2009 - February
Business mileage - Approved Passenger Payments
In these uncertain times you’re probably seeking to cut costs. The Approved Passenger Payments allowance is a tax break worth considering. How does it work?
Services to overseas customers
We often receive questions from subscribers asking whether they need to charge VAT on services they provide to foreign clients. And if not, can they still claim back the VAT on the costs of making those supplies?
You’ve turned your hobby into a part-time business. But when you contacted the Taxman to register your new venture he told you that if it made a loss, you might not get tax relief for it. Is he right?
It’s not a good time for big spending but you can’t put off buying your new car any longer. Could the new lower taxes for “greener” cars be the answer to your problem?
A colleague has told you that they paid their tax bill by credit card. Is this something that you should consider too?
Amending provisional entries on tax returns
Your 2007/8 tax return was submitted in time to meet the deadline. But you or your advisor included some “provisional entries” on the form. The Taxman expects these to be amended. What happens if you forget to?
Year-end tax planning with children
The end of the tax year is an important time to review the possibilities of saving tax. It may be beneficial to act before April 6 2009 to take advantage of some reliefs. Here’s how your children can save you money for a change.
How to clear a director’s loan account
Your accountant has started work on your company’s accounts and he’s already warned you that your loan account is overdrawn. He recommends paying a dividend or bonus to clear the balance. But is there a better alternative?
If you put off completing your company’s VAT return to concentrate on filling in your self-assessment form, you could be in for a nasty surprise. What is it?
Last year there were radical changes in the rules that determine how much state pension you could get. The government is now proposing another change that may allow you to buy yet more entitlement. Could this benefit you?
At the end of a working week you often load up some of your office waste into the back of your car and take it to the local tip. Are you breaking the law by doing this, and if so, what are the consequences?
The goods you sold are in your customer’s warehouse but they haven’t been paid for. Due to the economic slowdown, they’ve now gone bust. What steps could you take to improve your chances of getting paid or recovering the goods?
Hard times lead to employee fraud
Last year, employees were convicted of frauds totalling £300 million. As a sensible director you will have procedures in place to avoid this but staff may still try their luck. What changes in their behaviour can give the game away?
The HSE has issued a warning which states that any business which may come into contact with asbestos should have some basic asbestos awareness training. What’s to know?
What does a safe system of work look like?
You’ve been asked to produce formal documents which identify the safe systems of work your staff follow. What exactly are these documents, and is there a standard way of presenting them?
Urgent - plasma screen required
You’ve heard “health and safety” being used as a justification for new equipment before, but now staff are taking it further by asking for their monitors to be replaced with high-definition plasma screens. Surely you can ignore these requests?
Machinery maintenance risk assessment
Risk assessments are completed to identify safe operating procedures, but they often fail to cover maintenance activities. Why not use our sample document to help you risk assess the hazards associated with machinery maintenance?
A recent case has highlighted that although the risks of hitting an underground service during excavations are well documented, accidents are still happening. What lessons can be learnt this time?
Shattered Lives campaign is back
The HSE has announced that its inspectors are about to start focusing on slips and trips again. What can you expect this time around?
All fire inspections to follow HSE model
Our contact at the Fire & Rescue Service (FRS) has informed us that they are following the same enforcement principles as the HSE. What are they and will this make it easier to deal with a fire inspector if one turns up on your site?
You may have noticed that a number of American websites, including television stations, systematically deny access to visitors from abroad. Is it possible to gain entry to such sites?
You’re probably familiar with the popular Babel Fish or Google Translate as useful translation sites. An interesting new alternative is NiceTranslator. Is it a match for the well-established sites?
Change your wallpaper regularly
Most people like to place a favourite photo on the background of their Windows XP or Vista desktop. But what if you fancy a change of scene? How do you vary your “wallpapers”?
As the recession bites and the pound gets weaker, we review the best sites for planning and booking a budget-conscious Easter break. We go from day trips to alternative stays and from good hotels to walking holidays.
If you often connect to the Internet via different service providers on your laptop (at home, at the office, at a hotel, etc.), you may sometimes find that you can’t send e-mails. What can you do about this?
