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Making Tax Digital for Income Tax (MTD for IT) will become mandatory in phases from April 2026. If you are self-employed or a landlord earning over £50,000 you need to be prepared for digital record keeping including making quarterly updates and for a new penalty system. You will need to use MTD for IT if all of the following apply: You are a sole trader or landlord registered for self-assessment. You receive income from self-employment, property or both. When you must start using MTD for IT: If your qualifying income is over £50,000...

Shared home ownership offers a more accessible route to owning a home for those who cannot afford the full deposit or mortgage on a property that suits their needs. Under this scheme, buyers purchase a share of a property, typically between 10% and 75% of its market value and pay rent on the remaining portion to a housing provider. The initial purchase can be funded through a mortgage or savings, along with a deposit usually ranging from 5% to 10% of the share. Over time, owners have the option to buy additional shares in the property through...

New digital services have been launched that aim to make filing and managing tax returns quicker and less stressful. These improvements are part of HMRC’s Transformation Roadmap, which sets out over 50 projects to modernise the UK’s tax system by 2030. Among the new features are: improvements to the digital self-assessment registration and opt out processes; introducing enhanced on-screen messages to reassure taxpayers and reduce the need for them to chase progress on enquiries; and improving the late filing and late payment penalties...

Items discovered lying on land or buried in the soil, such as antiques or historical objects, are treated as chattels for Capital Gains Tax (CGT) purposes. This remains true even if ownership is tied to the ownership of the land where the item was found. Since these objects were not intended to be permanently affixed to the land, they are not considered fixtures and are therefore treated as movable personal property. As chattels, these objects may benefit from specific CGT exemptions. The chattels exemption generally applies to items with a...

Before probate begins, you must estimate the estate's value to see if Inheritance Tax applies. This includes valuing the deceased person's money, property and belongings in order to determine if Inheritance Tax (IHT) is due. This process is important even if you are not sure that any tax will be due. There is usually no IHT to pay if the estate is valued under £325,000 or if anything above this threshold is left to a spouse, civil partner, charity or amateur sports club. If the person was widowed or passed on their home to children or...

Many business gifts and hospitality costs are not tax-deductible under current rules. Entertainment expenses including providing hospitality and business gifts are common, but the taxation of these expenses is strictly governed by HMRC. For businesses carrying on a trade, HMRC legislation generally prohibits tax deductions for client entertainment. If an employee receives a dedicated allowance or is reimbursed specifically for entertaining clients, the expense is generally disallowed when calculating the employer's tax liability. Meals...

The Valuation Office Agency (VOA) has issued updated advice to help business owners choose and monitor business rates agents more effectively. A key message is that the name listed in the Check and Challenge service must match the name on the signed contract. If it does not, this could be a sign of misleading activity, and business owners are encouraged to report any mismatch directly to the VOA. This guidance comes in response to cases where agents have changed their trading names after complaints or regulatory scrutiny. The VOA is reminding...

Communities and town centres across the UK are about to get a serious boost. The Government has unveiled sweeping reforms aimed at slashing red tape so new cafés, bars, music venues and outdoor dining spaces can spring up in former shops and quickly bring life back to high streets. At the heart of the plans is a new National Licensing Policy Framework designed to replace outdated and inconsistent local rules with something streamlined, standardised and modern. That means fewer forms, faster decisions, lower costs and, hopefully, a lot...

Despite intense lobbying by the farming community, the proposed reduction in IHT Business and Agricultural Property reliefs are included in the draft Finance Bill 2025-26. On 21 July 2025, the government published draft legislation for Finance Bill 2025-26. The consultation period for the draft legislation is open until 15 September 2025. This comes at a time when the government has seen borrowing in June surge to the second highest level on record and placing further pressure on public finances and increasing the urgency for tax reforms. The...

It was confirmed with the publication of the draft Finance Bill 2025-26 that measures first announced in the Autumn Budget 2024 to bring most unused pension funds and death benefits into the scope of Inheritance Tax (IHT) will start from 6 April 2027. This will significantly extend the IHT net, capturing pensions that were previously excluded. Individuals with sizeable pensions will need to consider these changes with some care, and review their estate planning accordingly. This measure will affect individuals inheriting estates within the...