I have been asked on a number of occasions what an employer can do if their employee does not work out their full notice period. Whilst it can place a small business in a tricky rather than insisting that the employee has to work their notice period this can turn out to be counterproductive, with the employee either phoning in sick or being unproductive whilst Read more…

The archetypal 9am to 5pm working day might be so ingrained into the psyche of workers across the Western world that Dolly Parton wrote a song about it, but new research has revealed that it is now an unusual way to make a living for UK workers. The YouGov survey found that just six per cent of UK workers now work the typical 9 to Read more…

The increasing sophistication of bank scams means that customers who lose money to such schemes should not automatically be blamed, the Financial Ombudsman Service has said. Caroline Wayman, Chief Ombudsman and Chief Executive of the Financial Ombudsman Service, said: “It’s not fair to automatically call a customer grossly negligent simply because they’ve fallen for a scam. “That’s especially true in light of the sophisticated way Read more…

HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) has announced a pair of penalty systems for late filing and late payment under Making Tax Digital (MTD) for VAT, which is due to come into effect in April 2019. Late filing will attract penalty points, which will accrue on the basis of how late the filing is and how many filings have been submitted late. After four late submissions, Read more…

A new study has revealed that in the last three months the number of SMEs predicting they could close has doubled from five per cent to 10 per cent. Produced by Hitachi Capital Business Finance, the report makes for worrying reading as the proportion of small business owners reporting their concerns about business failure have remained consistent at around four to five per cent for Read more…

With the price of fuel going up, employees and businesses will welcome new changes to the fuel advisory rates, which from 1 September 2018 have slightly increased on the previous quarter for some vehicles. Advisory fuel rates from 1 September 2018 Engine size Petrol – amount per mile LPG – amount per mile 1400cc or less 12p (11p) 7p (7p) 1401cc to 2000cc 15p (14p) Read more…

In the last few years the property sector has been hit by a number of new tax rules, but now there are two new things on the horizon that landlords must consider. Rent-a-Room Scheme The current Rent-a-Room scheme offers people up to £7,500 a year tax-free from letting out a spare room. However, HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) has revealed new plans to introduce a Read more…

On 19 September 2016 HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) decided to stop sending out paper copies of several important documents relating to Corporation Tax. Despite this move taking place nearly two years ago, a quick search online indicates that many taxpayers are not aware that HMRC has changed some of its administration procedures for Corporation Tax returns. The changes implemented by the Revenue, as part Read more…

Taxpayers with undeclared offshore tax liabilities, including Income Tax, Capital Gains Tax or Inheritance Tax, are obligated to disclose these liabilities to HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) on or before 30 September 2018 under HM Revenue & Customs’ Requirement to Correct (RTC) regime. The same rules apply to taxpayers with undeclared UK tax liabilities that involve offshore matters or transfers. Taxpayers who fail to disclose Read more…

HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) has published data which reveals that more than 100,000 first-time buyers have benefited from Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT) reforms announced at the last Budget. During the period until 30 June this year, 121,500 first-time buyers saved a combined total of £284 million according to HMRC. First-time buyers who purchase homes of £300,000 and below pay no SDLT, while those Read more…