2019 -
February
MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS - 28.02.2019
ISO surveillance costs rise
If you’re moving to ISO 45001 from OHSAS 18001, you should be prepared for increased costs. Are there ways of keeping them under control?
WATER - 28.02.2019
Making sense of water safety
If you have water hazards on your land you’ll need to consider how to protect visitors and others. But with no specific legislation or HSE guidance you might wonder where to start. Fortunately, there is guidance available.
OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH - 28.02.2019
Asthma triggered by flour dust
A bakery has been fined after its workers suffered ill health from long-term exposure to flour dust. Why was the problem not dealt with before staff were badly affected and what should have been done to prevent it?
VIOLENCE AT WORK - 28.02.2019
Young workers face repeated harassment
The Trades Union Congress has highlighted that young workers are disproportionately affected by harassment at work. What are the sources of the problem and what should you do to prevent it?
MAINTENANCE - 28.02.2019
Cleaning proves deadly
A court has heard how a cleaner was only discovered to be missing when he didn’t show up for his taxi home. A search of the premises then revealed that he had been killed. What happened?
STORAGE OF MATERIALS - 28.02.2019
Falling from the racking
You use racking as a storage solution but have been informed by staff that certain items keep falling to the floor. What steps should you take before someone gets hurt?
FIRE SAFETY - 28.02.2019
What do you need to know about HMOs?
You rent accommodation to single occupants with shared facilities - this is classed as a house in multiple occupation (HMO). What are the current fire safety requirements?
WORKING TIME - 26.02.2019
What working time records must be kept?
The Working Time Regulations 1998 set out strict statutory rules on working time. When it comes to proving compliance, are you required to keep records, and if so, what?
AGE DISCRIMINATION - 26.02.2019
You’re so old, we’re worried you might die!
In January 2019 an 88-year-old secretary became the oldest person to successfully claim discrimination on the grounds of age at the tribunal. How did her employer get the law wrong?
INSURANCE - 26.02.2019
Is work equipment insured on holiday?
Many employees take work-issued equipment, such as mobile phones and laptops, with them on holiday. If your device is lost or stolen abroad, can a claim be made on the employee’s travel insurance?
CRIMINAL RECORDS - 26.02.2019
Criminal records checks unlawful?
The Supreme Court has decided that the criminal records check system is incompatible with human rights laws, namely the right to privacy. Does this mean you can’t carry out these checks any more?
RECRUITMENT - 26.02.2019
Checking a job candidate’s motivation
It’s possible to predict whether you’ll have problems in the future with a potential employee by asking why they want to leave their current employer. What should you ask and what responses are a potential red flag?
DISABILITY DISCRIMINATION - 26.02.2019
Is it worth becoming a Disability Confident employer?
You’ve heard that some businesses have become a Disability Confident employer. What does this mean and is it something that small employers should consider registering for too?
SICKNESS ABSENCE - 26.02.2019
Insist on sickness absence reports by phone
Apparently, 20% of employees don’t understand why they must personally phone their line manager when they are off sick. They think they should be able to send an e-mail or text instead. Why is phone reporting so important?
YEAR-END TAX PLANNING - 26.02.2019
Pre-5 April 2019 tax-saving advice
Running through the same year-end advice repeatedly with clients can be mundane, but it is also essential that you do it. A number of tax reliefs depend on getting the timing right, so what do you need to be thinking about?
SALARY SACRIFICE - 26.02.2019
Brain-freeze for Iceland on NMW rules
Despite being associated with frozen foodstuffs, retailer Iceland has managed to land itself in hot water with HMRC regarding a staff incentive. What’s going on, and how can your clients avoid similar problems?
MTD - 26.02.2019
Making Tax Digital: coping with the switchover
The pilot for Making Tax Digital for VAT (MTDfV) opened up to all clients that are compulsorily VAT registered in December 2018, but there have been some recurring problems in making the change. What are the key things clients should be aware of if they are signing up?
