After a tough year you might have scaled down Christmas gifts for your employees. Even so, you need to consider the VAT consequences which vary depending on the cost and type of gift. What should you be reporting on your VAT return? John Craig our VAT expert provides the answers. The cost of employing a...

An employee working from home has asked for a financial contribution towards their winter heating bills because they will be higher this year. Are you obliged to contribute towards a homeworker’s household running costs? Lauren Herbert discusses this in detail. Many businesses have closed their premises and the government has directed that employees should work...

JRW get Biggar It is a great pleasure to introduce a brand new addition to the JRW team to you, agriculture and road haulage specialist David Clarkson. Highly experienced chartered accountant David Clarkson from Biggar joined the firm in September as a new Partner and we are delighted to announce that David will also be...

Whilst the United Kingdom officially left the European Union (EU) on 31 January 2020, this prompted the start of an 11-month transitional period during which time the UK remains part of the Single Market, the EU Customs Union and the VAT Territory. With the transitional period due to end on 31 December 2020, it is...

The business you started a couple of years ago has grown, so you’ve formed a company to take over the trade. What steps can you take to make the transition smooth and tax efficient? For small businesses tax savings can be made by operating through a company rather being unincorporated, i.e. a sole trader or...

Some firms are offering staff discounts to help keep the business ticking over and the cash flowing. If you decide to do the same, what are the tax implications? Money off Perks are often used as a way to keep staff happy when you are struggling to offer a pay rise. However, offering them a...

The government has just announced the national living wage (NLW) and national minimum wage (NMW) rates which will come into force from April 2021. What are they? The NLW will increase by 2.2% from £8.72 to £8.91 per hour. For the first time it will cover those aged 23 and 24. Here are the rates...

Is there VAT on renting out farmland? Q. I have agreed to rent a field from a farmer who is unsure whether he must charge VAT. As far as I am aware, as long as he has not opted to tax the land he does not charge VAT. Is this correct? A. The answer here...

Not the Autumn Budget but more tax updates have been released which you should know about. Annual Investment Allowance £1 million temporary cap will be extended until 1 January 2022.  New measures to tackle promoters of tax avoidance, including tougher sanctions and additional HMRC powers. The government publishes draft tax legislation on a range of...

As you will be aware the UK wide Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme has been extended until 31 March 2021. But what are the key details for employers to know? The extended Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS) offers a more generous level of support than the last few months, with the government paying 80% of an...