HMRC says many teenagers are missing out on their Child Trust Funds (CTFs), urging parents to check for hidden cash and forgotten accounts. The first CTFs matured just over a year ago, at the start…
IHT receipts reach £6 billion record
The amount of inheritance tax (IHT) collected by HMRC over the past year reached a record £6 billion, some £1 billion more than the previous 12 months. This increase comes as no surprise given booming…
Maxing Tax Digital delayed until 2024
In recognition of the challenges to many businesses due to the pandemic, the government has delayed the introduction of Making Tax Digital (MTD) for income tax self-assessment (ITSA) by a further year. MTD will not…
New VAT penalties regime on the horizon
The existing penalty regime for VAT returns has the advantage of simplicity, but it’s something of a blunt instrument. The new system coming in for return periods beginning on or after 1 April 2022 will…
‘No jab, no job?’ and other workplace challenges
Now that more employees have been returning to the workplace, employers face several potentially challenging issues. Vaccination is one of the most problematic – businesses may wish to insist on employees being vaccinated, but there…
Are you ready for MTD?
Making Tax Digital for income tax self-assessment may still be 18 months away, but if you are self-employed or a landlord, it is time to get ready for digital record keeping, ahead of the deadline.…
Managing the end of furlough
After playing a crucial part in managing the impact of Covid-19, the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS) is set to end on 30 September. Although some business sectors, such as hospitality, are currently seeing severe…
No room for giveaways in OBR risk report
The Office for Budget Responsibility has given Rishi Sunak its new worry list. It gives the Chancellor little wriggle-room for potential Budget generosity. Every other year the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) must issue a…
Scammers step-up sophisticated frauds
One side effect of the pandemic has been a surge in scams, with around £535 million reported as lost to investment fraud in the year to April 2021. One investment scam involving a retired detective…
HMRC: Upper Tribunal deems child benefit discovery assessments invalid
A discovery assessment can be made by HMRC where income, which should have been assessed, has not been assessed for tax purposes. A recent decision in an Upper Tribunal case, however, found that neither child…