The temporary increase to the annual investment allowance should be extended, according to the Association of Tax Technicians (ATT). The allowance enables firms to fully offset the cost of qualifying capital items of plant and machinery against taxable profits. Since 1 January 2019, businesses have received faster tax relief for plant and machinery investments up … Continued
Chancellor reveals new support measures amid second-wave fears
New support measures for businesses and workers have been announced in the face of a rising tide of coronavirus. A job support scheme will replace the furlough scheme from 1 November 2020, initially until 30 April 2021. Government and employers will subsidise the pay of employees working fewer hours than normal due to lower demand. … Continued
Commission set to recommend national living wage freeze
Ministers are reportedly considering halting plans to implement the planned national living wage increase from next spring. The national living wage is currently set at £8.72 an hour for people aged 25 and over until 31 March 2021. Chancellor Rishi Sunak said in this year’s Spring Budget that “forecasts would see the rate rise to … Continued
Covid-19 Update 18/9/2020
Please find the attached update here
Firms ‘unable to prepare’ for end of Brexit transition period
Less than a quarter of company directors are fully prepared for the end of the Brexit transition period on 31 December 2020, a survey by the Institute of Directors (IoD) shows. When polled in late June, 31% of directors said they were waiting until the final changes of the UK’s deal with the EU are … Continued
Furloughed workers get redundancy pay protection
The Government has closed a loophole which allowed employers to make furloughed staff redundant on reduced pay under the furlough scheme. The new law kicked in on 31 July 2020 to ensure furloughed workers who are made redundant receive redundancy pay based on their normal wage. Employees who are made redundant after more than two … Continued
Businesses claim late payments crisis deepens during lockdown
Almost two-thirds of small businesses in the UK experienced late or frozen payments as a result of the COVID-19 outbreak, a report has claimed. The Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) polled 4,228 small business owners during lockdown in April 2020 and found the issue affected 62% of firms. Businesses in the wholesale sector (72%) were … Continued
Video-witnessed wills become legal in England and Wales
The witnessing of wills over video-conferencing platforms in England and Wales has been temporarily legalised, the Government has confirmed. The law still requires a will to be made “in the presence of” at least two witnesses to be legally valid, while the use of video should be a last resort. However, some people have understandably … Continued
Making Tax Digital to ‘apply to all VAT-registered traders by 2022/23’
Making Tax Digital (MTD) is set to expand to all VAT-registered businesses from April 2022, the Treasury has announced. Since April 2019, VAT-registered traders with annual taxable turnover above £85,000 have been submitting VAT returns through MTD, while other firms have been able to submit VAT returns voluntarily. From April 2023, the Treasury expects MTD … Continued
MPs: Let opted-out workers re-enrol earlier into pensions
Employees who opted out of their workplace pension due to COVID-19 should be encouraged back into saving sooner than auto-enrolment rules would usually allow, a Government committee has said. Under current auto-enrolment rules, employees aged between 22 and state pension age who earn more than £10,000 a year are automatically enrolled into a workplace pension … Continued