Communication

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.

Under 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.

Due 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.

Employer 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.

Land 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.

What is automatic enrolment? Automatic enrolment places duties on employers to automatically enrol ‘workers’ into a work based pension scheme.