INSOLVENCY – PLAN TO AVOID IT!
HIGH INCOME CHILD BENEFIT CHARGE LETTERS
TOO LATE FOR ‘PAPER’ SELF ASSESSMENT TAX RETURNS
PLANS FOR A NEW TYPE OF EMPLOYMENT CONTRACT
RTI – CLOSING PAYROLL SCHEMES
GUIDANCE ON RECLAIMING NATIONAL INSURANCE CONTRIBUTIONS PAID IN ERROR
HEALTH AND SAFETY EXECUTIVE FEE FOR INTERVENTION
RETIREMENT FUNDS SET TO FALL
HMRC CHECKLIST FOR EC VAT REGISTRATION NUMBERS
INSOLVENCY – PLAN TO AVOID IT!
Statistically speaking and according to the Department for Business Innovation & Skills, insolvencies in the business world are at their lowest level since the UK went into recession. Sadly, since this announcement we have seen electrical retailer Comet go into administration, which despite the intervention of Dixons Group taking on many Comet staff in their stores as short term Christmas cover, will involve many thousands facing an uncertain future, Dixons have already said that they are not looking to acquire any additional locations from the Comet failure as in most cases they have co-existed on the same retail parks for some time.
The main issue facing many smaller businesses is still their ability to finance ongoing activities at a time when bank base rate remains at 0.5%. What will happen to them if the rate begins to climb? The survivors will be the ones who are not simply fire fighting in the hope of better times ahead but planning and in some cases diversifying now to fill future markets.
We are urging our clients to think ahead and to plan as far as possible. Revisit your SWOT analysis and investigate opportunities now.
For further assistance please get in touch with your normal contact at Walker Thompson.
PS; think carefully about the validity on that extended warranty on your electrical goods this Christmas!
HIGH INCOME CHILD BENEFIT CHARGE LETTERS
HMRC are about to write to taxpayers who they believe will be affected by the High Income Child Benefit Charge.
In Budget 2012, as part of the reforms to the welfare system, it was confirmed that Child Benefit will be withdrawn from households that include certain higher earners.
Although the change applies from January 2013 the calculation to decide whether or not a household is affected by the reform includes the full income for 2012/13.
The legislation imposes a new charge (the High Income Child Benefit Charge) on a taxpayer who has adjusted net income over £50,000 in a tax year where either they or their partner, if they have one, are in receipt of Child Benefit for the year. Where there is a partner and both partners have adjusted net income in excess of £50,000 the charge will apply to the partner with the higher income.
An income tax charge will apply at a rate of 1% of the full Child Benefit award for each £100 of income between £50,000 and £60,000, rounded down to the nearest pound. The charge on taxpayers with income above £60,000 will be equal to the amount of Child Benefit paid.
Further information on the changes and what steps those affected should take can be found at http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/childbenefitcharge.
Please contact us if you would like any advice in this area.
Internet link: Press release
TOO LATE FOR ‘PAPER’ SELF ASSESSMENT TAX RETURNS
For those individuals who have previously submitted ‘paper’ self assessment tax returns the deadline for the 2011/12 return was 31 October 2012. Returns submitted after that date must be submitted electronically or they will incur a minimum penalty of £100. The penalty applies even when there is no tax to pay or the tax is paid on time.
If you would like any help with the completion of your return please do get in touch.
Internet link: HMRC press release
PLANS FOR A NEW TYPE OF EMPLOYMENT CONTRACT
Chancellor George Osborne has announced a new type of employment contract to be known as an employee-owner. Under the new contract employees will be able exchange some of their UK employment rights for shares in the business they work for. Gains on the disposal of the shares will be exempt from capital gains tax.
Companies of any size will be able to use this new kind of contract and employees will be given between £2,000 and £50,000 of shares. In exchange, they will give up their UK rights on unfair dismissal, redundancy, the right to request flexible working and time off for training, and will be required provide 16 weeks’ notice of a firm date of return from maternity leave.
Employee-owner status will be optional and legislation to bring in the new contract is expected to be introduced later this year so that companies can use the new type of contract from April 2013.
Internet link: Press release
RTI – CLOSING PAYROLL SCHEMES
HMRC are about to write to employers who they believe have a payroll scheme which is not being used. The letters are being sent in preparation for the introduction of RTI as HMRC are planning to close any payroll schemes which they believe are no longer needed.
If you receive a letter regarding a payroll scheme which you believe will be used in the future please do get in touch so that we can advise HMRC accordingly.
Internet link: Employer Bulletin
GUIDANCE ON RECLAIMING NATIONAL INSURANCE CONTRIBUTIONS PAID IN ERROR
HMRC have issued guidance to cover the situation where vocational or recreational trainers may be entitled to claim a refund of National Insurance contributions. The refunds are due following a change in guidance on charging national insurance contributions.
HMRC’s briefing states:
‘Refunds may be made by trainers or instructors, or those who engaged them, and where amounts of NICs were paid in error following HMRC’s guidance. This is primarily going to affect those engaged in the provision of vocational or recreational training as set out in HMRC’s guidance prior to repeal of the relevant provisions of the Regulations.’
‘Refunds are not due where educational training providers applied the Regulations. This is because there is no dispute or doubt that the Regulations prior to 6 April 2012 applied to the providers of educational training. In this context educational training provider means a school, college, university or any such similar educational establishment.’
‘Refunds are also not due where any trainer or instructor was engaged under an employment contract and Income Tax (PAYE) and Class 1 NICs were correctly accounted for.’
Please get in touch if you would like any help in this area.
Internet link: HMRC brief
HEALTH AND SAFETY EXECUTIVE FEE FOR INTERVENTION
The Health and Safety Executive has announced that it has implemented a Fee for Intervention (FFI) cost recovery scheme, which came into effect on 1 October 2012.
Under The Health and Safety (Fees) Regulations 2012, those who break health and safety laws are liable for recovery of HSE’s related costs, including inspection, investigation and taking enforcement action.
The HSE website advises:
‘The Fee for Intervention hourly rate for 2012/13 is £124. The many businesses that comply with their legal obligations will continue to pay nothing.’
For more information on how the new scheme works visit the link below.
Internet link: HSE website
RETIREMENT FUNDS SET TO FALL
According to a report issued by the Saga Foundation, millions of Britons due to retire over the next few years risk seeing £11.5 billion wiped off their retirement funds.
The report factors in tax and benefit changes, which include the freezing of age related personal allowances from April 2013 and reduction in winter fuel payments, together with low interest rates.
Compiled by experts from the Centre for Economics and Business Research, the report comes to the conclusion that the changes will cost pensioners an average of £1,318 each by 5 April 2014.
Dr Ros Altmann, Director General of Saga, said:
‘Pensioners are being hammered. They didn’t cause our economic meltdown yet they have been paying a heavy price as we try to fix it and they face an even tighter financial squeeze in future.’
Internet link: Saga press release
HMRC CHECKLIST FOR EC VAT REGISTRATION NUMBERS
HMRC have issued a revised Notice 725, The Single Market, which includes a useful checklist (see section 16.19) to enable businesses to help spot incorrect VAT registration numbers at a glance.
Customer’s VAT registration numbers can be verified using the Europa website VIES http://ec.europa.eu/taxation_customs/vies/ or by contacting the VAT Helpline on 0845 010 9000.
Internet link: VAT Notice 725