All Domains

2012 - May

NATIONAL INSURANCE - 31.05.2012

Special NI treatment scrapped for some


INHERITANCE TAX - 31.05.2012

Shifting value in the family company

Your company’s main shareholder is retiring. While he no longer needs dividends from the business, he wants to keep his shares so that he retains control. How can you achieve this without running into Inheritance Tax (IHT) problems?

CARS - 31.05.2012

Company cars - which contribution method saves most?

You can reduce the tax payable on company cars by contributing to either the cost of the vehicle or the running expenses. But which of these methods will save you the most in tax and NI?

LOANS - 31.05.2012

Business loans - can the Taxman refuse a deduction?

Where you take out a loan to inject money into your company, you can claim a tax deduction for the interest you pay. But if there are other shareholders, in some cases you might not get tax relief. When does this trap apply and can you avoid it?

PROFIT EXTRACTION - 31.05.2012

Choosing between income tax and CGT savings

Where you personally own your company’s trading premises, charging it rent can give you a tax-efficient income. However, this could mean losing out on entrepreneurs’ relief (ER) when it’s sold. How do you choose between the two?

TRAVEL - 31.05.2012

Is cheap travel a tax-free benefit?

With petrol prices sky high, public transport might be a cheaper option for certain business journeys, especially with a discount card. But what will the tax position be where this also entitles you to cut-price tickets for private travel?

EMPLOYMENT STATUS - 31.05.2012

Why did the Taxman insist a worker was self-employed?

The tribunal recently considered whether or not a builder was an employee of the client he worked for. What was the outcome and how might this help you in a dispute with the Taxman over a worker’s employment status?

VAT - 31.05.2012

Are you paying too much VAT on fuel?

The Taxman has incorrectly applied the law which says how much VAT is payable where businesses pay for fuel used for private mileage. What’s the full story?

OUTPUT VAT - POSTAGE - 29.05.2012

VAT on postage and delivery charges?

When you buy stamps from the Post Office they are VAT-free. Surely this means that if you recharge your postage costs to customers you don’t have to charge them VAT?

PROPERTY - 29.05.2012

Disapplying the option to tax?

You may decide to opt to tax a commercial property so that you can recover the VAT on your costs. However, there are certain circumstances in which the option can be “disapplied” and you can’t reclaim the VAT. What are they?

OVERSEAS VAT - 29.05.2012

Internet and mail order sales to the EU

Sales over the Internet to customers in other EU member states could result in you having to register for VAT overseas. What are the registration limits and how do you keep track of your liabilities?

VAT RATES - 29.05.2012

VATman gone green

The VATman isn’t normally considered to be a champion of green issues, but he does allow a number of supplies to be at the reduced rate - what are they and how can you benefit?

REGISTRATION - 29.05.2012

Can you have more than one VAT registration?

One of our subscribers runs a successful business but wants to start a second one with his brother who already runs his own company. They want to defer VAT registration for as long as possible, but what will the Taxman say about this?

REGISTRATION - 29.05.2012

Overseas business registration

The VATman has announced new rules requiring overseas businesses to register for VAT from later this year. What’s the story?

DIRECTORS’ BENEFITS - 25.05.2012

Using your company’s resources for personal benefit

If business is slow and your staff have time on their hands, you could use them to do personal work for you. But what steps should you take to ensure maximum tax efficiency for you and your company?

LEGISLATION - 25.05.2012

Sunday trading laws relaxed


COMPANIES HOUSE - 25.05.2012

Companies House London has moved!


PERSONNEL - 25.05.2012

Overnight business trips: (un)acceptable behaviour

Many employees go away on overnight business trips. Whilst some may choose to relax over a drink or two in the evening, what if this gets out of hand? Could the directors use an incident of drunken behaviour to justify dismissal?

LANDLORD AND TENANT - 25.05.2012

Break clauses and landlords’ tricks

As directors, you want to bring the company’s commercial tenancy to an end by exercising the break clause in its lease. You’ve heard that a minor “oversight” could render the termination notice invalid. So what must you not miss?

