. From this date the National Living Wage (NLW) will rise from £8.21 to £8.72 per hour and will mean that 2.8 million full-time workers will see a £930 boost to their annual earnings. The Government claims that the introduction of the NLW...

With less than three months remaining before the IR35 off-payroll working rules begin to apply in the private sector, HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) has launched a revamped CEST IR35 off-payroll working tool. The rule change means that engagers, rather than workers, will be responsible for determining whether an engagement...

A new set of Advisory Fuel Rates came into effect from the beginning of December 2019, which apply to employees who use a company car. The rates can be used in circumstances where you are reimbursing employees for business travel in their company car or in requiring employees to repay the cost of fuel used for...

Figures published by HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) have revealed that VAT revenue in 2018/19 rose by £7 billion from the previous year to reach a record £133 billion. In the ten years since 2008/09, the VAT take has risen by 52 per cent from £87.9 billion. The bulk of the VAT take last year came from incorporated companies, which...

According to accounting software providers, QuickBooks, over 50 per cent of UK small and medium-sized enterprise (SME) owners have made a mistake when filing their VAT returns, while just a quarter (25 per cent) feel confident that they have filed their VAT accurately. As the business owner, it is important to bear in mind...

Small firms are owed a staggering £23.4 billion in late payments, an issue that is continuing to cause greater problems for businesses each year. In the last year alone, the figure has increased by £10.4 billion. According to one study by Pay.UK, this is costing small businesses dear in both time and money, as 22 per cent...

Since 2015, banks and building societies have been offering help-to-buy ISAs to first-time buyers. To qualify, you had to be 16 or over and be a first-time buyer. However, as of the end of last month, the scheme has been closed to new savers. Under the scheme savers could deposit a lump sum of up to £1,200 when they...

HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) has urged taxpayers to be vigilant ahead of the self-assessment deadline on 31 January 2020, with a surge in fraudulent activity expected. HMRC has said that it has received 900,000 reports in the last 12 months relating to suspected fraud, with phone calls, text messages and emails being...

Over the Christmas period, you may wish to treat your employees. This is a tried and trusted approach to building a strong relationship with your team. But are you aware that you may be breaking PAYE rules by doing so? We want to ensure that you enjoy the holidays just as much as your team, so we’ve put together our top tips...

According to the latest figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) businesses in the UK spent £25 billion on research and development (R&D) during 2018. The figure represents a 5.8 per cent increase on the previous year when the figure stood at £23.7 billion. The ONS claim the figures highlight an upward trend when...

Fewer than 100 days now remain until the 31 January 2020 deadline for the online submission of Self-Assessment Tax Returns. Self-Assessment Tax Returns must be completed in respect of most income that has not been subject to PAYE. This includes the following groups...

With the projected growth of electric car ownership in coming years, the Government is offering grants to support businesses who introduce charging infrastructure at their place of work. Provided by the Office of Low Emission Vehicles (OLEV), the Workplace Charging Scheme (WCS) is a voucher-based grant that offers support to companies...

With the UK currently set to leave the EU by the end of January 2020, anyone who owns a Spanish holiday home needs to be prepared for the impact of Brexit on taxation. Spanish tax law makes specific provision for EU/EEA residents that benefits people living in member states over others from outside the EU bloc. In some cases...

With less than six months left until the introduction of the IR35 regulations in the private sector, HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) has finally released additional guidance to help clarify this complex area of taxation. From 6 April 2020, the off-payroll rules (IR35) are going to be extended across the private sector bringing large...

New figures released by HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) have revealed that it handed back more than £54 million to people who had overpaid tax on pension withdrawals in the last three months alone. The latest quarterly data for 1 July 2019 to 30 September 2019 is the highest figure since pension freedoms were introduced in 2015.

Newly cohabiting couples, where at least one of the partners is a parent, have been warned by a leading insurer to be aware of a new tax charge, if either earns more than £50,000 a year. NFU Mutual has said that cohabiting couples need to be aware of the High Income Child Benefit Tax Charge, which sees Child Benefit payments made to...

HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) has announced that it is entering into data-sharing arrangements with local authorities to help clamp down on council tax debt. In the 2017/18 tax year, councils in England had an £818 million deficit for council tax arrears, which has prompted HMRC to work with local authorities by sharing information about taxpayers.

