2012 -
March
ENFORCEMENT - 26.03.2012
Enforcement Management Model
When an inspector identifies that you’re doing things wrong, how do they decide what level of action to take? And is there anything that you can do to influence their response?
GAS SAFETY - 26.03.2012
Do you need to install a carbon monoxide alarm?
You’ve heard that because you have gas appliances, including boilers and a central heating system, you’re under a legal duty to install carbon monoxide (CO) detectors. Is this really the case?
FIRE SAFETY - 26.03.2012
Who does what in the event of an emergency?
So you’ve drawn up your fire emergency plans and given people roles to undertake should a fire break out on your premises. But in the panic, how do you identify who does what?
WORKING AT HEIGHT - 26.03.2012
Considering weather conditions
When devising a safe system for working at height you must take into account the weather conditions and plan for these accordingly. A company that didn’t, ended up in court. What happened?
ENFORCEMENT - 26.03.2012
New regime delayed
Over recent months, the HSE has made it clear that it will start charging for its inspectors’ time. What’s the latest?
COMMUNICATION - 26.03.2012
Get talking to your staff on safety
The HSE has launched a new campaign: “Do Your Bit”. Its aim is to encourage greater communication between staff and managers on health and safety issues. Is this something that you should take notice of?
H&S MANAGEMENT - 26.03.2012
The manager’s accident was his fault
A recent court case examined who was to blame when the manager of a tyre-fitting outlet was injured at work. It concluded that the manager was the “author of his own accident”. Can you learn anything from this?
PROFIT EXTRACTION - 20.03.2012
Can salary be more tax-efficient than dividends?
Dividends are usually the most tax-efficient way to take income from your company, but not always. In what situations should you think about taking salary or a bonus instead?
VAT - 20.03.2012
Reclaiming VAT on relocation expenses
You’ve heard about the income tax exemption for relocation expenses paid to directors and employees. But where do you stand with the Taxman when it comes to the VAT paid on these?
BENEFITS - 20.03.2012
Vouchers offer tax savings and more
You’ve heard there are tax, NI and other advantages to giving your employees vouchers instead of other types of benefit-in-kind. What are these and what are the tax and NI breaks?
INVESTMENTS - 20.03.2012
Escaping your (investment) bonds tax efficiently
Investment bonds can be very tax-efficient, especially for higher rate and older investors. But if you need some of your money back quickly you could land yourself in the “partial surrender” tax trap. How can you avoid this?
INHERITANCE TAX - 20.03.2012
IHT and non-trading assets in your company?
Business property relief (BPR) can reduce the IHT on your company shares to nil. But if you have cash tied up in the business, this tax break can be restricted. What steps can you take to ensure you get the full relief?
PAYE - 20.03.2012
New procedure for post-P45 payments
You’ve heard there have been some changes to the rules on payments made to former employees. What are these changes and what is the position now regarding tax and NI deductions?
TRIBUNALS - 20.03.2012
Will a tax appeal cost you?
A recent decision confirms that in some cases the First-Tier Tribunal can order the Taxman to cover the costs of your appeal. What’s the full story?
DIRECTORS’ TAX - 20.03.2012
Avoiding tax on directors’ loan accounts
With the financial year-end for many companies approaching, directors need to keep an eye on the ins and outs of their company loan accounts. What steps can you take to ensure your company isn’t taxed on money it’s lent you?
PROFESSIONAL SERVICES - 20.03.2012
Could a “virtual” receptionist be the answer(phone)?
Many businesses divert calls to voicemail during peak periods. However, research shows that at least 80% of callers will hang up if they hear a recorded message. Could a “virtual” receptionist be the answer?
INSURANCE - 20.03.2012
Insurance - does your company need cover?
As a director it’s your responsibilty to ensure that your company meets its legal obligations including having the right insurance cover. If you’re setting up a company from scratch, what policies must you have from the start?
EXPENSES - 20.03.2012
Tax-efficient entertainment
Business entertaining is a tried and tested way to attract new customers or keep the existing ones loyal, but you won’t usually get tax relief for the cost. So is there a tax-efficient way to do it?
DIRECTORS’ LIABILITY - 20.03.2012
Post-termination criminal investigations: who pays?
When a director leaves under a compromise agreement, the company usually agrees to pay their “reasonable legal costs” if they are later required to defend any legal proceedings. But does this indemnity extend to a criminal investigation?
PERSONNEL - 20.03.2012
Poor performance: watch what you say!
When an employee is under-performing, a director often has to tackle the problem. But, as a recent case shows, a misplaced personal comment about age can easily land a company in hot water. So what do you need to know?
