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Landlords must now comply with an important new legal requirement introduced under the Renters’ Rights Act, which brings significant reform to the private rented sector in England. The government has published an official information sheet that explains the changes and sets out the new rights available to tenants starting from 1 May 2026. Under the legislation, landlords and letting agents must provide tenants with a copy of the government’s Renters’ Rights Act Information Sheet by 31 May 2026. The document explains how the law affects tenancy...

Rising costs and economic uncertainty have made cash flow management more important than ever. While many businesses focus on profit, it is cash that determines whether a business can meet its day to day obligations and take advantage of new opportunities. A sensible starting point is to review how quickly cash is collected from customers. Slow payment remains one of the most common causes of pressure. Simple steps such as issuing invoices promptly, setting clear payment terms, and following up overdue balances consistently can make a...

Pensioners are being urged to stay vigilant for any Winter Fuel Payment scams. HMRC is starting to recover Winter Fuel Payments issued for winter 2025 from those earning over £35,000 a year. While the process will affect nearly two million people, most will see the repayment handled automatically through adjustments to their PAYE tax code from April 2026, meaning there is no need to contact HMRC directly. However, the scale of the recovery operation has created an opportunity for scammers. Over the past year, HMRC recorded more than 25,000...

Employees who receive fuel from their employer for private use in a company car can avoid paying the car fuel benefit charge by reimbursing the full cost of the private fuel. This process, known as "making good," requires the employee to repay the employer for private fuel no later than 6 July following the end of the tax year. For the 2025-26 tax year, the repayment must be completed by 6 July 2026. If the repayment is not made by the deadline, the employee becomes liable for the car fuel benefit charge. This charge is calculated...

For most capital gains realised in the 2026-27 tax year, Capital Gains Tax (CGT) is reported and paid by 31 January 2028 via the self-assessment system. This applies to gains on assets such as shares, investments and commercial property. However, UK residential property is an important exception. Where a residential property is sold and the gain is not fully covered by Private Residence Relief, the capital gain must be reported and paid within 60 days of completion. This rule applies to disposals completed on or after 27 October 2021. The...

The 2025-26 tax year ended on 5 April 2026, and attention now turns to filing your self-assessment tax return. While many leave this until the last minute, there are advantages to filing early. There are two ways to file your return. You can submit a paper return, which must be filed by 31 October 2026, or file online, with a deadline of 31 January 2027. The 31 January deadline is also when any tax due for 2025-26 must be paid, along with the first payment on account for 2026-27. Although the deadline may seem distant, preparing your return...

The Annual Investment Allowance (AIA) is a valuable tax relief that allows businesses to deduct the full cost of qualifying plant and machinery from their taxable profits. This means that, instead of claiming relief over several years, businesses can often obtain 100% tax relief upfront. The AIA is currently capped at £1 million per year, and a fresh allowance is available for each accounting period (adjusted if the period is shorter or longer than 12 months). Most plant and machinery qualifies, including items such as tools, machinery, vans,...

The rules as to who pays Income Tax in Scotland is determined by whether an individual is considered a Scottish taxpayer or not. For most people, determining Scottish taxpayer status is straightforward. Individuals who live in Scotland are considered Scottish taxpayers, while those who live elsewhere in the UK are not. If a taxpayer has homes in both Scotland and elsewhere in the UK, HMRC guidance is used to determine their main home for Scottish Income Tax purposes. Those without a permanent home who regularly stay in Scotland, such as...

Rising prices remain a concern for many UK business owners, particularly where energy, materials, labour and finance costs are unpredictable. While it is rarely possible to eliminate cost pressures entirely, a number of practical steps can reduce exposure and provide greater stability when planning ahead. One of the simplest strategies is to review supplier arrangements regularly. Where possible, businesses may negotiate fixed price contracts or longer term agreements with key suppliers. Although fixed pricing does not always deliver the...

The outlook for UK interest rates during 2026 remains uncertain, although current expectations suggest relative stability, with the possibility of modest reductions later in the year if inflation continues to ease. While interest rates have fallen from their recent peak levels, they remain higher than many businesses became accustomed to during the period of exceptionally low borrowing costs. The Bank of England continues to balance the need to control inflation against the risk of slowing economic growth. Inflation has fallen significantly...