Employees working overseas on secondment could face paying twice as much in National Insurance Contributions in the event of a no-deal Brexit, HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) has warned. If the UK leaves the EU without a withdrawal agreement then current agreements to avoid double payment of the equivalent of National Insurance...

New figures published by HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) have revealed a significant increase in the number and value of Inheritance Tax (IHT) receipts. The figures, which relate to the 2016/17 tax year, show a 15 per cent increase in the number of estates paying IHT in comparison with the previous year, rising from 24,500 to 28,100.

Any business that is VAT-registered and currently trades with the EU will have automatically been issued with an EORI number allowing it to trade with customers and suppliers in EU member states following the UK’s withdrawal from the EU. However, businesses that are not registered for VAT will need to register for an EORI number...

The latest data from Companies House shows that thousands of penalties were handed out for the late filing of company accounts, with more than 25,000 companies missing a deadline on 30 September. This date marks a common deadline for companies, according to Companies House, with a further 643 companies narrowly avoiding...

It has been reported that HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) has begun carrying out PAYE investigations remotely. The investigation begins with a phone call, inviting the employer to complete a survey sent by email. There is a concern amongst accountants that the wording of some of these questions could trip up unwary employers...

According to the Office for National Statistics (ONS), averages wages in the UK are growing at their fastest rate since 2008. The ONS has revealed that average earnings, including bonuses, grew by four per cent in the four months between May and July. This is the highest rate in a decade and means that wages in the UK...

Although a key VAT-saving measure for listed dwellings was abolished in October 2012, there are still circumstances in which a renovation project can be subject to a reduced rate of VAT of five per cent. There are two circumstances in which this can apply. The first is where a dwelling has been empty for the whole...

The controversial introduction of the VAT reverse charge in the construction sector has been postponed by a year and will now take place on 1 October 2020, following concerns that the industry wasn’t ready for this monumental change. The new VAT reverse charge had been due to come into force on 1 October this year...

Taxpayers are actively encouraged by HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) to inform the tax authority if they realise that they did not pay the correct tax at any time in the past. This process is known as a voluntary disclosure and will usually allow a taxpayer to settle their affairs and settle any underpayment without...

HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) has reassured the 120,000 businesses that failed to meet the 7 August deadline for Making Tax Digital (MTD) for VAT that the tax authority will not be issuing fines to them for missing the date. Under MTD, all businesses with a turnover of £85,000 or more must keep computer-based records...

Some of the UK’s top retail stores, including Asda and Boots, have joined the fight against spiralling business rates. It comes after many leading retail bodies published a letter calling for the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Sajid Javid, to address tax rules to boost the UK high street.

Half of all small-medium sized enterprises (SMEs) make errors when filing their VAT returns, according to the latest research. The data also revealed that just 27 per cent of small businesses are confident that they have filed their return correctly, even though they have spent more than an hour checking their figures.

The latest official data from HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) shows that the actual cash collected from all tax investigations hit £13 billion in 2018/19. This was up 27 per cent from the previous tax year in which £10.3 billion was collected. The data also showed that transfer pricing fines for multinationals have risen to £413,000.

Email scams have become increasingly common, with fraudsters claiming to be from companies, banks and even HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) to obtain your data and bank details. The fraud, which is also known as a phishing scam, can also involve malicious software that can infect your device with a virus.

After much anticipation, the Government has now published its draft legislation for the off-payroll working (IR35) rules, which will be enforced in the private sector from 6 April 2020. The latest policy document for the private sector shares a number of similarities with that already in force in the public sector.

Businesses in the construction industry now have only a matter of weeks left to prepare for the new VAT domestic reverse charge regime. These new rules will be enforced from 1 October 2019, significantly changing the VAT affairs and tax liabilities of companies in the construction industry.

From April 2020, the date at which Capital Gains Tax (CGT) must be paid on a second home property disposal is changing. After this date, taxpayers will only have 30 days to file their return and make an advance payment towards their tax bill.

The Government wants to remind working parents that they could be entitled to up £2,000 per child per year to help with the costs of childcare, including regulated holiday clubs during the school holidays.

At the moment businesses and charities of all sizes can benefit from Employment Allowance. However, from the start of the new tax year in April 2020, the allowance will only be available to employers with a secondary National Insurance Contributions bill in the current tax year of less than £100,000.

