2010 - September
Do you export your products; are you planning to establish a branch abroad or are you doing business with foreign partners? If so, you will need basic country information and useful tips (local time, news, currency conversion, etc.).
Creating websites with Microsoft
In the past, both personal and professional websites were mostly designed in FrontPage, with varying results. Microsoft now offers no fewer than three web editors, two of which are free. How good are they?
Listen carefully: here are some new music services
The Internet is the medium par excellence for discovering and playing music. Although most people automatically turn to iTunes for this purpose, original services crop up regularly. We put some new services to the test.
Who’s been fiddling with my computer?
Do family members or roommates use your computer without your knowing it? Mostly this is innocent: they simply want to watch or do something, but not always. How can you check whether your computer has been used?
Time is money... and yet we waste a lot of time on repetitive tasks every day: performing the same actions, typing the same text, etc. The following tools can make your work much more efficient.
You have a fairly new computer and yet you suddenly find that its hard disk is almost full. What is the cause, how do you resolve the problem and, even better, how do you prevent it from happening?
Assigning, monitoring and managing tasks can all be done at several levels. Here we put some useful online task planners to the test, depending on your needs.
Suppose you have a list of contacts in your e-mail application as well as with Facebook or other social networks. How do you exchange information between these address books?
More and more Internet users wish to be informed instantly when something important happens. There are dedicated search sites for such “real-time news”, but the traditional search engines shouldn’t be underestimated either.
Microsoft Office: online at last
Online office suites such as Google Docs have been around for quite a while. Microsoft has now finally launched its first definitive version of Office Online. What does this free online office suite have to offer?
A new site - with “loyalty points” - for booking train tickets and a revamped one means it’s time to look at that marketplace. What’s on offer for train travellers?
There’s a right way and a wrong way to correct VAT errors. But recent news from HMRC suggests an increasing number of businesses are getting it wrong and paying twice as much as they should be. What’s going wrong?
Pension pay-out tax rules to change
In his June Budget the Chancellor announced a radical shake up of the tax rules on pensions. One major change will be a reduction of nearly 30% in the tax rate where you leave your pension fund as part of your estate. What’s to know?
Income shifting - the big picture
A few years ago the Taxman got hammered by the court in the Arctic Systems income shifting case; recently he tried his luck again. He lost but it was a close call. What tax planning tips can be gained from this latest case?
Joining forces to claim a tax loss
If your company has joined forces with another to exploit a business opportunity, you’ll want to make sure you get your fair share of tax relief on costs. But changes in the law just about to be introduced could put this at risk. What’s the story?
Dividing up the property spoils
If you’re lucky enough to own a rental investment property with someone else, and want them to receive the income because they pay tax at a lower rate than you, can this be done without the Taxman crying foul?
The Taxman is launching a scheme that’s intended to take the heat out of tax disputes by getting a mediator involved. Is this something worth considering or just a costly exercise in time wasting?
Accusations, denials, apologies and now a climb-down; we’ve had all of them in abundance since the latest PAYE fiasco started. What’s the latest news?
The Equality Act 2010 - you’re liable for harassment!
Under the Equality Act 2010, there have been some drastic changes to the definition of “harassment” and the situations where the company could be found liable for the actions of a third party. So what steps should the directors take?
How to get more from your offset mortgage
The big differential between savings interest and borrowing rates means that offset mortgages can save you money. But can you use your company’s cash to improve the deal without the Taxman asking for a slice of the action?
Are paperless bills really a good idea?
These days, many service providers, such as utility and telephone companies, offer customers financial incentives to switch to online billing. If the directors are looking to save costs this might be tempting, but why could it be a bad idea?
Accept the offer to mediate: yes or no?
The directors are pursuing an unpaid debt in the Small Claims Court. But it has now asked the parties whether or not they want to attempt a settlement via mediation before it sets a hearing date. Is this option worth pursuing?
Where your company throws a party for its directors and employees, as long as you stick to the rules it’s a tax-free benefit for everyone. But the Taxman can take a tough line on the rules as one employer discovered recently. What’s the full story?
On October 1, full corporate boards were banned; there must be one human director. But over 24,450 companies have yet to comply. What’s to know?
What’s a fire-resistant letterbox?
As your office is on a busy street your insurers have mentioned that it might be worthwhile fitting a fire-resistant letterbox. What are they, how do they work and should you install one?
Time to service the old boiler
The weather’s turned and it’s time to turn the heating back on. However, you’ve been told that you must have the boiler inspected first. Is this really necessary, and if so, must a Gas Safe Registered engineer complete it?
When the fire alarms sounded at the Park Hotel in Leicester, it was the guests who organised the evacuation, not the staff! How did the Fire & Rescue Service react when its officers realised what had happened?