COST CUTTING - 20.03.2012
Are you saving on legal fees?
Apparently, 60% of companies would rather tackle their own legal issues than incur a hefty solicitor’s bill. But these costs can be driven down; how?
WORKPLACE - 19.03.2012
Do children visit your premises?
Your business isn’t one whose services are aimed at children, but they often come into the building with their parents. What precautions do you need to take to ensure their safety?
SAFE USE OF MACHINERY - TRAINING - 19.03.2012
Abrasive wheel training
You have a set of grinding wheels which are used occasionally. You’ve heard that there are various specific requirements relating to displaying posters and training that you must meet. What’s needed?
POLICIES & RECORDS - RISK ASSESSMENT - SCISSOR LIFTS - 19.03.2012
Working from a scissor lift
If your staff work from a scissor lift then why not use our new sample risk assessment - use of a scissor lift document, to identify the safe systems of work that should be followed?
FIRE SAFETY - 19.03.2012
How many emergency lights and call points?
It’s become apparent that many businesses are still being sold emergency light fittings and complex fire alarm systems that they simply don’t need. Why is this happening and how can you avoid following suit?
ACCIDENT REPORTING - 19.03.2012
Reporting accidents to members of the public
You’ve heard that if a member of the public has to be taken to hospital from your premises, you have to report it under RIDDOR. Is it true and will this change under the amended regulations?
GAS - 19.03.2012
Is checking your gas engineer’s card enough?
Some recent prosecutions for illegal gas work highlight that a quick check of an engineer’s registration card may not be enough to avoid rogue traders. What’s to know?
FIRST AID - 19.03.2012
Have you bought new kits?
According to some suppliers, first aid kits which are not British Standard BS-8599 compliant are now illegal. Is this really the case?
PERSONAL WEBSITE - SITE DESIGN - 15.03.2012
Tips for your “mobile” website
Websites are more and more frequently viewed on smartphones. Still, lots of sites are not yet adapted to these small screens. How do you ensure that your business site is perfectly legible on a smartphone?
WEB SERVICES - ONLINE COLLABORATION - 15.03.2012
Sharing large files… without MegaUpload
If you used to turn to MegaUpload for sharing very large files with others, you will have to look elsewhere. Which services are still active and what exactly do they have to offer?
ENTERTAINMENT - MUSIC - 15.03.2012
iTunes Match: something for you?
At the end of last year, iTunes Match was launched in the US, and now this service is available over here as well. What does it do and to what extent is it useful?
COMPUTER - PRINTER - 15.03.2012
Remote printing via the Internet?
The new Google Cloud Print service claims that you will be able to send your print jobs to your local printer remotely and from any device. Sounds promising, but does it work in practice? We did the test.
SECURITY - PRIVACY - 15.03.2012
Plug the privacy holes in your browser
We’ve previously discussed various methods for plugging the “privacy holes” in the Google Chrome browser. Let’s see how you can do this in Internet Explorer, Firefox and Opera.
ONLINE SERVICES - OFFICE - 15.03.2012
Creating diagrams… online
Would you like to create a chart, diagram or graph without having to buy software? It’s possible online, not only in Google Docs but also via other specialised sites. What do they have to offer?
SECURITY - 15.03.2012
Tools for safer computer use
“Computer safety” is a term that covers a number of meanings. We’ve taken a look at a couple of free tools which both try to make your computer usage safer.
WEB SERVICES - ONLINE STORAGE - 15.03.2012
Handy extensions for Dropbox
You’re probably using Dropbox, a handy tool for storing files online and synchronising them between different devices. What services let you make Dropbox even more versatile?
E-MAIL - WEBMAIL - 15.03.2012
Beef up your Gmail account
The popular Gmail service has been revamped once again. By making optimal use of various new features and labs, you can make your Gmail account even more versatile.
INTERNET CONNECTION - MOBILE - 15.03.2012
Avoid unexpected mobile data costs
Smartphone users want to be able to go online anytime and anywhere. However, to avoid unexpected data costs, it’s best to keep an eye on your data use.
BUSINESS - MISCELLANEOUS - 15.03.2012
Innovation today and tomorrow
Demand for the Raspberry Pi has been extraordinary; in the long-term it could lead to a breakthrough in innovation in the UK, but what about now?
BUSINESS - MISCELLANEOUS - 12.03.2012
Looking for work-life balance
A recent article argued that the younger generation tend to blur the barriers between work and home; but don’t families still see work-life balance as a problem?
ENTERTAINMENT - TELEVISION - 12.03.2012
Films and videos on your TV
Do you want to watch films streamed on your TV? You can connect your computer to your TV, but an easier solution is to buy a multimedia streamer or device which you connect to your TV. How does this work?
