2009 - March
Tax case brings relief on business property
A recent tax case has challenged the Taxman’s view that 100% Inheritance Tax relief is not due on “property owned by a business”, but only on the business itself. What does he mean by this? And is he correct?
Evidence is the key to zero-rating
Goods sold to customers based in another EU country can be zero-rated if the customer is VAT registered there. But if you don’t follow procedure, you could end up with an unexpected VAT bill. What are the golden rules to follow?
A correct code should mean that you pay the right amount of tax on your salary. But the Taxman likes to use it as a way to get his hands on your money earlier than he’s entitled to. Can you stop him?
Avoiding class 1 contributions on expenses payments
Some of our subscribers have told us that following recent PAYE inspections the Taxman is demanding NI on expenses payments to employees. Is this correct? And if so, what steps can be taken to avoid the problem?
HMRC will be changing its banking arrangements shortly. What should you be doing to make sure your tax payments don’t go astray?
Business meals are tax-free - it’s official!
The law is being amended to include some of the Taxman’s unofficial practices. Hidden amongst these changes, which come into force in April, is an unexpected new rule regarding subsistence expenses. Could you benefit from this?
You’ve used up all your annual Capital Gains Tax exemption, but you want to sell off some assets to raise money. What options do you have to stop the Taxman getting his hands on your cash? Here are four to start with.
As the 2008/9 tax year ends soon you should be thinking about Inheritance Tax planning. If you don’t take action, more of your wealth could disappear in tax. Here are our top five tips to stop the Taxman grabbing your cash.
The statutory dispute resolution procedures will be abolished on April 6 2009. Does this mean you’ll need to change your company’s disciplinary procedures?
Do contracts need to be signed?
You’ve had an agreement on the table for a while but as yet nothing is signed. Is it possible for your company to be bound by it even if it’s unsigned? What’s the legal position?
How many annual investment allowances?
New capital allowance rules were introduced last April. But some of the small print is only just beginning to become clear. How can you ensure your company doesn’t miss out on valuable tax relief?
You want to bring some fresh blood into the company, but you don’t want to pay a high priced lawyer to draw up a service contract. So you’ve decided to do it yourself. What are the vital points to include in the agreement?
Should I ask for a letter of credit?
The current economic problems could hit your overseas customers as hard as those in the UK. So is a letter of credit a good and cost effective way of ensuring payment?
Although empty space in a boiler room may appear to be the ideal spot to store rubbish, the outcome of a recent case may change your view. What happened and what can be learned from this case in particular?
A requirement of some health and safety competence assessment processes is to provide both a quality and environmental policy statement. What’s this got to do with health and safety and do you need them to achieve accreditation?
According to a recent survey conducted for the personal protective equipment (PPE) manufacturer 3M, many are spending less on these items than before the economy nosedived. But is this such a bad thing?
Will staying legal become easier?
A recent review commissioned by the government has looked into how businesses deal with their legislative requirements. What did it identify?
Must you provide overnight accommodation?
A member of staff has stated that it’s a legal requirement for employers to provide overnight accommodation for those who have to drive for more than two hours. Is this really the case or have they got their facts wrong?
You’re wrong, we’re right, now go away...
Recently, you appear to have become a top priority for an inspector. You think this might be because you stated that your arrangements were fine and they should leave you to it! Now what do you do?
How often to replace gas regulators?
You’ve been informed that you have a legal requirement to inspect gas regulators annually and to replace them every five years. Is this strictly true, or is it a myth created by those selling the equipment?
Spring is finally in the air so we look to the Web for gardening tips and inspiration. Whether you’ve got limited space, are new to gardening or on a budget there’s a wealth of helpful resources online.
Suppose you wish to visit a website but you’re not sure that it’s a “safe” address. What can you do to avoid any risks? An ideal technique is “sandboxing”. What is it and how does it work?
Passwords should be sufficiently complex to be safe and yet easy to remember. Most people will probably need some assistance for storing them safely and entering them automatically. Here’s a solution - LastPass.
Essential Windows Live programs
Under the name “Live Essentials”, Microsoft has bundled a dozen free programs for its Windows Live service. Which are the best and what exactly do they have to offer?
The Web holds millions of websites, and yet we generally fall back on a handful of favourites. The new version of the Google Toolbar collects all of them on one single page. Is it useful?
An advantage of webmail is that you can use it anywhere, except when there’s no Internet connection. Gmail, however, has an answer.
