2006 - July
You’ve heard a rumour that you will have to send in your accounts to Companies House a few months earlier in future. This could also affect what you have to do to keep the Taxman happy. How should you react to this news?
In line with a recent court decision, the Taxman has changed his approach when demanding tax from employers’ for underpaid PAYE. Is there anything you should be doing now to avoid a future problem?
You’ve paid for business expenses out of a cash advance from your company. What sort of receipt do you need to avoid the VATman later reversing your company’s claim for the VAT included in your expenses?
Your tax position varies from year to year. If you jointly own property is there a way to split the income from it differently each year, so as to take advantage of any changes in your circumstances?
Writing a cheque from your offset account
Your business needs some funding. As a consequence you write a cheque for £30,000 from your offset account to your business account. How can you make sure you get a tax deduction for the extra interest you incur?
You’ve heard that you can actually get the Taxman to fund the purchase of a new car, through a clever manipulation of the rules for awarding tax credits. What’s the full story here?
Insurance to cover the cost of your advisor’s fees during an investigation seems sensible. However, there’s a new catch with some policies. What is it?
With colleges and universities now charging fees, there’s a good chance you’ll have to pay even more for your children’s education. But if your company pays these fees directly, can you avoid tax and NI on them?
Directors liable for faulty equipment
Whilst directors of large firms continue to evade responsibility for employee fatalities at work, directors of small companies aren’t so lucky. What valuable lessons can you learn from a recent case?
Recent research shows that small business tenants have seen their service charges increased by 56%. Can you fight back?
Private medical insurance is valued by your staff but is expensive and there’s little in it for you. You’ve heard that medical cash plans are much cheaper and could help improve your bottom line. What’s the story?
All companies continue to be at risk from computer crime. But you’re not a large firm with a big IT department and budget to match. So what protective measures can you adopt at reasonable cost?
New fire safety legislation, due to come into effect (in England and Wales) in the autumn, will directly impact on companies. Is there anything you need to do in advance of these changes and, more importantly, is it going to cost anything?
The holiday period can cause your business health and safety problems. What are they and what can you do about them?
Where does your responsibility end?
For employers, a key defence to health and safety prosecutions is that an event is unforeseeable or that staff have been negligent. However, this principle has recently been challenged in the Court of Appeal. What’s the latest?
Big bang, nice smell, large bill!
An incident involving an exploding deodorant canister highlights the dangers of the incorrect storage of aerosols. So what happened and what lessons are there to be learned?
Following another recent site vehicle fatality, the HSE released a statement that suggests wearing hi-visibility clothing could have prevented the accident. When should hi-visibility clothing be worn and are there better options available?
Age discrimination is in the news again with new regulations coming out in October. With the new laws and potentially older workers you’re concerned about the safety implications. What are they and how should you address them?
A subscriber contacted us with a problem. They found out that a first aider has been handing out painkilling drugs. They didn’t think this is allowed and are worried. What’s the legal position and what should they do?
You’ve put a lot of effort into getting your risk assessments right and creating safe systems of work, but your staff keep having apparently stupid accidents. There’s no single cause, so how can you deal with this irritation?
You’re considering replacing some of the computers in your office. Your waste management company have offered their services, but they aren’t cheap. Are there alternatives? If so, what are they and are they actually worth considering?
How do you make waste interesting? By seeing it as a way to increase your profitability by up to 4.5% without adding any more customers. Is this figure really achievable, and if so, what’s involved?
You’ll need consent to do that
Do you know what’s going into the environment? Are you releasing a pollutant? If you are, and it’s not going into your foul drains you could be at risk of prosecution. Why, and what do you need to do to avoid this happening?
You’re considering air conditioning for your offices, but you’ve heard there could be planning and environmental issues as well as cost implications. What are they and what can you do about them?
You’ve heard about hosepipe bans and the possibility of drought orders. You’re concerned that the bans could be extended to prevent some business activities. What’s the current situation and can you expect things to change?
Take advantage of the publicity
The government is continuing to promote the importance of environmental issues. How might this affect your business and how can you benefit?
One of your neighbours has been complaining about an odour they claim is coming from your site. How should you deal with their complaint and who is likely to visit if they take it further?