2018 -
January
PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT - 29.01.2018
Porn stored and accessed on work PCs
In December 2017 the de facto deputy Prime Minister became embroiled in a scandal over pornographic material stored on work computers. This is more common than you might expect, so what can you do to protect yourself?
BENEFITS - 29.01.2018
Trivial benefits are not so trivial
Apparently, 83% of smaller employers would like to reward their employees regularly but feel that it’s too costly in terms of potential tax and NI contributions. Could “trivial benefits” be the answer?
DISMISSAL - 29.01.2018
What are the potentially fair reasons for dismissal?
If you dismiss an employee who has two years’ continuous service and cannot show that it was for one of the potentially fair reasons, the dismissal will be deemed unfair. But what are the potentially fair reasons?
CONTRACTS - 29.01.2018
The law on employment contracts
It’s often said that employers must issue robust employment contracts by day one of employment. However, whilst this is certainly good practice, it’s not a legal requirement. What does the law actually require you to do?
DISCRIMINATION - 29.01.2018
Medical conditions and perceived discrimination
Let’s suppose that a candidate discloses a medical condition during a job interview. It’s not a disability but if it deteriorates in the future it could become one. As they are non-disabled, can you reject them because of their condition?
GRIEVANCES - 29.01.2018
Raised a grievance then resigned
You’re currently investigating an employee’s grievance. Although you’ve not yet reached a conclusion, they’ve handed you their resignation. Does that mean you can forget about their grievance now?
WORKING TIME - 29.01.2018
Goodbye Working Time Regulations?
According to some media reports, the government intends to tear up the Working Time Regulations 1998 (WTR) the moment the UK leaves the EU. Is this really going to happen post-Brexit?
WORK AT HEIGHT - 29.01.2018
Saved by a harness
Two companies have received fines after a roof repair worker was thrown from the basket of a cherry picker. What caused the accident and how could it have been avoided?
ELECTRICAL SAFETY - 29.01.2018
What electrical checks are needed?
In a recent safety audit you were told that you need to arrange electrical inspections for the equipment in your premises. What exactly is involved and how often is it required?
LEGIONELLA - 29.01.2018
Legionnaires’ disease statistics
Public Health England has published statistics relating to the incidence of Legionnaires’ disease in England and Wales. What does it tell us about patterns and trends and what can you do to reduce the risk?
FIRST AID - 29.01.2018
First aid leaflet revised for 2018
The HSE has updated some of its guidance material that covers first aid at work. What has changed and what should you do with this information?
SLIPS, TRIPS AND FALLS - 29.01.2018
Customers take a tumble
A retail company and contractor have been fined following two separate incidents involving elderly customers. What happened and what should have been done to prevent these accidents?
WORK EXPERIENCE - 29.01.2018
Parents asked to pay for work experience checks
The HSE has stepped in following a disagreement over fees which a school wanted to charge for work experience safety checks. As a result there has been some clarification over the legal requirement. What’s to know?
FIRE SAFETY - 29.01.2018
Public venue had eight locked exits
A stock car venue has been fined for breaching health and safety standards which put its visitors at risk, including leaving fire exits locked. How else did it fall foul of enforcing officers?
TERMINATION PAYMENTS - 24.01.2018
Alignment delayed for a year
Changes to the treatment of termination payments, which will generally make redundancies more expensive, are due to take effect from April 2018. How might a recent announcement help your employer clients?
PROFIT EXTRACTION - 24.01.2018
Planning for the year end with owner managers
With the end of 2017/18 fast approaching, it will be important to review the position of your owner-managed company clients, especially with a cut to the dividend allowance coming in April 2018. What advice can you give?
TAX-EFFICIENT INVESTMENTS - 24.01.2018
How could getting back to nature save tax?
You have a client who is obsessive about tax efficiency. He has told you that he wants to diversify his portfolio with asset-backed investments, but isn’t keen on becoming a landlord. Why might you suggest commercial woodlands as a potential investment?
CORPORATION TAX - 24.01.2018
Can training costs be deducted from profits?
One of your company clients wants to offer training courses for its employees. The client will pay for the courses directly as and when they are booked. Will these costs be deductible in the accounts, and are there any traps or opportunities to watch out for?
NON-RESIDENT TAX - 24.01.2018
Secure split year treatment when leaving the UK
One of your clients has been offered a lucrative job in a country with a very low income tax rate. She will be starting part way through 2018/19 and wants to ensure her income over there doesn’t get taxed in the UK. What do you advise?