RAISING FINANCE - 25.05.2012

Invoice financing - can it work for your company?

You’ve recently seen one of the major banks advertising “invoice financing” as a way to improve cash flow for your business. What is this, and is it something worth considering for your company?

DIRECTORS’ LIABILITY - 25.05.2012

The Bribery Act: is £100 per head “lavish”?

According to new research, 58% of managers take the view that a corporate hospitality spend of £100 per person is “lavish”. If this is true should the directors set a lower limit to avoid falling foul of the Bribery Act 2010?

INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY - 25.05.2012

Should your company have trademark protection?

When you formed your company its name was registered with Companies House and automatically protected by law. But if your product or brand is unique or vital to your business, how do you go about protecting it?

PROFIT EXTRACTION - 25.05.2012

New IR35 guidance

The Taxman has issued new tougher guidance for directors who provide services through their company. Are you now more at risk of being caught by IR35?

LEISURE - TRAVEL - 25.05.2012

Hotel price drops? The difference refunded!


ENTERTAINMENT - MUSIC - 25.05.2012

How to record online music


ENTERTAINMENT - BOOKS - 25.05.2012

Listen to a book

People are using computers, tablets and smartphones increasingly for listening to music. However, audiobooks are becoming more and more popular. Here’s an update on what’s out there.

WEB SERVICES - MISCELLANEOUS - 25.05.2012

Guiding others through interesting webpages

Do your customers or colleagues sometimes lose their way on the World Wide Web? You can be their guide. Let’s start with four real-life scenarios and look for solutions.

SECURITY - WEB FILTERING - 25.05.2012

Blocking sites via an alternative DNS server

By using dedicated security software and applying the correct browser settings, you can deny users access to particular sites. However, you can also do so by means of an alternative DNS server. How?

ENTERTAINMENT - VIDEO - 25.05.2012

YouTube… for advanced users

Do you like watching YouTube videos, like millions of others? Here are some simple tips and tricks for enhancing your video experience and adapting it to your preferences.

WEB SERVICES - ONLINE COMMUNITIES - 25.05.2012

Keep in touch with your customers

More and more businesses rely on social networks for keeping in touch with their customers. How can you manage all their questions, comments and any complaints?

SOFTWARE - GRAPHICAL - 25.05.2012

Renting software: a good idea?

First there was locally installed software, then cloud tools entered the scene and now you can also rent programs via services such as Adobe’s Creative Cloud. Is it something for you?

SECURITY - ENCRYPTION - 25.05.2012

Send files securely

Sending a file via e-mail is fast and easy. However, e-mail is not encrypted and therefore not really safe. How can you send sensitive or confidential files to others safely?

E-MAIL - WEBMAIL - 25.05.2012

Webmail on your iPad

People are performing more and more daily tasks on their iPad instead of their laptop or desktop computer. How can you efficiently use webmail addresses on an iPad?

WEB SERVICES - ONLINE STORAGE SPACE - 25.05.2012

The war of the cloud drives

With the advent of Google Drive, the choice of online storage space has become even wider. So what distinguishes the most popular cloud drives and which online storage space comes out on top?

TRANSPORT - MISCELLANEOUS - 25.05.2012

Taking the train

The train network in the UK can be a bit of a nightmare. We examine ways of finding information and saving money if you decide to take the train.

WEB SERVICES - ONLINE STORAGE SPACE - 25.05.2012

Compared: Google Drive, Skydrive and Dropbox

Google Drive has finally been launched and both SkyDrive and Dropbox have been revamped. We look at the improvements in Skydrive and Dropbox and the options offered by newcomer Google Drive.

SAFE USE OF MACHINERY - 25.05.2012

An inspection that could have been avoided

Now that the freezing temperatures are behind you it’s a good time to make a check on the condition of any roof safety systems. As a subscriber recently found out, not doing so could be more than inconvenient. What’s to know?