With the UK officially in recession, we revisit the government’s key web portals for citizens and business to see how they are adapting to the times.
Which are the best free programs?
There’s much free software available on the Web. Are there any other useful services, besides popular repositories such as Tucows or Download.com?
Protecting your photographs against illicit use
Personal photographs are often posted on social networking sites, personal websites or blogs. Can you prevent them from being copied?
Website design is generally considered to be a highly technical matter. However, even with a limited knowledge you can tell your webmaster exactly what you expect from your site. Where do you find ideas, inspiration and examples?
You usually have discretionary pay reviews once a year, but this time round you can’t quite stretch to them. This may all change in a few months so you want to avoid damaging staff morale if possible. What’s your position?
Laying off - an alternative to redundancy?
Unfortunately, the current economic downturn means that you may not need as many staff as before. But do you have to make employees redundant, or could there be a more temporary solution?
The age old problem of discrimination
Age discrimination legislation has been in place for just over two years and there’s been a steady trickle of cases brought against employers. What are some of the issues tribunals have looked at under this relatively new law?
Are compromise agreements taxing you?
The Taxman always looks for missed revenue. With redundancies on the rise he’s now turned his attention to compromise agreements. But if he demands some unpaid tax, how do you make sure you’re not the one paying his bill?
Employee threatened by repossession
An employee’s partner was recently made redundant. With the loss of one income they’ve fallen behind with their mortgage payments and are worried that they could lose their home. What practical help can you give them?
The media has reported that new laws allow for employers to be prosecuted if staff download extreme pornographic images. But how likely is this?
Disciplinary issues and the new Code of Practice
The current statutory disciplinary and dismissal procedures (DDP) will be replaced by a new voluntary ACAS Code of Practice on April 6 2009, which aims to promote fairness. So how should you then handle disciplinary issues?
You are looking to keep the wage bill down but want to reward employees to keep them motivated. So giving them shares in the company seems to fit the bill. But the tax consequences can be bewildering. So where do you start looking?
As part of your cost-cutting measures, when your staff stay away on business you want this to be with friends or family where possible. Can you pay them for their trouble without it creating a tax problem?
It’s not unusual these days for directors and employees to work from home, with the business supplying computer and office equipment. This can lead to trouble in the form of a tax bill for the employee and employer. What’s the solution?
In a recent court case the Taxman’s right to alter figures included on a self-assessment tax return was challenged. What practical lessons can you learn from the outcome of this case?
Taking advantage of flat rate VAT savings
The Taxman’s Flat Rate Scheme (FRS) is a “simplified” way for small businesses to pay VAT. But it hasn’t been popular, so from April 2009 he’s making it easier to join. Will this make the scheme more inviting, or should you remain wary?
Few employers seem to be aware that an entirely new NI band will be introduced in April 2009. What will this mean for you and your employees?
Transfer of nil rate band problems
Although the transferable nil rate band (NRB) can save Inheritance Tax (IHT), in practice, the Taxman is making it difficult to claim. So what steps should you take to make sure it works for your family?
Pitfalls to sharing a website log-in
Suppose your company has signed up for one user to have access to a paid subscription Internet service. It’s expensive to add other users, so a few employees have been using the one log-in. Could this cause you any problems?
As a careful company director you’ve always paid credit card bills on time. But a new trick by these companies could trip you up, meaning a black mark on your impeccable credit history. How do you avoid this happening to you?
You may not be able to offer pay rises to your staff this year, but as a goodwill measure free lunches might be a step in the right direction, particularly if the directors can take advantage too. But is it tax efficient?
Is invoice discounting right for you?
Given the state of the economy, keeping your cash flowing is vital. Invoice discounting is one way of doing this. It provides a cash advance based on the value of your invoices. Is it right for your company, and how much does it cost?
Following the recent heavy snowfalls, a number of subscribers have asked whether they have a legal duty to clear it all before they allow work to continue. What’s to know?
You’ve heard conflicting ideas on how you should record accidents. Some say that you must use the HSE-produced accident book, others that how you do it doesn’t matter. Which school of thought is correct?
More fire inspections on the cards
We’ve been informed that, in some regions, the Fire & Rescue Service (FRS) has been on a recruitment drive. What could this mean for your business?
Burden on employer to prove risk assessment
A recent Court of Appeal decision has highlighted the employer’s legal duty to risk assess and, where reasonably practicable, to take necessary steps to reduce risks. What can you learn from the findings?
