2012 -
February
BENEFITS - 24.02.2012
Achieving a successful salary sacrifice
The tribunal recently ruled in favour of the Taxman in a case worth £160 million. You might think this was linked to a fancy tax avoidance scheme, but actually it involved simple errors made in setting up a salary sacrifice. What went wrong?
INHERITANCE TAX - 24.02.2012
Don’t miss the deadline for IHT planning
In a little over a month the 2011/12 tax year ends and some Inheritance Tax (IHT) exemptions will be lost if you haven’t used them by then. What are these, and what steps can you take to ensure you get the most out of them?
INCOME SHIFTING - 24.02.2012
Giving your company shares to your kids
Where you give shares in your company to your kids, the Taxman will do everything in his power to stop this from giving you a tax advantage. But if you’re prepared to wait you can still get one. How does this work?
INVESTIGATIONS - 24.02.2012
Business record checks on hold
The Taxman has suspended his programme of business record checks. Good news, but he’s planning a new, more targeted attack. What can you expect?
VAT - 24.02.2012
Getting more from the flat rate VAT scheme
The Taxman extols the virtues of the time and admin savings you can make by using his flat rate scheme (FRS), but he’s keen to play down some of the VAT savings it offers. What are these and when can you take advantage of them?
COMPANY CARS - 24.02.2012
Does a car loan count as disguised remuneration?
You’ve heard about the possible tax savings of employee car ownership schemes (ECOSs), but one of your colleagues has warned that these can be caught by the Taxman’s “disguised remuneration” anti-avoidance rules. Is he right?
CONTRACTS - 21.02.2012
Oral contract - was the termination agreed?
In a recent case, the parties had entered into a verbal agreement. When one of them terminated it early, the other claimed that this right hadn’t been an “express term” of their contract. How did the Court of Appeal resolve the argument?
DIRECTORS’ LIABILITY - 21.02.2012
Are your employees using expenses to bribe?
Recent reports warn of criminal prosecution and unlimited fines for directors who fail to take precautions to stop employees using company expenses to make bribes. Could the latest software help avoid such trouble?
PROPERTY - 21.02.2012
Government offices for (your) rent
Apparently, the government has over 300 empty buildings which it now plans to make available to small businesses. How will this scheme work?
DIRECTORS’ LIABILITY - 21.02.2012
Could your payroll software land you with a tax bill?
In a recent case the tribunal ruled that a failing in a company’s payroll system, which resulted in an employee paying too little tax, made it liable to pay the shortfall. What steps can you take to protect your company from this type of trouble?
DIRECTORS’ TAX - 21.02.2012
Tax-efficient pay-offs for directors
Selling your business might result in job losses, including your own. Redundancy payments can be tax efficient for both your company and the employee. But can directors ensure they’re entitled to one and what will the Taxman make of this?
COMPANY CARS - 21.02.2012
Vehicle tracking: the hidden company benefits
Vehicle tracking devices are perfectly legal. What’s more, there are a number of benefits to be gained from installing them in company cars and vans. So which other advantages can this technology offer your business?
PERSONNEL - 21.02.2012
Hiring self-employed consultants
The directors are thinking about bringing in an external consultant who will plug some gaps in the company’s expertise. That individual is going to be working on a self-employed basis. But what should you do before they make a start?
ENFORCEMENT - 21.02.2012
Natural England given new powers
The public body responsible for protecting England’s wildlife can now issue more civil penalties for the offences it regulates. How might this affect you?
MARKETING - 21.02.2012
Responsibility deal on mail-shots
A new voluntary responsibility deal has been agreed between the UK, Scottish and Welsh governments and the direct marketing sector. What’s the aim of this deal and how might it affect you?
VEHICLES - 21.02.2012
Green van man
In addition to encouraging us into low emissions electric cars, the government is now pushing electric vans, which tick similar green boxes. What’s being offered and is this something that you should consider?
WASTE - 21.02.2012
Yet another waste prosecution
Despite the fact that the Environment Agency (EA) is cracking down on waste sites, some companies still feel that they can operate outside of the law. What can be learned from a recent case?
WEEE - 21.02.2012
A WEEE revision
The European Parliament has voted to strengthen the European Union’s (EU) WEEE directive. What new amendments does the revised legislation include and what are the potential implications for businesses?
ENERGY SAVING - 21.02.2012
Air costs money
A recent survey has identified that faulty or inefficient air compressors are costing UK businesses over £100 million per year. Why is this and what steps can be taken to keep the costs down?
HAZARDOUS SUBSTANCES - 21.02.2012
Storing hazardous substances legally
If you store oil, chemicals, pesticides, solvents or even radioactive substances, it’s vital that they’re kept properly. If you want to complete a basic check on your arrangements, there’s an online tool which can help. What’s to know?
