2009 - December
Should you bother to go green?
A recent survey identified that almost half of small and medium sized businesses haven’t put a single green measure in place. Why is this, and does it mean that you shouldn’t bother either?
Is this the definitive recycling label?
The British Retail Consortium (BRC) has launched a new packaging label that provides information on recycling. What’s its legal status, and is it something that you need to display on your goods?
Further developments with environmental permits
The Environment Agency (EA) has announced additional changes which will affect how it manages environmental discharges and waste management. What’s happening and how could these affect you?
Water pollution by disturbing mud and silt
Disturbing silt and mud in a river might not seem like pollution, but a land owner has been prosecuted for doing just that. How did it happen and what, if anything, can be learned from this case?
Complaints about green ads on the up
The government’s marketing watchdog, the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA), has released figures on the number of complaints made about green ads. What do they identify, and what can you do to avoid a problem?
According to research completed for the charity Global Action Plan, IT equipment currently accounts for 2% of the world’s carbon emissions, and 10% of the UK’s energy bills. Is it possible to cut your share of these costs?
To deter businesses from causing pollution, the Environment Agency (EA) is pushing for larger fines. How might this affect you?
Using the Pre-owned Assets rule to save tax
In 2005 the Taxman introduced the mother of all anti-avoidance laws to counter what he claimed was abuse of the Inheritance Tax system (IHT). He was way off the mark. So wouldn’t it be poetic justice if there was a way to use the rules to actually save tax?
The Taxman’s website says you can’t claim tax relief for the cost of promotional gifts unless they cost £50 or less and carry some obvious advertising. It turns out that’s only half the story. What’s the full picture?
How to reclaim the Taxman’s extra charges
Every year the Taxman collects millions of pounds in interest and surcharges on apparently overdue tax payments. But in many cases they aren’t actually due. What’s going wrong and how can you prevent it from happening to you?
Should you take no notice of advisory fuel rates?
The Taxman has altered his procedure for advisory fuel rates, making it difficult for employers to implement the changes on time. If you’re late, could this get you or your employees into trouble with the Taxman?
Delaying tactics can increase rewards for capital losses
Tax experts are concentrating their minds on finding ways to dodge the new higher tax rates applying from next April. One idea is to convert income into capital gains, but we’ve used reverse psychology to come up with another option. What is it?
Getting the most out of corporate giving
Despite the continuing recession, you want your company to do its bit for charity, and usually you can expect a little help in the form of tax relief on your donation. But this year the company has made a loss. So will the Taxman still chip in?
The tax return filing deadline is now in sight and a recent case concerning errors on forms serves as a timely warning about the Taxman’s powers. What’s the story?
Join the club and get a tax deduction
Joining a business or networking club can have benefits for your company, but will you get a tax deduction for the cost of your subscription? One of our subscribers asked the Taxman this and got a bewildering reply. So what’s the right answer?
Breaking down exclusion of liability clauses
Careful directors know that when it comes to limiting the company’s liability, it’s important to get exclusion clauses right. But a recent case highlights why you should draft the small print very carefully. What does it say?
An insurance company recently refused to pay up after a serious house fire.They said the policy was invalid because one of the occupants hadn’t disclosed a criminal offence. Could this pose a problem for your commercial building policy?
£500K fines for data protection breaches?
You might have heard that the Information Commissioner is being given new powers to impose fines of £500K on directors who break data protection laws, even if it’s by mistake. Is this true, or is the media getting carried away?
These ECO cars are not what you might think!
A friend invited you round to view his new ECO car. A shoebox on wheels you thought, but you changed your mind when he pointed to the luxurious limo on the drive and told you it was part of a tax-saving scheme. What’s full the story?
It seems that “stress” is the new number one reason for work-related personal injury claims. So what can directors do to reduce the risk of a claim?
The pillars of online marketing
The Internet is an excellent channel for drawing attention to your business, products or services. Online marketing can be very helpful in this respect. Here’s our checklist to help your Internet marketing strategy.
Your friends’ online posts among the Google results
Your online friends and contacts will have become part and parcel of your online life. Thanks to Google Social Search, you can now make their online postings appear amongst the Google search results.
Everything you always wanted to know about wine…
The end of the year is drawing near, and this tends to be accompanied by a good glass of wine. Here’s our selection of websites providing useful wine and meal tips.
Is your hard disk in top shape?
All your documents, e-mails, etc. are stored on your computer’s hard disk. A hard disk a relatively cheap device, but the data it contains is often irreplaceable. How do you inspect its health?
The mouse remains an indispensable part of your computer. What tools allow you to increase its efficiency or ease-of-use? Here are some handy and compact tools.
