The government aims to raise £12billion by introducing a new 1.25% levy on both earned income and on employers’ wage bills to raise funds for the NHS and adult social care. From April 2022, the new Health and Social Care Levy (HSCL) comes into effect. It might be called a levy, but the HSCL is...

It is your intention to start buying and renovating residential properties, before selling them and reinvesting the proceeds. But should you operate this through a limited company? And what key issues should you be addressing from the outset?  Helen Johnstone discusses in more detail below. The first thing to do is to consider whether you...

Your father left the whole of his estate, mainly consisting of his share in their home, to your mother in his will. As a result, there will be a big inheritance tax bill waiting when she dies. What steps can you take to reduce it? Nil rate bands While the inheritance tax (IHT) nil rate...

The government is to introduce reforms which will correct one of the great tax injustices. The change in the law will reduce the pressure on separating couples to settle ownership of their asset quickly or face a capital gains tax (CGT) bill. What’s the full story? Married couples and civil partners are in a privileged...

Is VAT payable on cash stolen by employee? Q. We are retailers and have discovered that a member of staff has been understating our sales by taking, say, £30 cash from a customer, and only recording the sale as £25 in the till. Must we account for VAT on the £5 shortfall? Does it make...