Safety alert - powered access gates
In the summer two children were killed in separate incidents involving automatic sliding gates. Now the HSE has issued a safety alert covering all powered access gates. What do they say?
Earlier this year we told you about plans for new legislation in the area of disability and discrimination. Our fear was that it would lead to pre-employment health questions being banned. So were our concerns well founded?
LPG inspections taking place now
One of our subscribers was recently visited by an HSE inspector who checked over their LPG installation and immediately issued an improvement notice with a long list of requirements. What’s going on?
A recent study has highlighted that many people are putting themselves and others at risk by driving whilst overtired. Why and how should you deal with this?
The (hidden) benefits of a PILON clause
Dismiss an employee without giving them the correct notice period and you might face a breach of contract claim. Depending on their salary and any benefits, this could be substantial. How can a PILON clause help prevent this risk?
Can an employee record a disciplinary hearing?
You’ve discovered that an employee, who is the subject of disciplinary action, has covertly recorded the hearing on a mobile phone. Do they have the legal right to do this? And what would a tribunal make of this type of evidence?
Are unpaid internships still legal?
Over the past few years, unpaid “internships” have become increasingly popular, both with employers and school/university leavers. However, the legality of these arrangements is being called into question. So is it still safe to offer them?
Betting pregnancy against gross misconduct
You firmly believe that a pregnant employee has committed an act of gross misconduct. But she says that her condition prevents you from doing anything about it. If you do she’ll claim sex discrimination. Would she be onto a winner?
Could looking at Facebook land you in hot water?
If you want some background information on a potential job candidate, Facebook can be a very revealing source. But according to some legal experts, this type of online search could breach data protection laws. Is this right?
Disabilities and the Equality Act 2010
Under the new Equality Act 2010, some employees won’t even need to prove a disability exists before they can claim discrimination! What’s happened?
Making carbon friendly investments
Your company is looking to invest capital and is considering a “green option”. You’ve been told that investing in timber is a high return, low risk, ethical investment, which is both profitable and carbon friendly. Is this really the case?
5,000 reasons to buy an electric car
In a bid to kick-start the electric vehicle market, the government is stumping up £5,000 towards the cost of each car. So does this make these vehicles a viable option and, if so, how do you get your hands on the cash?
Over recent issues we’ve been creating a register of environmental legislation. In this part of the document, we’ve covered noise and nuisance issues. So which laws do you need to be aware of and why?
Air conditioning inspections required
You’ve heard that you must have your air conditioning system inspected by an accredited energy assessor. Why do you need to do this and what might be the implications if you don’t arrange for the inspection to be completed?
Environment Agency goes for “light-touch” approach
As part of the government’s efficiency drive, the Environment Agency (EA) is reviewing the way it regulates business, including the possibility of a system of self-certification of compliance. What can you expect from the review?
Recycling your waste - is your council helping out?
Research completed by the government’s waste advisors has identified some interesting facts about the recycling collections offered by local authorities. Based on these findings, what do you need to know?
Record fines following Buncefield
Three companies have been handed record fines following the explosion at the Buncefield fuel storage depot. Why?
Watermark your photos or documents
Do you sometimes post pictures, video clips or other documents on the Web but are afraid that others will use them or even sell them without mentioning your name? A watermark can’t prevent this, but it can make it more difficult.
You probably have a laptop yourself, plus one for your children, your business, etc. Laptops are not only expensive, they often also contain personal and confidential information. How can you protect your laptop against loss or theft?
Rescue Windows… from a USB stick
Is Windows refusing to boot all of a sudden and do you want to “rescue” some important files? A rescue system on a USB memory stick makes this possible. How do you do this, and isn’t it too complicated?
Did you shoot some great videos on holiday? Or is there any video material about your company that you wish to share with your customers? If you post your videos on YouTube, you can now edit them from there.
Since the end of 2009, the Google Chrome browser has become compatible with “extensions”, just like Firefox. However, Chrome users tend to install fewer extensions than Firefox users. Which ones can we recommend?
Security suites protect your computer against viruses, spyware, phishing and spam. In addition, they offer a firewall and a privacy filter. Which suite is best? We found out.
Cheaper (international) calls via your smartphone
Using your mobile phone for making calls to or from other countries remains terribly expensive. And yet there’s a simple and cheap solution: Internet telephony or VoIP (Voice over IP). How does it work?
Outlook is almost unsurpassed in terms of options, but many users complain about the slowness of this e-mail program. Here are some tips and tricks for boosting Outlook. They will produce a noticeable gain in time!
Google remains the most popular search site by far, but Microsoft’s Bing is steadily gaining in popularity. Indeed, Bing is a good alternative when Google lets you down. Here are some tips for improving your use of Bing.
