HMRC has revealed that the self-assessment threshold for PAYE taxpayers will increase from £100,000 to £150,000 for the 2023/24 tax year. Currently, individuals taxed through PAYE only are legally required to file a self-assessment tax return if they make more than £100,000 annually. The threshold change means that fewer taxpayers will need to submit their…

The self-assessment telephone helpline has been closed by HMRC for the entirety of summer. Taxpayers hoping to contact HMRC for help with their self-assessment will now have to use digital services until 4 September 2023. During this time, HMRC says it will trial prioritising online guidance, digital assistance and web chat. According to HMRC, the…

Stand out from the crowd. According to data from Companies House, 222,068 new companies were set up in the UK within the first 12 weeks of 2023, a year-on-year rise of 8.2%. The question remains: “how unique are these businesses?” It might seem safest to stick to tried and tested methods when you’re starting a…

Are you hitting your business goals? We’ve over halfway through 2023, so now is the opportune moment to review your business and progress for the year. Chances are, it’s been a tough year so far: in the 12 months to May 2023, the consumer prices index of inflation rose by 8.7% and the bank rate…

The VAT exemption for pharmacists has been extended to medical services carried out by supervised, non-registered staff as of 1 May. Prior to the measure, the exemption only applied to medical services carried out by registered health professionals. The new zero-rating rules now mean that all staff can provide their service exempt from VAT under…

The Institute of Chartered Accountants for England and Wales (ICAEW) is urging HMRC to rethink the quarterly reporting model for Making Tax Digital for income tax self-assessment (MTD for ITSA). In a letter to HMRC, the representative body is asking the Government to review the quarterly reporting process for the upcoming extension of MTD. According…

Recent HMRC data shows that the Treasury collected £786.6 billion in taxes in 2022/23 – a 9.9% increase on last year’s total of £715.3bn. Receipts from income tax, capital gains tax and National Insurance contributions hit £47bn – accounting for over half (57%) of the total tax take. Meanwhile, property price increases mean more families…

The Government has launched a consultation to modify the tax treatment of cryptoassets used in decentralised finance (DeFi) lending and staking transactions. The law currently treats many of these transactions as disposals for tax purposes. This usually triggers a capital gains tax (CGT) charge, despite the owner still having an economic interest in the asset.…

Reward your staff with a stake in the business. As an employer, there are many ways you can reward and incentivise your staff, from Christmas parties to team lunches. But one of the most attractive options is an employee share scheme. Employee share schemes allow you to give some (or all) of your employees a…

Expanding your property portfolio can help increase your financial security — but is now a good time to buy to let? As house prices start to fall and rents rise across the UK, 2023 may look like a good year to get your foot on the investment property ladder. However, making that decision is far…

In his Budget speech in March earlier this year, Chancellor Jeremy Hunt kicked off the Government’s plan for growth with changes to business tax legislation, a key policy being ‘full expensing’. “It is a corporation tax cut worth an average of £9 billion a year for every year it is in place”, Hunt said. “The…

Just weeks after announcing downloadable self-assessment returns would no longer be available online, HMRC has backtracked its decision. Originally, the Government planned to take the option of physical self-assessment forms off the online portal, meaning taxpayers would have to call a dedicated line to request one. At the end of March 2023, HMRC contacted almost…

The Government has introduced a new bill to modernise business rates across the country. Following feedback from businesses calling for a fairer system, the new Non-Domestic Rating Bill, announced on 29 March, will support businesses by incentivising property investment and introducing more frequent valuations. A new business rates improvement relief will remove barriers for businesses…

A new report from the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) warns that the “temporary” digital services tax (DST) could stay in place longer than planned. The DST raised £358 million in its first year – 30% more than expected. However, the Treasury acknowledges that it is a “second best” solution until the international community introduces a…

HMRC has released guidance clarifying how it will phase in the abolition of the lifetime allowance (LTA) for pensions. As announced by Chancellor Jeremy Hunt in his Spring Budget 2023, the current £1,073,100 threshold on the LTA ended on 5 April. However, because the legislation is not included in the Spring Finance Bill 2023, the…

In his first Spring Budget speech, Chancellor Jeremy Hunt announced a new “full expensing policy” to encourage business investment. From April 2023 to March 2026, companies can claim 100% capital allowances on qualifying plant and machinery, writing off the cost of investment in one go. The policy comes as the existing super-deduction, which provides a…

The pension lifetime allowance (LTA), which limits the amount savers can contribute to their pensions without a tax charge, will be abolished, Chancellor Jeremy Hunt announced in his Spring Budget. Currently, people who save more than the current allowance level of £1,073,100 in their workplace pension scheme face a tax charge of either 25% or…

The Government has extended the voluntary National Insurance deadline by an extra four months, meaning taxpayers now have until 31 July 2023 to make additional payments and help increase their state pension entitlement. The deadline for making additional National Insurance contribution (NIC) payments is usually six years. However, this extension allows taxpayers more time to…

The finance sector is making strides in female representation, according to a new report from the Women in Finance charter. The report shows that the proportion of women in senior management roles across charter signatories rose to 35% in 2022. Nearly three-quarters of the charter’s signatories increased female representation in senior management, while 6% maintained…

What are the Government’s new plans? In his first Spring Budget as Chancellor, Jeremy Hunt announced a number of ‘investment zones’ across the country. The programme will provide 12 areas, split across England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, with £80 million in support and “put powers and money in the hands of communities that need…