PENALTIES - 24.01.2018
Where does the burden of proof lie?
When dealing with appeals to HMRC, it can often feel like you are in an endless exchange with the officer in question. How does a recent Tribunal case serve as a reminder that it is often worth taking things further?
TRANSPORT - 19.01.2018
Numbers are stacking up for electric vehicles
Researchers have concluded that electric vehicles are reportedly less expensive to own and run than petrol or diesel equivalents. So has the time come to make the switch?
ENFORCEMENT - 19.01.2018
Environment Agency putting its prices up
Industries regulated by the Environment Agency (EA) are likely to face larger fees for complying with environmental legislation. What is likely to happen and how can you prepare?
POLLUTION - 19.01.2018
Toilet waste polluted river
A luxury coach company has been fined after it was found to be responsible for the pollution of the River Crane. What happened and could it have been prevented?
FOOD - 19.01.2018
Food waste: sort it out
The government has turned its nose up at the idea of businesses having to separate out their food waste. What’s happened and does this mean that you shouldn’t bother doing this?
POLLUTION - 19.01.2018
Nitrate pollution under spotlight
The House of Commons Environmental Audit Committee is investigating the scale of nitrate pollution and the likely sources. This could change the way it is regulated in the future. What do you need to know?
WASTE - 19.01.2018
Plastics aren’t too popular
The government has put reducing plastic waste at the top of its priority list. What effect is this likely to have and what steps can you take to avoid adding to the problem?
FLOODING - 19.01.2018
Cost of flooding hits record highs
The Environment Agency has calculated that the floods in 2015/16 caused almost £2bn of damage. What can be learned from these findings?
PROPERTY - 19.01.2018
The noose tightens on buy-to-let finance
Phasing in of the restriction for tax relief on finance costs began in 2017/18. The next stage takes effect on 6 April 2018. What do you need to know and how can you minimise the impact?
RAISING FINANCE - 19.01.2018
Are you in time to use SEIS?
You started a company a year ago, but it needs more money to properly get off the ground. A friend suggests that the seed enterprise investment scheme (SEIS) might help attract investors. Who can use it and what’s the time limit?
CAPITAL ALLOWANCES - 19.01.2018
Gifts, capital allowances and tax-free money
One of our subscribers, the sole director shareholder of a company, asked us if she could claim a tax deduction for the new furniture her partner recently bought as a gift for her home office. What’s the answer?
PENSIONS - IHT - 19.01.2018
Inheritance tax on pension savings
You’re approaching pension age but have decided you don’t need the income. You’ll instead leave it to accumulate for a while. However, you’ve been told that this can result in it becoming liable to IHT when you die. Is this correct?
PAYROLL - 19.01.2018
Tax dos and don’ts of employing casual workers
When you employ casual labour for a short period you need to take special care when agreeing and processing their pay. A mistake could leave you on the wrong end of a tax and NI bill. What steps should you take to avoid this?
TRUSTS - 19.01.2018
HMRC’s trust registration debacle
HMRC has made a mess of the new trust registration. It’s had to push back the deadline twice and many trusts still aren’t aware of the new requirements. If you’re involved with a trust what should you be doing?
E-MAIL - E-MAIL USE - 18.01.2018
E-mailing large files update
Transferring very large files via e-mail used to be problematic, but things have changed since the advent of dedicated file-transfer services. What’s the situation in 2018?
WEB SERVICES - E-BOOKS - 18.01.2018
A subscription for your e-books?
In a world of Netflix and Spotify, it is hardly surprising that there are subscription plans for e-books too. How useful are they?
SOFTWARE - VIDEO - 18.01.2018
Editing videos with simple tools
A professional program such as Adobe Premiere lets you edit your homemade videos. However, both its learning curve and its price remain steep. Here are some good freeware alternatives.
SECURITY - PRIVACY - 18.01.2018
Be on your guard against alternative keyboards
On both Android and iOS you can replace the standard keyboard on your smartphone or tablet with an alternative keyboard. How does this work and, more importantly, is this safe?
TELEPHONY - SMARTPHONES - 18.01.2018
Life without a smartphone?
Is becoming less dependent on your smartphone one of your good intentions for 2018? Are you keen that members of your family or your colleagues stare less at their small screens? Here are some tips.
CARS - TRANSPORT - 18.01.2018
Is there life after diesel cars?
Sales of diesels are set to plunge in a car industry full of uncertainty and doubt. What sites and apps can help with future purchasing decisions?