Win government contracts via the Web
The public sector is a huge purchaser, even during a recession. So how can SMEs use the Internet to seek out government contract opportunities?
Seeking inspiration via an online think tank
There are various online “think tanks” which can make suggestions for product names or catchy slogans. How good are these sites?
Making Firefox even more efficient
The main advantage of Firefox is that you can use add-ons to customise your browser. It’s difficult, however, to keep track of all the possibilities. So here’s another selection of must-have add-ons.
To evaluate the layout on your website and its interactive functionality, it would be good to be able to watch over your visitors’ shoulders. A service such as Userfly could be the answer.
You’ve probably heard a lot about Linux but maybe you’re still hesitant about installing it. Here are a couple of ways for getting a taste of Linux version Ubuntu without actually installing anything.
Involve staff in cost-cutting measures
In these tough economic times you’re probably looking to reduce unnecessary expenditure. But not involving your staff in this process could mean you’re missing out. How can they help you with this important issue?
Is an employee’s private time your time?
An employee has been identified in sexually explicit photographs on the Internet. If people he comes into contact with through work see them, it could damage your reputation. Can a recent case help you deal with this?
Any holiday for the long-term sick?
A decision has now been made on whether employees accrue statutory holiday pay whilst on long-term sick leave. What does the ruling mean for employers?
New ACAS Code of Practice from April
On April 6 2009, the current statutory dispute resolution procedures will be abolished. They’ll be replaced with a new ACAS Code of Practice that contains a number of important changes. Any good news for employers?
Off sick but known to be working
Recently, one of your employees got in a taxi only to discover it was being driven by a member of staff who’s signed off sick. As he’s getting full sick pay you’re understandably annoyed. But can you dismiss him for gross misconduct?
Termination of employment by default
You’ve agreed to part terms with an employee. He’s said he will sign an agreement waiving his rights. As there’s nothing to suggest he won’t sign, should you remove him from the payroll?
Garden leave - state it in the contract?
Until recently, it was believed that an employee could only be put on garden leave if there was a clause in their contract allowing it. But a High Court case has altered this position. What did it say?
The annual investment allowance and integral assets
Under the new capital allowances regime there are some generous tax breaks. But there are also some traps for the unwary that could have a serious effect on your tax bill. So what can you do to maximise tax relief?
Bonds - reducing tax by deferring income
Offshore bonds can defer interest on cash investments and so reduce Corporation Tax. But until recently the Taxman attacked this planning tool. He has now had a change of heart. How can you take advantage of it?
How to avoid completing Forms P11D
If you pay business expenses to employees or directors, you should consider a “P11D dispensation”. In our experience many employers either don’t apply, or let them expire. So how can you obtain a dispensation and keep it current?
If you are struggling to pay your tax, what can the Taxman actually do if you fail to pay all of it by the due date? How can you minimise the stress and any additional cost this situation might bring?
When will the Taxman investigate?
Some of HMRC’s secret investigation strategy is now out in the open. Could this give you a head-start in avoiding an investigation?
We’ve all heard about the vast amounts of overpaid tax credits. However, little or no publicity has been given to the significant number of people who have been underpaid. What should you do to avoid being one of those to lose out?
Bad debts - getting money back from the Taxman
The economic downturn could mean your business will see an increase in bad debts. But the silver lining could be a reduction in your VAT bills. How does this work and does the recent change in the VAT rate mean you get less back?
Signed a contract or a guarantee?
It seems that you’ve committed yourself to a personal guarantee, even though you assumed you were signing a contract on behalf of the company. As you have been misled, can you now get out of the contract?
Employee-owned cars, who’s responsible?
You may not have any company cars but you could still be responsible for the safety of your staff who drive on business. To what extent is this true, and what can be done to ensure you stay on the right side of the law?
Planning business transfers for maximum benefit
Whether you’re looking to sell your company in a few years, or hand over the reigns to the next generation, how can you realise maximum value and ensure that the company stays in good shape for the future?
Despite the tax increases suffered in recent years, the company car remains one of the most desirable benefits available for you to offer your staff. How can you continue to offer this perk without damaging the bottom line?