ANTI-AVOIDANCE - 26.02.2019
New guidance on company winding-up rules
HMRC has been forced to make changes to its approach to the anti-avoidance rule which can apply to shareholders who wind up their companies. What advice can you give to affected clients?
CORPORATION TAX - 26.02.2019
Is a de-grouping charge always a bad thing?
The Finance Act 2011 changed the way that corporate de-grouping charges are assessed. At first glance it might appear that such a charge should be avoided if possible, but why might it actually be to your clients’ advantage to trigger a charge?
DEVOLVED TAXES - 26.02.2019
Is the land tax charge cheaper in Wales?
The Welsh Revenue Authority has updated the guidance regarding the higher rates applicable to residential property. How can the rules lead to an unexpected trap for your clients purchasing property in Wales?
IN THIS ISSUE - THE EMI SHARE OPTION SCHEME - 26.02.2019
How to set up and administer an EMI scheme
Employee share schemes can seem like a daunting area to advise clients on. However, the enterprise management incentive (EMI) was purposely designed to be relatively straightforward compared with other schemes. When might the EMI be right for your clients, and what are the key points you need to understand?
VAT - 26.02.2019
How do the new rules for prepayments and deposits work?
The VAT rules relating to an aspect of advance payments change on 1 March 2019. If your clients are fortunate enough to receive all or part of their customers’ payments upfront, they will be affected. How should they deal with the change?
CONSTRUCTION - 22.02.2019
Getting permission to construct
New licensing requirements mean that those running larger construction sites will have to apply for a “Controlled Activities Regulations” licence from the enforcing authority before work can begin. Does this apply to you and if so, how?
BREXIT - 22.02.2019
Brexit could cause waste to pile up
The Environment Agency (EA) predicts that there could be problems dealing with waste in the event of a no-deal Brexit. What could happen?
WATER POLLUTION - 22.02.2019
Raw sewage polluted streams
Thames Water has been fined £2 million for polluting two streams in Oxfordshire with devastating effects to the local environment. How did it happen and how could it have been avoided?
MICRO-GENERATION - 22.02.2019
Medium combustion plants - permits now required
The Environment Agency has begun issuing permits for medium combustion plants (MCPs). Why has this been brought in and what do you need to do to stay within the law?
FLORA AND FAUNA - 22.02.2019
Landmark Japanese knotweed case
In a case believed to be the first of its kind, a property company has been fined for allowing Japanese knotweed to take hold on its land. How could you use this ruling to your advantage?
ENVIRONMENTAL OBJECTIVES AND TARGETS - 22.02.2019
Green targets
Having decided to improve the sustainability of your business you’ll want to make a formal record of clear objectives and targets. To help with this task use our speciallly created document.
VEHICLES - 22.02.2019
Is 2019 the right time for an electric vehicle?
The question of whether to go down the electric vehicle (EV) route keeps cropping up. Are there more convincing arguments to go electric, or should you stay as you are for the time being?
SOFTWARE - APPS - 19.02.2019
Other app stores besides Google Play Store?
The Google Play Store is the Android app store which most people automatically turn to. However, there are some other app stores as well. Which of them are reliable?
BUSINESS - MISCELLANEOUS - 19.02.2019
Mobile etiquette in your business
During meetings or customer contacts, your employees are often distracted by their smartphone. Peeping at messages, e-mails and incoming calls can lead to frustration. How can you avoid this?
WEB SERVICES - ONLINE OFFICE - 19.02.2019
G Suite - Google’s cloud for businesses
G Suite is an online cloud suite which comprises various Google services for businesses. It’s a subscription-based service, but it offers good value for money. What are its features and how much does it cost?
WEB SERVICES - ONLINE CHAT - 19.02.2019
Chatting efficiently in your organisation
If you work with a large number of internal or external collaborators, a “business chat” service can come in very handy. Which are the best professional chat services?
