Tax E-News July 2023

Welcome to the July edition of Tax E-News. We hope that you find this informative. Please contact us if you wish to discuss any matters in more detail.

Below we set out some of the main points.

• DEADLINE FOR TOPPING UP NI CONTRIBUTIONS EXTENDED AGAIN TO 5 APRIL 2025
  With all of the changes to personal pensions in the Spring Budget, maximising the State Pension entitlement should not be overlooked. The full rate of new State Pension increased to £203.85 per week (£10,600 pa) from 6 April 2023; a 10.1% increase over the 2022/23 rate as a result of the “triple lock” being restored…
• SUPER-DEDUCTION REPLACED BY “FULL EXPENSING”
  In the Spring Budget the Chancellor announced that “full expensing” – 100% relief for new, eligible plant and machinery – would replace the 130% super-deduction from 1 April 2023 for limited companies. This is in addition to the £1 million annual investment allowance (AIA) and will be available for expenditure incurred up to 31 March 2026…
• SHOULD SMALL BUSINESSES STILL USE THE VAT FLAT RATE SCHEME?
  The VAT Flat Rate scheme was introduced in 2002 to simplify VAT reporting for small traders, reducing the time taken to calculate VAT and prepare returns compared to normal VAT accounting. The thresholds for using (£150,000 pa) and exiting the scheme (£230,000 pa) have not changed since 2003. With the extension of Making Tax Digital to all VAT registered businesses, those traders are now required to keep…
• CAN WE STILL BE PAID £6 A WEEK FOR WORKING FROM HOME?
  During the COVID pandemic the government relaxed the conditions to enable those working from home to be paid £6 a week tax free by their employer, or, where that was not paid by the employer, they could claim relief for £6 a week against their employment income for a tax refund from HMRC. Those relaxed rules applied for 2020/21 and 2021/22. Many employers and employees may not be aware that from 6 April 2022 the rules reverted to the strict statutory position…
• HMRC CHALLENGING A MARKETED SCHOOL FEES PLAN
  HMRC frequently warn taxpayers that when a tax avoidance scheme looks “too good to be true”, it probably is. They publish “Spotlights” on their website to alert taxpayers of schemes being marketed by promoters that are under scrutiny, and, in their opinion, do not work. Tax avoidance schemes need to be notified to HMRC under the Disclosure of Tax Avoidance Schemes (DOTAS) rules, normally by the scheme promoter. HMRC then issue a DOTAS scheme reference number (SRN). This does not mean that the scheme is HMRC approved…
• DIARY OF MAIN TAX EVENTS
  JULY/ AUGUST 2023