The pandemic has freed many workers from the confines of the office, leading to the emergence of a new breed of digital nomad – people who can take their laptop, jump on a plane and…
Student loan rule changes from 2023
Around three quarters of those students who started full-time undergraduate degrees in 2020/21 are not expected to fully repay their student loans. However, changes starting with the 2023 student cohort will see many paying more,…
Can the child benefit charge be fixed?
A critical review of how the government taxes child benefits has raised a major question mark over HMRC’s approach to collecting payments. Child benefit tax, or the High-Income Child Benefit Charge (HICBC) to use its…
The next step for Making Tax Digital
Making Tax Digital (MTD) for VAT has been in place for three years, but this first phase excluded voluntarily registered businesses beneath the registration threshold. From 1 April 2022, all VAT-registered businesses must implement MTD…
NICs boost for the self-employed
Prior to the March Spring Statement, most self-employed individuals were facing increased national insurance contribution (NIC) bills this year. However, those with profits up to and just over £28,000 will now see a fall in…
Protecting the normal minimum pension age
The normal minimum pension age (NMPA) will increase from 55 to 57 on 6 April 2028, although a protected pension age regime will be introduced. This will allow those who meet the rules to take…
What is a ‘reasonable excuse’ for tax penalties?
Having a reasonable excuse can be a get-out-of-jail-free card if you are charged a tax penalty. However, there is no statutory definition of the term, and what might constitute a reasonable excuse for one person…
Keeping it in the family – tax saving salary strategies
An easy way to reduce a business’s tax bill – and also increase the amount of funds withdrawn from the business – is to put a family member on the payroll. Of course, the salary…
The patchwork effect of rising inflation
2021 ended with inflation sitting at 5.4%, but it may not have felt like that to you. You may have caught the food campaigner Jack Monroe on TV and radio interviews recently highlighting how the…
Business rates loophole on second homes closing
Owners of holiday lets and second homes in England have been able to avoid council tax by registering their properties as businesses. However, from April 2023, small business rates relief will only be available if…