HARASSMENT - 21.02.2012
How to investigate harassment complaints
If an employee makes an allegation of harassment against a colleague, you can’t ignore it. Instead, you must deal with it promptly - both for their sake and that of the accused. But exactly what format should that process take?
PROCESSING DATA - 21.02.2012
Disclosing information on “loss of earnings”
One of your employees suffered a personal injury outside of the workplace. An insurer has now written to you asking for full details of their “loss of earnings”. What information are they seeking and can you disclose it?
POOR PERFORMANCE - 21.02.2012
On probation, poorly-performing and she’s pregnant!
As long as you play by the rules, it’s quite possible to dismiss a poorly-perfoming probationer. But suppose that individual is also pregnant. Are you obliged to accept the situation simply because she’s expecting?
DISMISSAL - 21.02.2012
Smile please: using CCTV evidence to dismiss
The media recently reported on a case where an employer’s CCTV system had recorded a manager having sex on its premises after hours. It used this footage as evidence to sack him. That’s quite understandable, but is it legal?
CONFIDENTIALITY - 21.02.2012
Narrowing down on confidentiality clauses
An employer recently asked the High Court to enforce its supposed right to confidentiality. Unfortunately, it had made three fatal errors. What were they and how can you avoid making the same mistakes?
DISABILITY DISCRIMINATION - 21.02.2012
Which illnesses and conditions aren’t disabilities?
Employers often have to concern themselves with the thorny issue of whether or not an employee’s illness or condition amounts to a disability. However, there are a few impairments that can never meet the criteria. What are they?
WORKING TIME REGULATIONS - 21.02.2012
Overtime - it’s subject to an opt-out!
In a recent case, the employer refused to grant an employee overtime because he wouldn’t sign an opt-out agreement. Is such a rule acceptable?
WEB SERVICES - TRAVEL - 17.02.2012
City trips for business or pleasure
Whether you’re going to a city for meetings or a conference, to have a break or to combine the two, you should plan ahead. Here are some useful sites.
E-MAIL - SPAM - 17.02.2012
One more temporary address please
Disposable e-mail addresses are ideal if you don’t want to give your real e-mail address when signing up on a website. Here’s how you can reduce the risk of receiving unsolicited e-mails.
WEB SERVICES - ONLINE OFFICE - 17.02.2012
Live Documents: better than Google Docs?
Google Docs is the most popular online office suite, but certainly not the only one. A relative newcomer is Live Documents, which claims to be fully compatible with MS Office and even more powerful than Google Docs. Is this true?
TRANSPORT - MAPS & ROUTES - 17.02.2012
Handy Google Maps mashups
Google Maps is the online place to be if you’re looking for maps and route descriptions. More and more websites mix this information with their own data into so-called “mashups”. Here are some useful ones.
WEB SERVICES - WEB CLIPPINGS - 17.02.2012
Making better use of Evernote
The practical Evernote tool lets you collect Web clippings, synchronise them between devices and share them with others. Did you know that other applications can also collaborate with your Evernote account? Here are the most useful ones.
SOFTWARE - NETWORK - 17.02.2012
Set up a temporary wireless network in Windows 7
Do you wish to transfer files from one computer to another but don’t have a USB-stick or (wireless) network around? You can solve this by creating a temporary “ad hoc” network. How do you do this in Windows 7?
BUSINESS - MARKETING - 17.02.2012
Are QR codes something for you?
QR codes are becoming increasingly omnipresent as the successor to the classic bar code. Advertisers and companies are now targeting smartphone users with their QR codes. Are they something for you?
BUSINESS - TIME MANAGEMENT - 17.02.2012
What have you been working on and for how long?
Do you want a better overview of your own work time or that of your staff? There are dedicated tools available. We put two of them to the test: ManicTime and RescueTime.
ENTERTAINMENT - PHOTOGRAPHY - 17.02.2012
Life without geotags?
Geotagging incorporates geographical data in your photos. Convenient, but you may find this unsuitable for “sensitive” photos. How can you decide whether the location should be stored in your photos automatically?
SOFTWARE - DOWNLOADING - 17.02.2012
BitTorrent switches to “magnet links”
BitTorrent remains a popular method for exchanging files via a P2P network. However, all the major torrent sites will shortly switch to using so-called “magnet links”. What does this mean?
SOFTWARE - SECURITY - 17.02.2012
Keep track of your mobile devices
Are you afraid that your expensive smartphone or laptop will be stolen or that you will lose it? Install the free Prey and use its Web service to keep track of the location of your devices at any time.
PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT - 15.02.2012
Checking that face masks work properly
If staff have been shown how to wear respiratory protective equipment (RPE) and have been “fit-tested” in the last two years, there’s a chance that it might not have been completed properly. What’s to know?