SMARTPHONE - PRINTING - 19.02.2019
Printing photos from your smartphone
Occasionally you may want to make a “traditional” print of a digital photo you have taken on your smartphone. How do you do this and what should you pay attention to?
SOFTWARE - COMPUTER MANAGEMENT - 19.02.2019
Organise your files
You will probably have thousands of files within hundreds of folders on your PC. Finding them is not always easy. The following simple tricks and tools can help you create a better overview in Windows.
BUSINESS - TRANSPORT - 19.02.2019
The road ahead is unclear
If you are driving for business purposes, the future is uncertain. Environmental issues, the demise of diesel, the arrival of electric vehicles and government legislation. How do you get help online?
TELEPHONY - SMARTPHONE - 19.02.2019
Personalised ringtones
It can be very convenient when different ringtones tell you who is calling. How do you link specific ringtones to individual contacts on Android devices and iPhones?
E-MAIL - E-MAIL USE - 19.02.2019
Use swipes to work faster
Mobile e-mail apps have the option to use lots of swipe actions - these let you apply various actions to a message. However, do these swipe actions always do what you want them to do? We’ve checked it out for you.
WEB SERVICES - ONLINE CALENDARS - 19.02.2019
Work more efficiently with Google Calendar
Google Calendar is a very useful application for tracking your business and personal obligations. We’ve collected a few extra tips to help you improve its efficiency.
BUSINESS - WEB SERVICES - 19.02.2019
Organise your events online
Perhaps you’re planning a workshop, training, product presentation, seminar or company outing in the near future? Did you know that you can have the organisation and follow-up of your event handled completely online?
HMRC ENQUIRIES - 19.02.2019
How to call time on a tax enquiry
If HMRC makes an enquiry into your tax affairs it can seem like it’s going on forever. Tax inspectors often drag their feet over enquiries but expect you to respond promptly. What steps can you take to get an enquiry wound up?
INHERITANCE TAX - 19.02.2019
Passing on the family company tax efficiently
Inheritance tax (IHT) business property relief (BPR) can prevent unwelcome consequences of passing your business on to the next generation. It can also be used to improve the overall IHT position of your estate. What’s involved?
BENEFITS - 19.02.2019
Trivial benefits - the VAT and CT consequences
HMRC’s webinar on trivial benefits for employees gives helpful guidance about income tax and NI but doesn’t tackle the corporation tax and VAT consequences. If you intend to provide trivial benefits what do you need to know about these?
PAYE - 19.02.2019
Customer tips and how to handle them for tax
Your employees receive tips from customers. As tax (and possibly NI) is payable on them, as an employer what are your responsibilities and what can you tell your staff to help them avoid trouble with HMRC?
PROFIT EXTRACTION - 19.02.2019
Should you give or sell shares to your partner?
Owning your company jointly with your spouse can significantly reduce your tax bill compared with owning it alone. It’s worth transferring shares as a gift to achieve this, but might a sale to your spouse be even more tax efficient?
HMRC - 19.02.2019
When can you complain about HMRC?
You may have read recently that in 2018 HMRC spent over £10,000 sending flowers to apologise for errors, but sometimes a bunch of daffodils just isn’t enough. How can you get proper compensation when HMRC acts badly?
VAT - 19.02.2019
New HMRC guidance on crowdfunding
HMRC’s new guidance on crowdfunding raises the lid on important and potentially unexpected VAT issues. What’s the full story?
VAT - CARS - 19.02.2019
Can you reclaim VAT on cars?
Generally, VAT paid on purchases for your business can be reclaimed. However, VAT on cars is an exception and even where they are used only for business it’s rarely possible to reclaim it. What steps can you take to improve your chances?
SEASONAL ISSUES - 19.02.2019
Cold comfort
During winter you have to consider how to keep staff and visitors safe and warm. What are your responsibilities and how do you prevent accidents and complaints of “it’s too cold” with the minimum of fuss and cost?