PERSONAL WEBSITE - MISCELLANEOUS - 18.01.2018
Reviews on your website: a good idea?
As you know, you can add a function to your website inviting visitors to review or rate your products or services. This offers various advantages, but there are some disadvantages too.
SMARTPHONE - FILE MANAGEMENT - 18.01.2018
Free up storage space on Android with Files Go
However well you may manage the storage space on your Android smartphone, some extra space can always come in handy. How can Google’s new Files Go app help you?
SOFTWARE - BROWSER - 18.01.2018
Use Firefox more efficiently with these add-ons
There are thousands of useful add-ons for the popular Firefox browser. Here are a couple of good add-ons which help you increase your productivity while surfing the web.
EDUCATION - LANGUAGES - 18.01.2018
Learn languages with the help of real people
Perhaps you do business with foreign customers but you don’t have the time to take an intensive language course? Fortunately, there are language exchange websites which help you get in touch with a suitable language partner.
BUSINESS - WEB SERVICES - 18.01.2018
Google Calendar - project management
Do you use Google Calendar to schedule your professional activities? By combining it with the Ganttify webtool, you can create a fully-fledged project scheduler. How exactly does it work?
PERSONNEL - 15.01.2018
Director fairly removed for expressing an opinion
A non-executive director who was removed from post after he expressed strong personal views to the media has lost his employment tribunal claim for discrimination on the grounds of religion and belief. Why did his claim fail?
TAX - IR35 - 15.01.2018
Public sector contracts - maximising tax deductions
You’ve secured a contract for work with the local council. It says that IR35 applies and so will deduct PAYE tax and NI from what it pays you. How can you minimise the amount it deducts?
TAX - BENEFITS - 15.01.2018
HMRC’s guide to the new benefits rules
New rules for “making good” benefits in kind apply for 2017/18, including a change to the deadline. What do employers and employees need to know?
TAX - SELF ASSESSMENT - 15.01.2018
When can you reduce your self-assessment tax bill?
It’s January and your first self-assessment tax bill for the year is due in just a few days. However, HMRC allows you to reduce the amount payable in the right circumstances. What are they and what happens if you get your sums wrong?
UTILITIES - 15.01.2018
Property switch - energy switch?
You are considering moving to new premises later in the year. Should you take the opportunity to switch energy suppliers and, if so, what should you look out for?
ONLINE MARKETING - 15.01.2018
Test your website for success
You’re thinking of making a few tweaks to your website to encourage more customers to use it and therefore increase sales. How can so-called A/B testing help you?
ENFORCEMENT - 12.01.2018
HSE censures itself
A recent case saw the HSE take action against itself following an incident at one of its premises. What can be learned from this?
SAFETY PROCEDURE - CLEARING SNOW AND ICE - 12.01.2018
Avoiding icy situations
Ensuring there are safe means of access across your premises becomes more difficult when snow and ice are present. Our procedure will help keep your staff safe whilst they clear essential routes.
FIRE EXTINGUISHERS - 12.01.2018
Extinguisher standard gets an overhaul
On 31 October 2017 a revised British Standard was published on fire extinguisher maintenance. What’s the significance of this document and will the changes affect you?
HAZARDOUS AND DANGEROUS SUBSTANCES - 12.01.2018
Transport rules for gases and dry ice
An industry leading body has launched a campaign to stop businesses from taking risks when transporting compressed gases and dry ice. What does it recommend to avoid accidents?
VIOLENCE AT WORK - 12.01.2018
Social workers assaulted by angry mother
A local authority has been fined after two of its social workers were attacked when they carried out a home visit. What was behind the assault and what should employers do to protect staff in similar situations?
SAFETY TRAINING - 12.01.2018
A new pragmatic safety training option?
The Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH) has launched a new qualification, designed as an entry level certificate for those wanting to work in health and safety. Is it the business-friendly option it’s claimed to be?
FOOD ALLERGIES - 12.01.2018
Safely catering for an event
You’re organising an event and hiring external caterers. As some attendees may have a food allergy, what is the best way to ensure that no one suffers from an allergic reaction?
RTI - 12.01.2018
HMRC’s plans for RTI
After succumbing to pressure, HMRC eventually published its post-implementation review of real time information just before Christmas 2017. So what did we learn of its future plans for PAYE?
PENSIONS - 12.01.2018
What are the next steps for auto-enrolment?
It’s five years since the implementation of auto-enrolment so the government has carried out a review to consider any future changes to policy that might be needed. Is there much to worry about?