ENFORCEMENT - 15.02.2012
Going bust doesn’t get you off the hook
A recent case has highlighted that even when a company ceases trading the HSE may continue with legal proceedings against the directors. What happened and what can be learned?
COMPETENT ADVICE - 15.02.2012
Have the cowboy consultants gone?
It’s been almost a year since the launch of the Occupational Safety and Health Consultants Register (OSHCR). Has it achieved its aim and put paid to businesses receiving poor and unreliable advice?
WORKPLACE - 15.02.2012
The wrong cleaning fluid
A recent case study has highlighted the slip, trip and fall risks associated with using the wrong type of floor cleaning products. What happened and how can you prevent a similarly slippery problem?
TRAINING - 15.02.2012
Training for emergencies in your lift
In the past you’ve arranged for the lift maintenance engineer to instruct a few of your staff in how to release trapped lift passengers. But when you recently asked him to train a new employee he refused. Why?
CONSTRUCTION - 15.02.2012
Fatal accident caused by on-the-spot solution
A man was killed on a construction site when his head was crushed by the jaws of a grab machine being wrongly used to move a pallet of cement bags. What did the HSE investigation into the accident identify?
POLICIES & RECORDS - ROOF WORK - 15.02.2012
Managing work on roofs
It’s becoming increasingly common for the clients of roof work to be prosecuted if the work is carried out unsafely. How can our permit-to-work - roof work help you to avoid ending up in a similar position?
TELEPHONY - SMARTPHONES - 10.02.2012
Good apps for your Windows Phone 7
There’s more than just iPhones and Android smartphones: Windows Phone 7 smartphones have been around for more than a year now. Its “Marketplace” contains around 50,000 apps. Which are the good ones?
PERSONAL WEBSITE - WEBSITE DESIGN - 10.02.2012
Ask your customers!
We recently presented Zoomerang as a handy webtool for creating online surveys. However, since its conditions for free use have changed, we went in search of some alternatives.
SECURITY - MISCELLANEOUS - 10.02.2012
Your webcam can recognise people!
Good monitoring systems for your business or home are expensive. Can a webcam in combination with “human detection” software also keep an eye on things?
WEB SERVICES - ONLINE COMMUNITIES - 10.02.2012
Tips for professional Twitter use
For some people such as marketeers, it’s almost a professional necessity to be active on Twitter. But also if you’re an expert in a certain field, Twitter is an excellent tool for making yourself better known. Here are some useful tips.
SECURITY - PRIVACY - 10.02.2012
Enhanced privacy in your Chrome browser
Chrome tries to guess what you want to find or visit on the Internet. To do so, it sends a lot of information about your surfing behaviour to Google - maybe more than you care for. Can you avoid this?
BUSINESS - WEB SERVICES - 10.02.2012
Global mail and courier services
Businesses and individuals want a postal service that lives up to its promises; we look at the main players, the Internet brokers and the rest.
SOFTWARE - MUSIC - 10.02.2012
How to fine-tune Windows Media Player?
Windows Media Player 12, which comes with Windows 7, lets you play music and videos. Here are a couple of tricks for enhancing the WMP audio options and playlists.
ENTERTAINMENT - MUSIC - 10.02.2012
Streaming music with the Squeezebox
If you wish to stream the music collection sitting on your computer in your living room or throughout your house, use a Squeezebox. What is it, what do you need and what does it do?
TELEPHONY - SMARTPHONES - 10.02.2012
Task management via your smartphone
There are many Web tools which let you follow up your projects from within your Internet browser. But since you’re probably on the road a lot, you might also need a good tool for monitoring tasks via your smartphone. Here are some examples.
ENTERTAINMENT - FILM - 10.02.2012
Manage your film collection
For film information and reviews, there’s the excellent IMDb. However, if you have a large collection of films on DVD or videos on your computer, there are also dedicated tools that can help you to manage it.
E-MAIL - WEBMAIL - 10.02.2012
Hotmail revamped
Windows Live Hotmail has been revamped and has several new features which are especially designed to help you handle “grey” e-mail. What does this mean and what has changed?
REDUNDANCY - 09.02.2012
Redundancy - but she’s on maternity leave!
Suppose that you’re considering making some redundancies. One of your employees is currently on maternity leave and you’ve been told that she can’t be included in the selection pool as a result. Is this correct?
SICKNESS ABSENCE - 09.02.2012
Depression: helping sufferers get back to work
An employee has been on long-term sick leave with depression. They’re now ready to return and you need to re-integrate them into your workplace. What should you do initially and is there any external help available?
