Blog

Following Brexit, the government has published an updated toolkit for employers on how to support their employees who are EU citizens (including EEA and Swiss citizens) to apply to stay in the UK. The content includes print and digital fact sheets, leaflets and posters covering the key areas of the EU Settlement Scheme, i.e. eligibility, the application process, the wide range of support available and the deadline for applications. It also includes a template letter that employers can give to their staff and a presentation they can use to...

As part of a review into changes to the operation of the off-payroll working rules (IR35), HMRC has announced that the changes will only apply to payments made for services provided on or after 6 April 2020. Previously, the rules would have applied to any payments made on or after 6 April 2020, regardless of when the services were carried out. It means businesses will only need to determine whether the rules apply for contracts they plan to continue beyond 6 April 2020, giving businesses more time to prepare. The latest position is now set out...

If you are entitled to the marriage allowance and have not yet applied, you could receive a payment of up to £1,150 from HMRC. HMRC used the occasion of Valentine’s Day to remind couples to make a claim. It is estimated that whilst 1.78 million couples have already claimed the Marriage Allowance, there are still more than 2 million eligible couples that have not made a claim. The marriage allowance is available to qualifying married couples and those in a civil partnership where a spouse or civil partner is a non-taxpayer i.e. has...

After a tumultuous few days in politics, it has been confirmed by the new Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rishi Sunak that the Budget will take place as planned on Wednesday 11 March 2020. There has been fevered press speculation that the new Chancellor might delay the Budget date to give him more time to prepare. Rishi Sunak was previously the chief secretary to the Treasury and has had a meteoric rise to the top echelons of government becoming Chancellor at the relatively tender age of 39. The previous Chancellor, Sajid Javid, resigned on...

There are tax implications that you will need to consider if you previously left the UK to live abroad and are now returning to live and work in the UK or are considering such a move. In most cases, if you have returned to live in the UK, you will be classed as resident in the UK and you will be required to pay UK tax on your UK income and gains, and any foreign income and gains. Your exact liability to Income Tax will depend on whether you are resident and / or ordinarily resident and / or domiciled in the UK. For example, you may not be...

The rent-a-room scheme is a set of special rules designed to help homeowners who rent-a-room in their home. The current tax-free threshold of £7,500 per year has been in place since 6 April 2016. If you are using this scheme you should ensure that rents received from lodgers during the current tax year do no exceed £7,500. The tax exemption is automatic if you earn less than £7,500 and there are no specific tax reporting requirements. The relief applies to the letting of furnished accommodation, for example, when one bedroom...

If you have a student loan, have finished your studies and entered the workforce you must begin to make loan repayments from the April after you have finished your studies or when your income begins to exceed the annual threshold. The annual threshold amounts are currently £18,935 for plan 1 and £25,725 for plan 2. The Department for Education has confirmed that the thresholds will increase to £19,390 for plan 1 and to £26,575 for plan 2 from 6 April 2020. The terms of loan repayment for courses of study started before...

This article is a reminder to payroll staff about the electronic PAYE payment dates. The due date for electronic PAYE payments falls on the 22nd of the month and when a payment is made electronically, a payment on the day usually suffices. However, where the due date falls on a non-banking day (weekend or bank holidays), HMRC must have cleared funds by the last bank working day before the 22nd. This advice is particularly relevant this month i.e. for electronic payments due on 22 February 2020, which this year falls on a Sunday. The electronic...

From 6 April 2020, the car and car fuel benefit calculations are changing with the introduction of 11 new bands for ultra-low emission vehicles (ULEVs) including a separate zero emissions band. If a car has a CO2 emission figure of 1-50g/km employers will need to provide the car’s zero emission mileage. This is the maximum distance that the car can travel in miles on a single electric charge. The graduated table of company car tax bands will be based on the zero emission mileage of the car. This change will result in some new reporting...

As a general rule, Inheritance Tax (IHT) is collected from a person's estate when they die and can also be payable during a person’s lifetime on certain trusts and gifts. There is normally no tax to be paid if the value of the estate is below the IHT nil rate threshold of £325,000. The remaining amount after deducting the nil rate band, main residence nil-rate band, IHT exemptions and reliefs is liable to IHT at 40%. A reduced rate of IHT of 36% applies where 10% or more of a deceased’s net estate is left to charity. A...