New HMRC statistics have shed some light on how many companies are affected by the recent hike in corporation tax rates. Just over 1.5 million companies paid corporation tax for the financial year to 31…
Deferring your state pension
The current state pension age (SPA) – the earliest age at which you can draw your state pension – is 66. It will be gradually increased to 67 between April 2026 and April 2028. A…
Don’t get caught in the VAT penalties net
The 50th anniversary of the UK’s introduction of VAT was earlier this year, but despite being around for a while, many VAT-registered businesses still find VAT too complex and confusing. No surprise then that more…
Fraud countermeasure drives R&D tax relief changes
The level of fraudulent claims being made for research and development (R&D) tax relief has prompted HMRC to introduce a new procedure: companies must provide detailed information ahead of making their claim. HMRC figures show…
Interest rate rises fuelling increased tax take
The Bank of England base rate increase is impacting on the government’s tax takes, with more taxpayers paying tax on savings income due to higher interest rates. Increased mortgage rates are contributing to rocketing capital…
Finalising tax return figures and filing early
HMRC is chasing taxpayers who have submitted tax returns for 2021/22 containing unresolved provisional figures, while also extolling the benefits of filing early for 2022/23. What are provisional figures? A provisional figure is not the…
Behind the numbers on income tax
New income tax statistics from HMRC appear to be good news, but the numbers are not what they seem. Taxpayer’s marginal rate Basic Rate Higher Rate Additional Rate 2020/21 Average tax rate 9.5% 21.8% 38.3%…
Abolishing the pensions lifetime allowance
Although the lifetime allowance was effectively abolished from April 2023 as the lifetime allowance charge was removed, it has been retained on statute for a year to allow time for the intricacies to be ironed…
Inheritance Tax: Intestacy entitlement increased
If an English or Welsh domiciled person dies without leaving a will, the amount that a surviving spouse or civil partner can inherit as a statutory legacy under the intestacy rules has – from 26…
Agri-tax reliefs set for restrictions
Draft legislation has been published that will, from 6 April 2024, restrict the geographical scope of agricultural relief and woodlands relief to property in the UK. Currently, property can qualify for either agricultural relief or…