Managing machinery maintenance
A firm has been heavily fined following an accident which saw a maintenance engineer have his index finger crushed and subsequently amputated. What can be learned from this case?
Providing chairs for homeworkers
An employee who works from home has sent in an expenses request to cover the cost of a £200 office chair. They purchased it to help them with a back problem. Do you have a legal duty to pay for it?
What training is being overlooked?
According to our mole at the HSE, basic induction training is being overlooked by many employers. What is the potential impact of this and what are the key areas to cover in an induction?
You may be forgiven for thinking that an inspector is only interested in non-compliance when they’re in uniform. However, our contact at the fire service says otherwise. How can you avoid unwittingly landing yourself in trouble?
Some subscribers have reported that their staff are being forced to wear protective gloves on clients’ premises, or risk being kicked out. What’s going on?
You’ve noticed that some staff are not taking the breaks they’re entitled to. Initially, you thought this was good for business. However, concerns have been raised that this may lead to accidents and ill-health. What’s to know?
Video chatting; Gmail and the rest
Gmail recently introduced a couple of interesting features, including voice and video chat options. Do they allow you to have good quality video conversations or are there better tools around?
Wikis are webpages on which several users can collaborate. How can this be useful for your business?
If you have a website, it’s useful if you have an online form (to take orders or to ask for feedback) that can be completed by visitors. In a previous issue, we reviewed Wufoo, now we look at Vizzualforms.
A helping hand onto the job market
As the recession deepens, it’s hard for those trying to join the job market for the first time. What can be done to help and can the Web play its part?
Charts and graphs are excellent ways of presenting information visually. To this end, MS Excel lets you create all kinds of charts. But there are other solutions as well, both online and offline. How good are they?
Many people promise themselves that they will soon start taking more exercise, but they don’t know how to get started. But help is at hand; there are specialised websites that can be useful as they - literally - show you what to do.
Most modern browsers allow you to erase all your surfing traces. However, the latest browsers are also equipped with a “privacy” function. How does it work and what does it do?
Research has found that businesses are putting themselves at serious risk by giving temporary staff too much access to confidential information. What action can you take to help avoid any such problems?
Complaints by clients about staff
A subscriber’s been asked to remove an employee from a contract due to his alleged improper conduct. But their client won’t let them speak to the witness and there’s no other contract they can move him to. How should they play it?
What can you do if you have a genuine reason to distrust a key employee, but it’s not bad enough to dismiss on the grounds of gross misconduct? Must you accept the situation, or are there any other options available to you?
The truth of “last in, first out” (LiFo)
When age discrimination legislation was introduced, it was thought that the use of “LiFo” as a redundancy criterion would be discriminatory. This has now been clarified following a recent High Court decision. How can this case help you?
On average, employers spend £7,750 when recruiting a new employee. But if they then choose to leave in their first few months, it’s money down the drain. So how do you protect your recruitment costs and stop this from happening?
Should you pay in full for an injury at work?
An employee’s suffered an injury at work. He’s not entitled to anything more than Statutory Sick Pay, but you want to offer full pay to discourage him from making a claim. Will this work?
Cash for recruiting the unemployed
In a bid to tackle long-term unemployment, the government is offering up to £2,500 if you hire the long-term unemployed. Too good to be true?
Where there’s smoke, there’s fire
A contractor decided that the best way of clearing waste from a site was to burn it. However, in doing so, he created acrid black smoke which drove neighbours indoors and prompted complaints. How did he deal with them?
Control your radiators and save energy
You’ve been looking at various options to manage the temperature in your small office. However, most seem complex and pricey. Are there any simple and low-cost solutions available?
There’s recently been a summit in Poznan, Poland to discuss new targets for reducing global greenhouse gas emissions. How might this affect your business?
The area surrounding your business has recently become the local hotspot for dumping abandoned cars. What steps do you need to take should one end up on your property?
Do inspectors talk to each other?
Our mole at the Environment Agency has revealed that inspectors regularly work with officers from other enforcement bodies, in public and also behind closed doors. How could this affect your business?
In the past, many company cars were chosen on power and the number of gadgets they had, but now things are different. What’s changed and how can you make the most of this?