News

Choosing a Business Rates Agency
28/07/2025 - More...
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

Red tape eased for new cafes and bars
28/07/2025 - More...
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

IHT Agricultural and Business Property Relief changes confirmed
24/07/2025 - More...
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

IHT Unused Pension Funds and Death Benefits changes
24/07/2025 - More...
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

Verifying your ID at Companies House
24/07/2025 - More...
You now need to set up a verified GOV.UK One Login to confirm your identity with Companies House. To verify your identity at Companies House, you can use the GOV.UK online verification service if you have one of several accepted photo identification documents. These include a biometric passport from any country, a full or provisional UK

Current Inheritance Tax thresholds
24/07/2025 - More...
Married couples can pass on up to £1 million tax-free if they plan their estates carefully. The Inheritance Tax (IHT) nil-rate band is currently £325,000. This means there is normally no IHT to pay if an estate is valued below this threshold. This amount can be higher if you leave everything above the £325,000 threshold to your spouse,

VAT relief for the disabled
24/07/2025 - More...
VAT relief is available on goods and services for people with long-term illnesses or disabilities. There are special VAT reliefs available for certain people living with disabilities or long-term illnesses. These reliefs are generally available on certain products and services designed specifically for their personal or domestic use.

Capital Gains valuations of goodwill
24/07/2025 - More...
Who values goodwill when a business is sold? HMRC's Shares and Assets Valuation team takes the lead. Whether the goodwill belongs to a sole trader, partnership or limited company, HMRC’s SAV team will either accept the submitted valuation, give their own open market estimate, or state they need more information. For non-corporate

An employee's emergency contact details are strictly private
23/07/2025 - More...
A recent ruling affirms that an employer is directly liable for the unauthorised disclosure of an employee's private information. An employee worked at a JD Wetherspoon pub for approximately eighteen months, during which time she provided her contact details, including her mother's mobile number as an "emergency contact phone

UK Export Finance: Empowering UK Businesses to Go Global
21/07/2025 - More...
UK Export Finance (UKEF) is the UK’s export credit agency and government-backed financier. Its mission is to ensure that no viable UK export fails simply due to lack of funding or insurance. What UKEF offers Working capital support: Through schemes such as the General Export Facility, Export Working Capital Scheme, and Export

Big cuts to electricity network costs for heavy industries
21/07/2025 - More...
The UK Government has unveiled a landmark plan to reduce electricity network charges for the country’s most energy intensive industries, such as steel, ceramics, glass and chemicals, slashing costs by up to 90% from 2026. What is changing? The current 60% rebate under the Network Charging Compensation (NCC) scheme will rise to 90%,

Transfer pricing consultation
17/07/2025 - More...
New UK transfer pricing rules could mean more reporting and fewer exemptions for mid-sized businesses. The government is consulting on proposals to tighten compliance and align with global standards. One key change would remove the transfer pricing exemption for medium-sized enterprises, keeping it only for small businesses. Another would

Higher penalties for MTD filers
17/07/2025 - More...
Making Tax Digital for Income Tax will become mandatory in phases from April 2026. If you are self-employed or a landlord earning over £50,000 you need to start preparing to submit quarterly updates, keeping digital records and a new penalty system will apply. Initially, MTD for IT will apply to businesses, self-employed individuals, and

Helping family or friends with their tax
17/07/2025 - More...
Need to help a relative or friend with tax? HMRC’s Trusted Helper service makes it quick and easy to support someone online. Whether it is checking Income Tax, updating their personal details or reviewing taxable benefits like company cars or medical insurance, you can do it all with their permission. After registering as a trusted

Applying for a National Insurance number
17/07/2025 - More...
Working or claiming benefits in the UK? You may need to apply for a National Insurance number first. If you do not already have one, your NI number is essential for tracking tax, National Insurance contributions and accessing certain government services. While most UK residents receive their number at age 16, newcomers or those starting

New requirements for Overseas Entities
17/07/2025 - More...
Overseas property owners must now report earlier ownership changes or risk penalties from 31 July 2025. Under new rules introduced by the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023, entities that registered on the UK’s Register of Overseas Entities must disclose any changes in beneficial ownership that occurred during their

Double Tax Conventions and IHT
17/07/2025 - More...
Double tax on estates can still hit families hard, even with treaties in place. When someone dies with ties to more than one country, their estate may face inheritance tax in both jurisdictions. Fortunately, the UK has Double Taxation Conventions with several countries to help reduce or eliminate this burden. Understanding how these

Choosing the right KPI’s for your business
14/07/2025 - More...
Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) are not just numbers on a dashboard; they are tools to help business owners make better decisions. But with so many metrics available, how do you know which ones matter most for your business? The answer is simple: start with your goal. KPIs should always support what you are trying to achieve, whether

Why industry expertise matters when starting a business
14/07/2025 - More...
Starting your own business can be an exciting and liberating decision. But passion and ambition alone are rarely enough. One of the most overlooked factors in business failure is a lack of direct experience or knowledge in the chosen industry. Put simply, someone who has spent their working life as a plumber is unlikely to make a success

The Employment Allowance – what you can claim
10/07/2025 - More...
As of April 2025, more employers can claim the increased £10,500 Employment Allowance thanks to relaxed eligibility rules. This increase will help employers reduce some of the impact of the recent increases in employers' NIC. The Employment Allowance allows eligible employers to reduce their National Insurance liability. The current

The impact of frozen personal allowances
10/07/2025 - More...
The impact of frozen personal allowances often leads to fiscal drag, a situation where individuals pay more tax as their earnings rise without a corresponding increase in allowances. This occurs because tax thresholds remain fixed while wages increase, thus pushing more people into higher tax brackets or causing them to pay tax for the

Goodbye remittance basis hello FIG
10/07/2025 - More...
Since 6 April 2025, the remittance basis of taxation for non-UK domiciled individuals (non-doms) has been replaced by the Foreign Income and Gains (FIG) regime. This shift marks a significant change, as the new FIG regime is based on tax residence rather than domicile. Under the revised rules, almost all UK-resident individuals must

Struggling to fund your July tax payment?
10/07/2025 - More...
The second 2024-25 payment on account for self-assessment taxpayers is due on 31 July 2025. If you are finding it difficult to meet this tax bill, there are options available to ease the burden. Taxpayers with liabilities of up to £30,000 can use the online Time to Pay (TTP) service to set up instalment payments. This service is

File and paying CGT after property sales
10/07/2025 - More...
Capital Gains Tax on certain residential property sales must be reported and paid within 60 days to avoid penalties and interest. The annual exempt amount applicable to Capital Gains Tax (CGT) is currently £3,000. CGT is normally charged at a simple flat rate of 24% and this applies to most chargeable gains made by individuals. If