Jailed for disregard of safety laws
In a recent case, the owner of a roofing company was prosecuted following the death of an employee. What mistakes did he make and how can you avoid falling into the same traps?
Do office staff really need safety training?
You’ve been looking at what can be cut from your budget over the next year or so. One thing you’ve highlighted is external safety training, especially for office staff. Are you on safe ground to cancel these courses for the time being?
Extraction systems are a potential fire risk
The Fire & Rescue Service (FRS) has stated that many are failing to manage the risks associated with extraction systems, and that this is resulting in fires. If you have such a system, what should you be doing to manage the risks?
Printing webpages the smart way
Printing webpages is often a bit of a gamble: you never know in advance what the result will be. Here are some tips for more economical and efficient printing.
The holy grail of online music is listening to any song, any time without any charges (and avoiding piracy). We look at three sites that seem to offer just that.
Doing more with an online spreadsheet
Perhaps you’re already familiar with Google Docs as a handy online alternative to the Microsoft Office programs. Here are some tips for making even better use of the Google Docs’ spreadsheet application.
Do you want a “live” website to which colleagues or other people can easily add elements without having to know anything about HTML? Then a content management system (CMS) can help. What should you know about CMSs?
The most popular music file format is MP3. But there are so-called “lossless” formats as well. Are they useful for non-professionals?
Your files synced to wherever you want
It’s a good idea to save your files online, especially if they can be synced automatically on different computers. One online backup service is Microsoft Live Mesh, which we recently reviewed. And now there’s Dropbox...
In the last issue we looked at UK Easter breaks. On a similar theme, we stay within our own borders and look at adventure holidays. Be aware, this page is not for the faint hearted!
Are you running different browsers on your PC or do you sometimes surf the Web on other computers, e.g. at work? If so, it’s convenient to have the latest version of your bookmarks list available everywhere. How can you do this?
Spam messages can be a real pain. Here are some tips to prevent spam or, at least, to stop it arriving in your mailbox.
The free online telephone service Skype needs no introduction. Now, version 4 of this service has just been released. What are the new features, and do they make the download worthwhile?
On February 2, 20% of employees claimed they couldn’t get to work due to bad snow. Whilst some had genuine problems, others simply used it as an excuse. What can you do to limit the effect adverse weather has on your business?
No need to pay in lieu for unused holidays
An employee who’s working out their notice period has accrued some paid annual leave. So that you don’t have to pay them any extra you want to insist that they take these days off before they go. Can a recent case help you do this?
Extension to flexible working?
Despite rumours to the contrary, the right to request flexible working may still be extended from April 6 2009. Should this cause you any concern?
The media has accused employers of jumping to make redundancies all too quickly and not considering real alternatives, such as sabbaticals. But are they really a practical solution for employers when faced with financial difficulties?
Dismissing post-retirement age employees
You want to dismiss a 68-year-old employee but your employment contracts don’t state a retirement age. As you didn’t go through the statutory retirement procedure when they were 65, should you just make them redundant instead?
You recently wrote to a successful job applicant offering them a position. Your letter also asked that they contact you to confirm a suggested start date. Since then you’ve heard nothing, so what’s the best way to deal with this?
Two discrimination claims, more injury to feelings?
Suppose you’ve just lost a disability and race discrimination claim. Your ex-employee’s now asked the tribunal to award them compensation for “injury to feelings” for each type of discrimination they suffered. Can you challenge this?
You’ve heard that the government has had another bright idea, which may mean you will need to have a smart meter fitted. What are these devices and is fitting one actually a legal requirement?
Can you save a bucket load of water and money?
With water bills set to rise by up to 18% over the next five years and Envirowise continuing to promote water saving, you’ve been considering a rainwater harvesting system. Is this something that you should go for?
What’s all the fuss over light bulbs?
There’s been much in the press recently about the “death” of the conventional light bulb. What’s the real story, and does it affect businesses?
Go green with the Cycle-to-Work scheme
An employee has suggested that you offer the government’s Cycle-to-Work scheme as a flexible benefit. They said that you can claim green points and it could even save you money. Is it a viable option?
Is it worth washing vehicles on your site?
You’ve been thinking about building a basic vehicle wash bay on your site. However, you’ve heard that there are too many environmental hurdles to get over to make it a worthwhile investment. Is this really the case?
Climate Change Act coming soon
At the end of last year, the Climate Change Act 2008 received Royal Assent. It’s the first of its kind in the world. Will it mean that you need to prepare for a new wave of green legislation?