PERSONAL WEBSITE - MISCELLANEOUS - 12.03.2012
Protect your website against spam
Your customers should obviously be able to reach you. A clear mention of your e-mail address on your website is therefore essential. However, this also exposes you to spammers. How can you protect yourself against this?
WEB SERVICES - ONLINE COMMUNITIES - 12.03.2012
The best apps for LinkedIn
LinkedIn is an online community for maintaining and expanding your professional contacts. There are lots of apps for this social network site. Which ones should you install?
BUSINESS - ENTREPRENEURSHIP - 12.03.2012
Doing business abroad
Do you wish to launch a branch of your business abroad? Of do you have plans for exporting your products? Which websites provide practical information about specific countries?
SOFTWARE - BROWSER - 12.03.2012
Apps… for your browser
It only takes one click to install apps on smartphones, tablets and Mac computers. But how about browsers? A while ago Google Chrome launched its Chrome Web Store where you can find apps for your browser. How useful are they?
EDUCATION - TEXTBOOKS - 12.03.2012
Interactive textbooks for the iPad
Apple has extended its iBooks app by means of textbooks containing interactive diagrams, photos, videos and even 3D images. And the free Mac application iBooks Author lets you create your own textbooks. Here’s the lowdown.
NEWS - NEWS SITES - 12.03.2012
The latest news viewed differently
You probably have several favourite news sources, but at times alternative news sites are launched. They typically aim at a “different” presentation of the news. To what extent do they succeed?
E-MAIL - WEBMAIL - 12.03.2012
Alternative webmail services
There are excellent alternatives for the “big three” webmail services: Gmail, Hotmail and Yahoo! Mail. Which “underdogs” are worth giving a try? Here are three contenders.
WEB SERVICES - ONLINE COLLABORATION - 12.03.2012
CX.com: the successor to Dropbox?
Dropbox is probably the most popular cloud storage service around. However, similar services are cropping up all the time. A new variant is CX.com. Is it better than Dropbox?
WEB SERVICES - ONLINE COLLABORATION - 12.03.2012
Professional and efficient online meetings…
It can come in handy to share presentations, documents or your entire screen or desktop via the Internet with your colleagues, customers or even your family or friends. Which services make this possible?
EMPLOYERS’ LIABILITY - 07.03.2012
Violent employees - when are you liable?
An employer can be liable for an employee’s actions during the course of their employment. But how far does this liability extend where violence is involved? The Court of Appeal has just looked at this issue. What’s the latest?
RECRUITMENT - 07.03.2012
Thinking of making a job offer? Sleep on it!
When recruiting for a post, some employers don’t hang around - they make a verbal job offer straight after the final interview has been concluded. But this can be a risky move. Why and what’s the much safer approach?
SICKNESS ABSENCE - 07.03.2012
Long-term sick but no contact
A few months ago, one of your employees was signed off on long-term sickness absence. Since then, despite various efforts on your part, you’ve not heard anything from them. So is disciplinary action now a real option here?
COMPROMISE AGREEMENTS - 07.03.2012
Compromise agreements: you’re safe again!
When the Equality Act 2010 came into force some legal experts claimed that it rendered compromise agreements “useless”. We told you not to panic as it was almost certainly an “unintentional drafting error”. So who was right?
REDUNDANCY - 07.03.2012
Redundancy warning: is it a constructive dismissal?
You’ve informally advised an employee that there’s a risk of redundancy at some point in the future, although this is by no means certain. Could it give them grounds to launch a constructive dismissal claim?
DISCRIMINATION - 07.03.2012
Personal thoughts or discriminatory comments?
Usually, it’s unacceptable verbal comments that trigger a discrimination claim. However, as a recent case shows, personal thoughts committed to writing can catch employers out too. What do you need to know?
PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT - 07.03.2012
Is employee wellbeing your problem?
A recent survey suggests that a third of employers “don’t care” about their employees’ wellbeing. But is this issue really your problem?
SPREADSHEETS - 06.03.2012
Decluttering your spreadsheets
The new sales director wants you to show more detail in the management accounts about income streams. However, the MD likes to keep things simple. Is there a way to satisfy both without using two spreadsheets?
PAYROLL - 06.03.2012
Reclaiming sick pay
A large number of employees have been off sick with ‘flu. Finding the money for temporary cover as well as having to pay them while they’re off has made a significant dent in your cash flow. Is it possible to claim back any of this sick pay?