SAFE USE OF MACHINERY - 25.05.2012

To PAT or not to PAT?

The HSE has published yet more guidance on maintaining portable electric equipment in low-risk environments. Does this clear up any confusion?

CONSTRUCTION - 25.05.2012

A lack of competent site managers

HSE inspectors recently had a field day on a construction site which was being run by Unicorn Services Limited (USL). What did they find and what actions were required to put things right?

COMMUNICATION - 25.05.2012

Do your staff know your safety systems?

A recent survey has identified the level of awareness that some staff have with regard to the health and safety procedures at their workplace. Were the results good or bad?

ASBESTOS - 25.05.2012

Asbestos essentials


CONSTRUCTION - 25.05.2012

Something to look at here

In recent months, HSE inspectors have been targeting sites which are surrounded by scaffolding. Why are they doing this and what can you do to prevent them from wanting to take a look at your premises?

OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH - 25.05.2012

It’s a bit too warm in here

Your staff work in areas that can become pretty warm, such as attic spaces, and the problem gets much worse in the summer. Is it just a matter of discomfort or are there any real risks which you need to consider?

FIRE SUPPRESSION - 25.05.2012

Are sprinklers required in all new builds?

You’ve heard that sprinklers are required on a widespread basis for new buildings and conversions in both the domestic and commercial sectors. What’s the story?

ENFORCEMENT - 24.05.2012

Pay back profits made illegally


COMPETENT ADVICE - 24.05.2012

Need a consultant? Who can you trust?


ENERGY RATINGS - 24.05.2012

Landlords need to take action

According to the British Property Federation, landlords need to make energy-saving improvements soon, otherwise they won’t be able to rent their properties from April 2018. Is this really the case?

HEATING - 24.05.2012

Free biomass boilers available

A number of suppliers are offering businesses a free energy-saving biomass boiler. How does the deal work, and is this something that you should consider taking advantage of?

BIODIVERSITY - 24.05.2012

Offset biodiversity loss

The government has just launched a pilot scheme to establish what biodiversity offsets might look like. What are these, how will they work and why might you want to consider getting involved?

FLY-TIPPING - 24.05.2012

Dumping toxic chemicals

A businessman has been jailed after he was found guilty of numerous serious waste offences, notably dumping 11,000 litres of cancer-causing chemical waste near to the Ribble Estuary. What can be learned from this case?

TAX - 24.05.2012

Incentives to green your car fleet

The recent Budget set out how changes coming in 2014 will encourage further greening of your car fleets, including keeping company car tax liability and employers’ Class 1A National Insurance contributions in check. What’s to know?

GREEN DEAL - 24.05.2012

Green Deal delayed

The much talked about Green Deal will be delayed for the non-domestic buildings market, despite the scheme being launched for households this October. What’s prompted the delay and when will businesses get a look-in?

CARBON NEUTRAL - 24.05.2012

Cut the carbon

Although the number of companies making “carbon neutral” claims has decreased, Microsoft has bucked the trend. So should you follow suit?

DATA PROTECTION - 24.05.2012

Q&A - can we use photos of employees?


PAYROLL - 24.05.2012

The P60 deadline is looming


APPRAISALS - 24.05.2012

Employees: prepare for your appraisals!

No matter how much effort you put into creating a robust appraisal system, you won’t reap the benefits if your staff have the wrong attitude to the process. So what expectations should you set from the start?

RELIGIOUS DISCRIMINATION - 24.05.2012

“I’m a Christian and I won’t work on Sundays!”

In a recent case, a Christian employee alleged her employer’s requirement that she work on Sundays amounted to religious discrimination. But what was the tribunal’s view on the conflict between her faith and the business’ needs?

RETIREMENT - 24.05.2012

Forced retirement at 65 (again)?

Following a recent ruling by the Supreme Court, it’s been suggested that employers can now safely force employees to retire at 65. Is this really true?

PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT - 24.05.2012

Body odour: the (in)sensitive problem

Several staff have complained about a colleague who has developed a body odour problem. It’s been suggested that a can of deodorant is left on their desk one night. Why is this a bad idea and what should you do instead?