Programs such as VNC and External Desktop allow you to control your computer remotely. However, to take over someone else’s computer (for instance to demonstrate something or to solve a problem), there’s an easier solution.
Install all your software in the right order
When reinstalling Windows, for instance, after a crash, you will also have to reinstall all your software. To make your computer run smoothly again, it’s best to do so in a set order. This also applies when you’re installing Windows 7.
Drawing up the weekly rosters in your business can be a chore, especially in critical periods such as the end of the year. Can the new web service Onyaka help you to prevent your business from becoming understaffed?
Good organisation will help you to process your daily e-mails efficiently. There are three basic strategies for organising your e-mail. Here are their advantages and disadvantages.
Do you remember how, some while ago, the names and passwords of tens or thousands of Hotmail, Gmail and Yahoo! Mail accounts were stolen and made public? How do you prevent becoming a victim of phishing yourself?
Rekindling the online book market?
Amazon has recently made its Kindle e-book reader available. Here, we compare this new arrival with the established Sony Reader series.
Securing a harness to an eyebolt
Your new window cleaning contractor has asked to see the inspection reports for the eyebolts that the harnesses are clipped to. He says that he can’t use them unless they’ve been tested. Is this true?
Overloading your vehicle could be costly
One of our subscribers was recently pulled over by an officer from the Vehicle and Operator Services Agency (VOSA) because his company car was overloaded. What can be learned from his experience?
Although you won’t have time to do much, if you get wind that an inspector is set to descend on your premises, you can deal with the easy targets. To guide you through this process, why not use our brand new document?
An employee of Veetee Rice Ltd died as a result of injuries sustained whilst trapped in a silo. His employer was prosecuted, plus the HSE saw fit to issue a warning. How did the incident happen and could it have been prevented?
One of your employees has requested a “netbook” instead of a normal size laptop. Apparently, it does the same job, but is lighter and easier to carry around. But does its size create other safety issues you need to deal with?
Different types of asbestos handling licences
Anyone who undertakes work involving asbestos must hold a licence for the job. Which authority issues them, how many different types are there, and what can happen if you employ someone who doesn’t hold one?
The prospect of an inspection by one enforcement body is bad enough, but if you’re unlucky, you could face one from three at once. What’s going on?
When is it too late to correct a P11D error?
You find out something should have been reported to the Taxman on Form P11D as a benefit-in-kind (BiK), but the deadline for submission was months ago. You could be facing tax penalties. Is there anything you can do?
The Taxman has just produced what he calls “pre-return toolkits” to help accountants and tax advisors avoid common errors. Why should you be interested?
It’s nice to do your bit for charity by making a donation. It’s even better when the Taxman rewards you by knocking a bit off your tax bill for your generosity. But did you know you can actually make a profit on the deal courtesy of HMRC?
Will new rules change Capital Gains Tax records?
One of our subscribers told us that because she can’t produce documents from 13 years ago the Taxman won’t allow an expense against her Capital Gains Tax bill. Can he do this?
One of your family is looking to you for some cash to help their new business through a sticky patch. There are a number of ways in which you can offer the finance, but which one is the most tax effective for you?
Registering for VAT with no UK sales
Most businesses take for granted that they can register with HMRC and then reclaim any VAT they pay on purchases. But if your business only makes sales outside the UK that aren’t subject to VAT, are you allowed to register in the first place?
A colleague has told you that instead of discounts from his suppliers he’s asking them for extra items, free of charge. He reckons that as these have no cost he can take them out of his company tax-free. Is this something you could do?
Data protection and recruitment
A recent survey claims to have found that only 19% of employers know the Data Protection Act 1998 applies during the recruitment process. So what could happen to those who aren’t getting this area right?
One of your key employees has told you that her high travelling costs are making it difficult to make ends meet. You can’t justify a pay rise, but you don’t want her to quit. Is there an easy solution that won’t cost you a penny?
Taking holiday to work elsewhere
An employee has been taking holiday, often at short notice and you’ve now found evidence that suggests they are doing this due to a second job. That’s not a problem in itself, but what should you do before they can continue?
You’ve been a very naughty girl
When men and women work together, affairs can follow. But as one employer found out, making negative comments about it is a no-no. Why should he have treated it as a private matter? And how could he have protected himself?
Have your own in-house firefighter
The government has just launched a new campaign to encourage employers to allow staff to be “on-call” firefighters during working hours. Sounds like a bit of a pain, but could it bring any free benefits to your business?
What is reasonable time off for bereavement?
Dealing with a grieving employee can be difficult at the best of times, especially if it concerns the death of someone close. So how should you handle requests for time off following a bereavement, and do they have any right to be paid?
Is being “green” a protected belief?
A recent case says that “environmentalists” are protected from discrimination. So must you now tread carefully with employees who claim to be green?