It is quite possible within the VAT system for a business to be in the position of having to pay over VAT to HMRC while not having received payment from their customer. Bad debt relief allows businesses, that have made supplies on which they have accounted for and paid VAT but for which they have not received payment, to claim a refund of the VAT by reference to the outstanding amount.
Continue readingUnder the Working Time Regulations 1998 (as amended), workers are entitled to paid statutory annual leave of 5.6 weeks (28 days if the employee works five days a week). This basic entitlement is inclusive of bank holidays. This annual leave entitlement is now closer to that of workers in other European countries, where holiday allowance is typically more generous.
Continue readingDue to the ever changing tax legislation and commercial factors affecting your company, it is advisable to carry out an annual review of your company’s tax position. Pre-year end tax planning is important as the current year’s results can normally be predicted with some accuracy and time still exists to carry out any appropriate action.
Continue readingEmployer Supported Childcare (ESC), commonly by way of childcare voucher, is for many employers and employees a tax and national insurance efficient perk. We consider the implications of this type of benefit on the employer and employee. ESC, which allows a limited tax and NIC exemption for employer-contracted childcare and employer-provided childcare vouchers, has been very popular with both employers and employees alike.
Continue readingLand and Buildings Transaction Tax (LBTT) is payable by the purchaser in a land transaction which occurs in Scotland. These types of transaction would include a simple conveyance of land such as buying a house but also creating a lease or assigning a lease.
Continue readingWhat is automatic enrolment? Automatic enrolment places duties on employers to automatically enrol ‘workers’ into a work based pension scheme.
Continue readingThe Seed Enterprise Investment Scheme (SEIS) provides tax relief for individuals prepared to invest in new and growing companies. It is the junior version of the Enterprise Investment Scheme (EIS). Investors can obtain generous income tax and capital gains tax (CGT) breaks for their investment and companies can use the relief to attract additional investment to develop their business.
Continue readingCash accounting enables a business to account for and pay VAT on the basis of cash received and paid rather than on the basis of invoices issued and received.
Continue readingThe Bribery Act 2010 (the Act) applies across the UK and all businesses need to be aware of its requirements. The Act includes a ‘corporate’ offence of ‘failure of commercial organisations to prevent bribery’. The defence against this offence is to ensure that your business has adequate procedures in place to prevent bribery.
Continue readingCompany legislation provides an opportunity for a business organisation to benefit from the protection of limited liability, separating the legal persona of the organisation from the individuals who own and run it. In return for this protection a certain amount of information about a company must be publicly available including, for example, the company’s annual accounts, registered office address and details of directors, company secretary (if there is one) and members.
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