UNFAIR DISMISSAL - 09.02.2012
Unfair dismissal changes on April 6 2012
On April 6 2012, the qualifying period for unfair dismissal rights will increase from one to two years. Does this change apply to your existing employees, or only those who are recruited on and after this date?
RECRUITMENT - 09.02.2012
“Hey, why not check out my Facebook page?”
Apparently, many younger job applicants are now putting links to their social media profiles, on sites such as Facebook, into their CVs. But just because they’ve told you how to find them online, is it OK to check them out?
DISCRIMINATION - 09.02.2012
Marriage discrimination: we dislike your spouse
Allegations of discrimination on the grounds of “marital status” rarely appear in tribunal claims. However, when the Employment Appeal Tribunal dealt with such a case recently it widened the rules. What do you need to know?
PARENTAL LEAVE - 09.02.2012
Parental leave extension delayed
The government recently opted to delay the planned extension to parental leave rights. So could this one be a “dead duck”, or will it eventually change?
DISCIPLINARY PROCEEDINGS - 09.02.2012
Same offence: different (disciplinary) sanctions?
In a recent case, the employer had imposed wildly different sanctions on two employees who had committed similar disciplinary offences - it dismissed one for gross misconduct but not the other. So was that an unfair dismissal?
BAD DEBT - 09.02.2012
The dos and don’ts of claiming bad debt relief
If a customer doesn’t pay, you can claim the unpaid VAT back from the VATman as bad debt relief. But what key elements of the scheme must you get right to ensure you don’t miss out?
HMRC - 09.02.2012
E-mail the VATman!
The VATman has, at last, agreed to accept e-mails, but only for certain queries. What are the drawbacks and advantages to using this service?
OUTPUT TAX - PURCHASE INVOICES - 09.02.2012
Issue your own purchase invoices
Did you know that issuing your own purchase invoices, known as self-billing, is available to all businesses providing you’ve agreed it with your suppliers? What might be the benefits?
HMRC - 09.02.2012
How to keep up-to-date?
VAT is complex enough but to make matters worse the VATman is always changing the rules. So how can you keep up-to-date with the important changes and avoid costly mistakes?
CASH ACCOUNTING - 09.02.2012
Leaving cash accounting?
It’s widely accepted that the cash accounting scheme is good for small businesses. However, there are pitfalls to be wary of when leaving the scheme because turnover exceeds the limits. How can you play it safe?
REGISTRATION - 09.02.2012
Joint venture? Get the VAT right
It’s quite common for businesses and individuals to come together in schemes to make money - they are known as joint ventures. But what does the VATman make of them?
NATIONAL INSURANCE - 08.02.2012
Takers for NI holiday wanted!
Recent statistics show that new businesses aren’t taking advantage of the government’s National nsurance holiday scheme. Is your company missing out?
HMRC PRACTICE - 08.02.2012
Alternative dispute resolution - where are we now?
Early last year the Taxman tried out alternative dispute resolution (ADR) to settle disputes with businesses. It appears to have been a success and he’s now giving it an extended trial, but when and how can it be used?
GIFTS - 08.02.2012
Tax savings for the gift of shares
A recent high profile case is likely to see a fraudster locked up for creating a tax evasion scheme linked to charitable gifts of shares. This scheme was dishonest, but is the genuine version on which it was based worth considering?
VAT - 08.02.2012
VAT trouble with business property rents
One of our subscribers, who runs a VAT-exempt business, is relocating, mainly to avoid paying VAT on rent. He’s been lumbered with a VAT charge on the deposit received back from his existing landlord. Is there a way he can recover this?
CAPITAL ALLOWANCES - 08.02.2012
How to get extra AIA for the cost of equipment
In April the annual investment allowance (AIA) for the cost of equipment will be slashed from £100,000 to just £25,000. But if your company intends to spend more than this, there’s a nifty and legitimate way to claim more AIA.
EXPENSES - 08.02.2012
Tax deductions for buying a franchise
Whether you’re aiming to expand or are just starting out, buying into a tried and tested business model through a franchise can improve your chances of success. But will the Taxman allow you a deduction for your investment?
PENSIONS - 03.02.2012
Will the end of contracting out reduce your pension?
This year will see major changes to the pension system for you and your employees. The first of these is the end of contracting out of the state pension for most workers. How will this affect your company, its directors and employees?
DIRECTORS’ LIABILITY - 03.02.2012
An authorised officer on your doorstep
With the government clamping down on benefit fraud, visits to employers from Jobcentre investigators are likely to be more common. What are your rights and obligations as a director when one comes calling?
PROFIT EXTRACTION - 03.02.2012
New year means new dividend strategy
In the last Autumn Statement the Chancellor confirmed that from April tax-free allowances will rise, but the point at which higher rate tax kicks in will be lower. What changes to your salary and dividends are needed to stay tax and NI efficient?