The start of the next tax year in April 2020 will see key changes come into effect in respect of Principal Private Residence Relief (PPR) and Lettings Relief, both of which can be used to soften the impact of Capital Gains Tax (CGT) on property disposals.

The response to a Freedom of Information (FoI) request has revealed that as many as one in four estates that are liable for IHT are investigated each year. In 2018-19, more than 5,500 investigations were launched by HMRC into the approximately 22,000 estates that had to pay the tax.

A new report has found that a significant proportion of the UK’s Business Relief goes to those with more than £1 million in assets. Tax Justice UK, a campaigning organisation, has revealed that 234 wealthy families shared £458 million in tax relief in the 2015-16 year thanks to Inheritance Tax breaks via Business Relief.

The Association of Taxation Technicians (ATT) has revealed that problems with HMRC’s IT systems earlier this year, relating to calculations for payment on account, mean that some taxpayers will not receive tax demands this month. The glitches in the tax authority’s systems during the self-assessment tax return season...

A new study has found that more than half (58 per cent) of SMEs are not aware of a temporary two-year increase in the annual investment allowance (AIA), which could help them secure £1 million in funding. Last year, the Government increased the AIA from £200,000 to £1 million from 1 January 2019 to 31 December 2020...

Businesses across the UK are being encouraged to increase their readiness for a no-deal Brexit. The Institute of Directors (IoD) said that, while all firms should be preparing for a no-deal Brexit, it had found that fewer than half of businesses had plans in place. The IoD has also called on the Government...

New research has found that the total value of UK SMEs has reached more than £3 trillion – with the average small business now worth £2.9 million. The study by MarketInvoice found company valuation is something that two-thirds of owners consider a top priority and something they think about all the time.

Research by law firm, Pinsent Masons, has found that more than 150 chief financial officers and other senior finance executives have been fined personally by HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) in relation to tax accounting issues during the last financial year. This is an increase of 22 per cent on the previous year when 125 were fined...

Businesses across the UK are being reminded that, if they process personal data, they are subject to a legal requirement to pay the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) an annual data protection charge, unless they have a relevant exemption. Any businesses that fail to pay the correct charge are at risk of a fine of up to £4,350.

Entrepreneurs’ Relief (ER) entitles a business owner to significant relief from Capital Gains Tax (CGT) on the disposal of their business, often halving the consequent tax bill. To qualify for ER, the company must normally have been the business owner’s personal company for the whole of the last two years and they must...

From April next year, HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) will rank third just after secured creditors, such as banks, and insolvency practitioners in order to recover additional outstanding tax from failing businesses. Currently, HMRC is ranked alongside unsecured creditors, such as suppliers, trade creditors, contractors...

HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) has updated its VAT notice regarding Making Tax Digital (MTD) for VAT to relax several of the digital recordkeeping requirements. One of the changes, secured with the help of the Chartered Institute of Taxation (CIoT), relates to purchase invoices from suppliers.

A new report published by the National Centre for Social Research (NatCen) and the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) has revealed a worrying lack of awareness about the Inheritance Tax (IHT) benefits of making a gift. Its study found that only 25 per cent of those who had made a gift had a ‘working knowledge’ of...

A rise over the course of the 2017-18 tax year saw funding for the Enterprise Investment Scheme (EIS) and Seed Enterprise Investment Scheme (SEIS) tax reliefs pass the £2.1 billion mark. The EIS scheme saw the larger increase in approved funding, with an increase in funds raised of £28 million.

A new code has been launched by 17 UK banks to protect customers who fall victim to a sophisticated form of fraud known as Authorised Push Payment (APP) scams. APP scams involve tricking people into making payments to fraudsters, who are masquerading as legitimate payees.

HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) is trialling a new trigger, which is intended to improve the accuracy of employees’ PAYE tax codes. According to HMRC, as many as half a million tax codes being used by employers across the UK could be incorrect, leading to employees either overpaying or underpaying tax.

As of 6 April, direct descendants can inherit up to £950,000 completely free of inheritance tax from their parents or grandparents thanks to increases in the residence nil-rate band. This tax-free allowance on inherited property has risen from £125,000 to £150,000 this year and will rise again next year to £175,000.

HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) is understood to be sending out “Employer Compliance Check Questionnaires” without notifying agents, which could land businesses in trouble if the wrong information is provided. The questionnaires are understood to be a replacement or substitute for a PAYE audit, which would typically...