Social networks: an open book for employers?
Social networks can hardly be called discreet. Both employers and employees should be aware of this. What do you need to know in order to safeguard confidential information?
Finding the right tradesperson
The Internet has plenty of sites offering to help you find tradespeople to do those essential jobs. We check how newcomer YesJob compares with the rest.
Saving VAT on employee benefits
Giving your employees benefits-in-kind (BiK) can be a tax-efficient way of rewarding them, but it still costs money. You can reduce this by reclaiming the VAT you paid in providing the BiK, but what are the consequences?
Is the Taxman back-pedalling on cycle schemes?
Last December the Taxman claimed that some employers were incorrectly using the cycle-to-work scheme to avoid tax and NI. He’s now updated his guidance on this; what’s changed?
What’s the deal with dormant companies?
Where you own a company which is not much more than a shell, the Taxman won’t insist on Corporation Tax returns. That’s good news, but if you simply stop submitting forms, you’ll still be hit with a penalty. So what can you do to avoid this?
The tax tribunal recently took an unexpected view of a termination payment made to an employee. Will this decision mean that the tried and tested rules of the last decade will now come under fire from the Taxman?
Tax-free benefits - as long as you’re not close family
Tax planning for the family company is a very popular topic with the experts. But if you haven’t tied the knot, can you still use your company to get tax-free benefits for your partner?
Get training for a tax deduction
Once again, the courts have had to step in to make sense of contradictory tax rules; this time on training costs. The judgment gave some useful clues on how you can guarantee full tax relief. What were they?
PAYE errors - oh no, not again!
The national press has again been full of news about the Taxman’s failed computer system. Should you sit up and take note or is this just another recycled story?
Reducing the tax cost of business expenses
There’s a right way and a wrong way for your company to pay for business expenses. Fortunately for one of our subscribers they asked us which was which before they went ahead; it could have cost them thousands. What’s the story?
More battles over standard T&Cs
For the second time this year, the Court of Appeal has been asked to examine conflicting standard terms and conditions (T&Cs). So where does this leave the directors when they are negotiating contracts on behalf of the company?
Hand over your mobile phone or else!
A judge ruled that the Taxman had the right to seize a company’s computers without notice. He went further and said that this right extended to any electronic equipment; could that include a director’s mobile phone?
A (hard) lesson on the National Minimum Wage
HMRC recently prosecuted a director over his “mistakes” on the National Minimum Wage rate. So what do directors need to know about this case? And what about the changes that are coming in on October 1 2010?
Payment protection insurance - getting what you’re due
Lenders are refusing to pay compensation for the mis-selling of payment protection insurance. The Financial Ombudsman is getting involved to put things right but what steps should you take to make sure you aren’t losing out?
Always put property details in writing
As a successful director, you have some spare cash to plough into the joint purchase of a property with your other half. But as you’re not married (and have no plans to be any time soon), will your money be safe if things don’t work out?
In June Mr Osborne announced a National Insurance (NI) holiday worth up to £50,000 for new businesses. But will your newly formed company qualify?
You’ve been asked to make arrangements to replace the air conditioning plant on your roof. But when you tried to arrange for a crane, you were told you have to hire it as a “contract lift” rather than hiring a crane and driver. Why?
Although the law is explicit about machinery guarding, some firms still fail to ensure that their staff are fully protected from moving parts etc. A recent case has identified why this is so important. What’s to know?
Risk assessing and managing laptop computers
Although a laptop computer isn’t the most dangerous piece of kit, there are risks associated with its use. So to ensure you’ve managed everything accordingly, why not use our new risk assessment and checklist?
A recent case underlines the importance of keeping an eye on architects and others involved in the design of building alterations, new plant installations etc. What happened and what can be learned from it?
According to the HSE’s Estates Excellence website, if you need help improving your health and safety systems, without the risk of enforcement action, you should contact the campaign team. Is doing this a wise move?
When carrying out your premises inspections you’ve noticed that there’s a gap around pipes and cables where they pass through to the next room. Is it a fire hazard and, if so, what should you do about it?
Alcohol gel cuts sickness absence
A recent study has found that alcohol-based sanitising hand gels used regularly in the workplace can cut sickness absence. Is there anything in this?
A 56% rise in tribunal claims: time to worry?
If the media have it right, the latest figures show that an unprecedented number of tribunal claims have been brought in the past twelve months. But is this really true, or do we have another case of “lies, damn lies and statistics”?
Picking (up) BlackBerrys on holiday
Quite surprisingly, 80% of workers admit to regularly picking up work e-mails when they’re on annual leave; apparently it helps them to relax! Such behaviour is commendable, but is this something you should ban or encourage?