The 9.7% uplift to the National Living Wage from April 2023 should be welcome news for lower-paid workers, but could present problems if their employer simply cannot afford the increased cost of employing them. The…
First time buyers: time to act?
The increased stamp duty relief for first time buyers has not been reversed by the new Chancellor, but it may not survive beyond the tax year. One of the few tax cuts to survive from…
17 October 2022: ‘The Growth Plan’ – a further update
At 6.00 am on Monday 17 October, the Treasury issued a press release announcing that the (new) Chancellor, Jeremy Hunt, would making a statement “bringing forward measures from the Medium-Term Fiscal Plan”. The timing of…
UK Prime Minister’s Statement – 14 October 2022
On 14 October, as an important deadline loomed for Bank of England support of the government bond markets to expire, the government’s political turmoil ratcheted up as the fallout from the ‘fiscal event’ of 23…
Chancellor’s May economy statement: all about energy
In late May, the Chancellor announced new measures to counter the rising cost of living, in particular energy prices. Initial measures for 2022 In early February 2022, the Chancellor announced a package of measures to…
CGT reporting and payment deadline extended
I've taken a few calls recently, from a number of clients, on CGT on disposal of UK residential property, and although information on this is already in the public domain, here's a brief summary in…
The Autumn Budget – taxed and spent
After already increasing taxes by £42 billion a year in 2021, the main focus of Chancellor Rishi Sunak’s Autumn Budget was on spending. The first Autumn Budget in three years – and Mr Sunak’s third…
Positive news for business rates from the Chancellor
The Autumn Budget announcements included a series of measures to alleviate the burden of business rates in England. For 2022/23, 50% relief will be available for eligible retail, hospitality and leisure properties, and the business…
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…
HMRC Official rate of interest, beneficial Loans et al
HMRC’s official rate of interest has been cut from 2.25% to 2% from 6 April 2021. This will affect any directors or employees who have a beneficial loan from their employer, as well as directors…