RIGHT TO SEARCH - 24.05.2012

Workplace thefts - don’t be the butt of their joke

Most workplace thefts involve low-value, practical items - for some reason toilet rolls are a particular favourite! Over time though, the financial losses can easily rack up. So what can you do to prevent this type of activity?

HARASSMENT - 24.05.2012

Harassment: how (not) to treat your employees

You have a legal duty to protect all employees from harassment. This extends to any third parties they come into contact with, such as visitors and clients. So how can you spell out that bad behaviour won’t be tolerated?

BANK HOLIDAYS - 24.05.2012

June 4 and 5 - employee rights

To celebrate the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee, June 4 and 5 are bank holidays. Many employees have assumed they are automatically entitled to take both days off - but that’s not necessarily the case. What’s the legal position?

SOFTWARE - OFFICE - 18.05.2012

Online data in Excel

Suppose you use Microsoft Excel for monitoring your investment portfolio or for drawing up pricelists. Normally speaking, you will enter all this data manually. Did you know that you can also establish a link with the Internet?

LEISURE - MUSIC - 18.05.2012

Playing music in the cloud

Music has come a long way on the Internet. First came the MP3s, followed by streaming music sites, and now there are “cloud music players”. What do these new services have to offer?

SECURITY - PRIVACY - 18.05.2012

How to definitively erase data

Suppose you delete a couple of files, open the recycle bin and remove the files there as well, for safety’s sake. Well, it may come as a surprise, but this data is still present on your hard disk! How can you delete them definitively?

WEB SERVICES - ONLINE COLLABORATION - 18.05.2012

Visualise your ideas

Skype is an excellent tool for organising web meetings without any hassle and it’s free. The iDroo plug-in allows you to visualise your ideas. Could this be useful for you?

E-MAIL - E-MAIL USE - 18.05.2012

Spring cleaning your mailbox

Normally speaking, you will be working on recently received e-mail messages and ones that are a few months old. Don’t let the really old messages sit in your mailbox too long. What is the best way to archive them?

SOFTWARE - APPS - 18.05.2012

Your apps for free (or almost)

Most smartphone apps are very cheap, but you can always find them cheaper. Prices are frequently reduced or they are temporarily given away. How do you find these bargains? Here are some tips.

SOFTWARE - MUSIC - 18.05.2012

Managing your music with MusicBee

Most people use Windows Media Player or iTunes for managing their music collections. The free MusicBee is a good alternative though. What does this program have to offer?

LEISURE - COOKING - 18.05.2012

Your online chef

Cooking is in vogue, witness the success of cookbooks and television programmes such as Masterchef. Not surprisingly, the Web is also crawling with recipe sites. We looked for some good sites for specific situations.

BUSINESS - WEB SERVICES - 18.05.2012

A mobile textbook or presentation


PERSONAL WEBSITE - WEBSITE DESIGN - 18.05.2012

Make your website more legible

Proper colours, user-friendly navigation, good text, quality images: they all contribute to the success of your website. But the legibility of the characters is also of major importance. Google Web Fonts can help you.

NEWS SITES - 18.05.2012

Checking the news

The ITV news site has been revamped in an attempt to get some more visitors. We take the opportunity to check out the various web-based UK alternatives.

E-MAIL - E-MAIL USE - 18.05.2012

Lost attachments?


LEISURE - PHOTOGRAPHY - 18.05.2012

Alternatives for Instagram

Facebook recently bought the hugely popular photography app Instagram. Fortunately, if you’re not really into Facebook, there are several alternatives. Here are some good examples.

DIRECTORS’ LIABILITY - 18.05.2012

The “right” cookies or a £500k fine!

From May 25 2012, all website owners must comply with the new “cookies” law. If not, they risk a £500,000 fine. So what action should the directors take?

PERSONNEL - 18.05.2012

A resignation: but when is it effective from?