SCOTTISH TAX - 12.01.2018
Scottish tax complications
Plans announced by the Scottish Parliament in its December 2017 Budget will increase the differences in income tax deducted north and south of the border. What might the impact be for you?
PAYROLL PLANNING - 12.01.2018
Are you ready for 2018?
The turn of the year isn’t just a time for personal reflection. What business payroll plans should you be implementing in 2018?
SSP - 12.01.2018
SSP in for a check up
The government’s ten-year plan to get more people back into work, and in particular the disabled, will involve a fundamental review of the statutory sick pay (SSP) system. What do we know so far?
SUSPENSION - 10.01.2018
Suspended employee wins £236,000 compensation
Where you have grounds, you can suspend an employee pending the outcome of disciplinary proceedings. If this is the case, why has one employee been awarded £236,000 following his suspension?
DISMISSAL - 10.01.2018
Softening the blow of a dismissal
You’re seriously concerned about a new employee’s performance and want to dismiss them. However, to soften the blow, it’s been suggested that you give reorganisation as the reason rather than their capability. Is this legally safe or not?
TRIBUNALS - 10.01.2018
Tribunal claims shoot up by 64%
Statistics released by the Ministry of Justice indicate that tribunal claims have increased by 64% since tribunal fees were abolished. As this trend is likely to continue, what can you do to protect yourself?
SICKNESS ABSENCE - 10.01.2018
Employee keeps going home sick
One of your employees has had a lot of sickness absence in the past few months. However, rather than ringing in sick, they keep going home part-way through the day. Does this still count as sickness absence?
WORK AND PARENTS - 10.01.2018
Who is entitled to take statutory paternity leave?
A woman’s right to take statutory maternity leave commences on day one of employment - no qualifying service is needed. But what about the right to take two weeks’ statutory paternity leave - when does it start?
PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT - 10.01.2018
A potential candidate for promotion?
You’d like to weigh up whether an employee is a suitable candidate for future promotion. When is the ideal time to undertake this exercise and what must you make absolutely clear to the employee?
RACE DISCRIMINATION - 10.01.2018
Saying “Go back to Poland” was race discrimination
An employee who was told by a colleague to “go back to Poland” if he was unhappy has successfully claimed race discrimination at the tribunal. Why was this statement problematic?
ACCOUNTS DEPARTMENT - 04.01.2018
Hiring accounts staff more quickly
An accounts assistant has just resigned. Last time you had to replace a team member it took far too long to find the right person and in the meantime you had to engage a temp. Are there ways to speed up the recruitment process?
LATE PAYMENT - 04.01.2018
Avoid a late payment problem?
New research suggests that one in five SMEs are owed £25,000 in late payments. Could a few checks on any new clients prevent you from becoming one of them and save you money too?
Large companies are notorious when it comes to parting with cash. Indeed, a recent poll of 1,000 SME owners and decision makers found that:
STAFF COSTS - 04.01.2018
Get to work early
Your business suffers with staff arriving late. You want to ask them to arrive a few minutes early so that they can start work on time. Is this an option and what could you save if it is?
VAT - 04.01.2018
Get the VAT back now
You know there’s more input VAT to claim for this VAT return but you don’t have the paperwork yet. To aid cash flow, you don’t want to have to wait until the next VAT return to claim this. So how do you get the VAT back now?
PROFITABILITY - 04.01.2018
Improving fee realisation
You’ve been reviewing the profitability of the company’s projects and have seen that the fees billed don’t always equate to those that ought to have been. How can you influence project teams to improve the realisation of fees?
WASTE - 04.01.2018
Recycle with smart bins?
You take your recycling duties seriously - after all, it’s in your financial interests to do so. You’ve heard about a bin that sorts your recycling. Is this just a gimmick or something that could save you money?
INCOME TAX - 04.01.2018
Maximising tax-free allowances
If you’re one of the 1.5 million taxpayers who completes their self-assessment tax return in January, it’s not too late to make use of a tax-saving opportunity. What’s to know and how much are we talking about?
SPREADSHEETS - 04.01.2018
Tips for working with bank statement CSV files in Excel
To import a bank statement into your accounting software, you first need to download it as a CSV file into Excel. You then have to spend time editing the data in Excel before importing it. How can you do this more effectively?
PAYROLL - 04.01.2018
2018/19 payroll changes
The Autumn Budget 2017 announced changes to tax and NI limits. What do you need to know to prepare for the 2018/19 payroll year?