CREDIT CONTROL - 06.03.2012
Creditworthiness not credit ratings
The board has decided to change one of its key suppliers. As part of the process the company had to complete an “application for credit”. Is this something you should be doing for your new customers?
PERSONNEL - 06.03.2012
That Thursday and Friday feeling...
Apparently, more and more workers are taking to the town on a Thursday night (rather than a Friday). Is this costing you in lost productivity and staff absences? If so, what can you do about it?
COST CUTTING BUSINESSES - 06.03.2012
Get someone to cut for you?
With a number of cost reduction companies emerging over recent years, all claiming to be able to save businesses money in a range of different areas, are these claims too good to be true?
CARS - 06.03.2012
Low emissions drive down costs
It’s well known that low emission cars can have a range of cost benefits, such as greater economy, lower road tax etc. However, might you save tax on a low emission vehicle too?
UTILITIES - 06.03.2012
Timing energy usage
Every business is trying to use less energy - whether to help protect the environment or (more likely) to save money. But how about being paid to use less? What’s the deal?
FOREIGN TRANSACTIONS - 06.03.2012
Protecting your company against Euro problems
The Euro has been in the danger zone for some time as the politicians continue to debate what to do. In the meantime, is there anything you should be doing to protect your company?
REPORTING - 06.03.2012
Information for your HR manager
To be really effective, the manager responsible for personnel or HR will need you to provide some specific people-related information. What sort of data should you give them?
RAISING FINANCE - 06.03.2012
Borrowing from your suppliers
You’re at the limit of your company’s bank overdraft, can’t access further funding, but need more credit temporarily. Without abusing your agreed terms with suppliers, how can you persuade them to help you?
CAPITAL EXPENDITURE - 06.03.2012
Plans for new equipment?
On April 1, the amount of tax relief your company can claim on new equipment purchases will significantly reduce. What does this mean for you?
PERSONNEL - 06.03.2012
Make your company’s rules work for you
Every company needs robust policies and procedures for its personnel. At the same time, the directors won’t want to risk getting bogged down with unnecessary rules. So how can they achieve this goal with the minimum of fuss?
CONTRACTS - 06.03.2012
“Consent not to be unreasonably withheld”
Many commercial contracts state that, if it is required, a party’s consent is “not to be unreasonably withheld”. But, in the event it’s sought, to what extent must you take the other party’s circumstances into account?
COMPANIES HOUSE - 06.03.2012
Successful appeals against Companies House penalties
Companies House (CH) late filing penalties are notoriously difficult to get overturned. So where do you stand if, through no fault of your own, your company’s accounts arrive late?
BUSINESS ANGELS - 06.03.2012
Social lending: those willing to invest are online
As an alternative to mainstream financial institutions, small and medium-sized companies are being offered the opportunity to secure investment via “crowd funding”. So if you need a cash injection, is it an option worth considering?
FINANCE - 06.03.2012
EIS tax incentives for family company
Your company needs a cash injection to expand and you think the generous tax breaks offered by the enterprise investment scheme (EIS) might entice one or two of your family members to invest. But which relatives can take advantage?
IT - 06.03.2012
Is your data back-up effective?
Recently, a company’s offices went up in smoke taking with it their computers and all the data stored on them. Because of good IT planning the company was up and running again in a few days. What tips can you take from their experience?
PAYE - 06.03.2012
Directors liable for security payments
From April the Taxman will have the power to demand a PAYE security deposit from companies or directors. What is this and could you be affected?
VAT RETURNS - 05.03.2012
Simplifying Intrastat?
The Intrastat system is complex and administratively burdensome on businesses, despite several attempts to make it simpler. So what exactly do you need to do with it?
PARTIAL EXEMPTION - 05.03.2012
VATman overrides PE claim
If the VATman thinks you’ve over-claimed VAT using the partial exemption standard method, he can impose the standard method override to reduce your claim. What’s to know?
PAYMENTS - 05.03.2012
Do you pay VAT monthly?
You’ve heard that large businesses come under the “payments on account scheme” and as such, have to pay their VAT bills on a monthly basis. Who does it affect and how does it work?
HMRC - 05.03.2012
When the VATman gets it wrong
Unsurprisingly, there are times when the VATman gives wrong advice. If it benefits your position, can you rely on this advice and what do you need to do to prove what you’d been told?
PROPERTY - 05.03.2012
VAT on property-related payments?
Property businesses receive many different payments, some are taxable, some exempt and some outside the scope altogether. So what’s what as far as the VATman is concerned?
DISPUTE RESOLUTION - 05.03.2012
Pilot scheme extended
The VATman is extending a pilot scheme that’s intended to help resolve disputes before they reach tribunal. Worth considering?