Suppose that an employee submits their written resignation and addresses it to the director they report to personally. However, that individual is on holiday and doesn’t see it for a week. When does the resignation take effect?

DIRECTORS’ BENEFITS - 18.05.2012

Turning back the clock on company car tax

The 2011/12 tax year has ended and the P11D forms must soon be submitted. But if in doing so you realise the company car that seemed like a good idea four years ago is now costing you a fortune in tax, what can you do about it?

COMPANY LAW - 18.05.2012

Challenging a director’s remuneration

There are moves afoot to put the remuneration of directors of PLCs under the public microscope. But what steps can you take as a minority shareholder of a private company if you want to challenge your co-director’s salary package?

DIRECTORS’ PAY - 18.05.2012

Avoiding tax on goodwill pay

One of your company’s directors is moving on to pastures new. She’s been a valuable asset to the business and you want to say “thanks”. How can you make a goodwill payment to her in a way that won’t trouble the Taxman?

DEBT RECOVERY - 18.05.2012

How to start a court claim

An invoice worth several thousand pounds is still outstanding. The directors all agree it’s now time to get tough on the debtor, but it’s the first time they’ve ever had to resort to the courts. How do they start the claim?

COMPANIES HOUSE - 18.05.2012

New incorporations service


DIRECTORS’ INVESTMENTS - 18.05.2012

Buy-to-lets: new rules on tenancy deposits

Many directors have invested in the buy-to-let market by becoming private landlords. On April 6 2012 changes were made to how they must look after a tenant’s deposit. So if you’re one of them, what do you need to know?

WORKPLACE - 15.05.2012

Where to park a mobility scooter?

You have a member of staff who would like to use a mobility scooter to travel to work and then store it on your premises. Are there any safety and fire issues that you need to consider?

POLICIES & RECORDS - WORKPLACE ENVIRONMENT - 15.05.2012

Workplace comforts

Summer is a time when staff complaints about their working environment seem to reach a peak. To help manage these concerns, you should make your policy on the working environment clear. Our new template will help.

HSE - 15.05.2012

“Keep calm and carry on” at the HSE?

In the last year or so, the HSE has had to deal with significant personnel cuts and demands to reshape health and safety legislation - all whilst maintaining a frontline presence. How might this affect you?

COSHH - 15.05.2012

Can you use paint stripper?

You’ve heard that it won’t be long before certain paint strippers will become illegal. What types of product are affected and what will it mean for businesses which supply or use them?

OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH - 15.05.2012

When is a medical condition work-related?

You’ve been notified by an employee that they have a medical condition. It’s seemingly not work-related, but does that mean you’re free from all liability? What can be learned from a recent case?

FIRE RISK ASSESSMENT - 15.05.2012

“Cut and paste” fire risk assessments

You’ve asked an expert to complete a fire risk assessment. Is it OK to accept what he produces, or might his cut and paste approach backfire?

WORK AT HEIGHT - 15.05.2012

Cherry picker risks

The HSE recently prosecuted a construction firm after a worker fell from a work platform and was dragged 15 metres along the road by a bus. What happened and how could the accident have been prevented?

PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT - 14.05.2012

Free coffee - that’s £300 per employee!


MOBILITY/RELOCATION - 14.05.2012

Q&A - goodwill or a mobility clause?


OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH - 14.05.2012

What is “occupational health case management”?

Whilst many employers tend to favour occupational health advisors (OHAs) over GPs, you still have to do some legwork. So could an “OH case management” service provider be the answer?

MATERNITY - 14.05.2012

Miscarriage and pregnancy loss

As one in five pregnancies end in miscarriage you may have to deal with an employee who has suffered such a loss at some point. But what is she legally entitled to and is there anything else you need to consider?

DEDUCTIONS - 14.05.2012

A wage deduction for each personal call?

Each time you see a particular employee, a mobile phone is glued to their ear and it’s clear the conversation isn’t work-related. As they are focused on personal matters, can you deduct the length of their calls from their pay?

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