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Comments Off on Treasury seeks feedback on business rates revaluations

Treasury seeks feedback on business rates revaluations

Treasury seeks feedback on business rates revaluations

Business rates revaluations in England could take place every three years, following the launch of a recent consultation.  The latest consultation forms part of a comprehensive review into business rates in England, with a report due to be published in the autumn. Business rates are similar to council tax for business properties in England. They … Continued

Comments Off on Employer costs increase as furlough scheme winds down

Employer costs increase as furlough scheme winds down

Employer costs increase as furlough scheme winds down

Employer contributions towards furloughed workers’ wages have increased again, as the furlough scheme prepares to close for good on 30 September 2021.  Officially introduced at the start of the pandemic in March 2020, the scheme has supported around 11.6 million jobs in the UK to date at a cost of £66 billion. For most of … Continued

Comments Off on Lower stamp duty land tax threshold in place until October

Lower stamp duty land tax threshold in place until October

Lower stamp duty land tax threshold in place until October

The stamp duty land tax-free threshold in England and Northern Ireland reduced last month, as the tax holiday introduced in July 2020 began to be phased out.  The first cliff edge for residential property buyers came and went on 30 June 2021, marking the end of a three-month extension announced on 3 March 2021. Buyers … Continued

Comments Off on UK tax incentive ‘fails to deliver extra R&D spending’

UK tax incentive ‘fails to deliver extra R&D spending’

UK tax incentive ‘fails to deliver extra R&D spending’

The UK’s research and development (R&D) tax credit system is failing to prompt companies to increase spending and could prove a “costly failure”, a report claims.  The Centre for Business Research (CBR) said aggregate business expenditure on R&D in the UK is as much as 15% lower than it was before the scheme was introduced … Continued

Comments Off on OTS considers bringing the end of the tax year forward

OTS considers bringing the end of the tax year forward

OTS considers bringing the end of the tax year forward

The Office of Tax Simplification (OTS) is to explore changing the end of the tax year from 5 April to either 31 March or the end of the calendar year. The OTS published a document last month setting out the scope of a review into the benefits, costs and wider implications of changing the date. … Continued

Comments Off on Sweeping VAT reforms in the EU will affect the UK’s online retailers

Sweeping VAT reforms in the EU will affect the UK’s online retailers

Sweeping VAT reforms in the EU will affect the UK’s online retailers

Retailers that heavily rely on online sales to EU consumers need to comply with VAT reforms, which were introduced on 1 July 2021. The new rules were originally designed to stop an estimated €7 billion in annual VAT fraud by non-EU ecommerce sellers, mainly those in China. But after the UK left the EU at … Continued

Comments Off on Families hit with big bills after believing gifts would not be taxed

Families hit with big bills after believing gifts would not be taxed

Families hit with big bills after believing gifts would not be taxed

Almost 2,000 people who thought they’d reduced the values of their estates by making gifts have seen an inheritance tax break stripped away.  Inheritance tax is charged at 40% on individual estates worth more than £325,000, and this can double for married couples. Other allowances and exemptions are available to increase this threshold or taper … Continued

Comments Off on HMRC seeks to remove VAT repayment supplement

HMRC seeks to remove VAT repayment supplement

HMRC seeks to remove VAT repayment supplement

The 5% VAT repayment supplement is set to be replaced with the 0.5% repayment interest rate for accounting periods beginning on or after 1 April 2022.  VAT repayments are usually made within 30 days of HMRC receiving a business’s VAT return, but the tax authority can enquire into the VAT return before processing the repayment. … Continued