BANKING - 19.02.2019
Thousands of firms illegally charging for card payments
According to new research, thousands of firms are subjecting retail customers who use credit and debit cards to surcharges. This practice has been illegal for some time. How do you stay on the right side of the law?
COMPANY LAW - 19.02.2019
Why you need a shareholders’ agreement
You probably already know that having a shareholders’ agreements is optional. So why would a small company go to the trouble of drawing one up? What could be the benefits?
TAX - BENEFITS - 19.02.2019
Are travel discount cards a taxable perk
You buy season tickets and discount cards for your staff to lower the cost of business travel. They’re also used by staff for private journeys, which saves them hundreds of pounds a year. Should you report this as a taxable benefit?
EMPLOYMENT RIGHTS - 14.02.2019
Labour market shake-up
At the tail end of 2018 the government published its response to the Good Work plan - its vision for the future of the UK labour market. What changes could be afoot for payroll?
BENEFITS IN KIND - 14.02.2019
Tax-free mobile phones?
With the need to be in contact with employees 24/7, it’s becoming increasingly necessary to provide mobile phones, home landlines and Internet access. But what does HMRC have to say about this?
RECRUITMENT - 14.02.2019
Right to work checks go digital
The Home Office has made some changes to the requirement to hold paper copies of documents needed to prove an individual’s right to work in the UK. What is the modification?
STATUTORY LEAVE - 14.02.2019
When time off is the law
You know that employees are entitled to take a statutory amount of holiday each year, but there are many other reasons they can legally take time off work. What are the detailed rules you need to get to grips with?
PAYSLIPS - 14.02.2019
What’s new with payslips?
New legislation that comes into force in April 2019 will require additional detail to be shown on payslips. What does the recently issued Acas guidance say about the new requirements?
REAL-TIME INFORMATION - 14.02.2019
RTI and transferring records
One of the most fraught processes for agents and employers to undertake is when they need to transfer records from one PAYE scheme to another. What could go wrong and how can you prepare for it?
WORKPLACE VEHICLES - 14.02.2019
Lorry driver crushed
A logistics company has been fined following an incident which resulted in a driver being crushed by a pallet while it was being unloaded from his lorry. What simple precautions can you take to avoid a similar incident?
FIRE RISK ASSESSMENT - 14.02.2019
Does your fire risk assessment need yearly reviews?
You’ve had a fire risk assessment (FRA) carried out by a professional assessor and the document states that it’s due for review in twelve months’ time. Is this a money-making scheme or a legal requirement?
LEGIONELLA - 14.02.2019
Legionnaires’ disease scare at leisure centre
A district council has been prosecuted after a member of the public was “close to death” with Legionnaires’ disease. What caused the lapse in standards which led to his illness?
VEHICLES - 14.02.2019
Changes to road traffic laws and the MOT
In 2019 you can expect alterations to the Highway Code. MOT tests changed in May 2018. What should you be aware of and how are you and your drivers likely to be affected?
FOOD SAFETY - 14.02.2019
New guidance on food product recalls
The Food Standards Agency has proposed changes so that unsafe food products can be withdrawn from the market in an efficient manner. How could you be affected?
OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH - 14.02.2019
Self-assessment for stress
When an employee reports that they’re suffering from stress at work, they’re likely to be in an emotional state. To properly understand the causes and potential solutions use our self-assessment checklist.
ENFORCEMENT - 14.02.2019
Keeping up with the HSE
The HSE has raised certain standards without introducing new or amended legislation. What’s happening and how can you keep up?
CONTRACTS - 14.02.2019
An expanded written statement of employment particulars
From 6 April 2020, you’ll not only have to provide a written statement of employment particulars to all workers from day one, you’ll also have to include additional mandatory content. What extra matters will you need to cover?
WORK AND PARENTS - 14.02.2019
What antenatal rights do expectant parents have?
Pregnant employees and their partners each have a separate statutory right to take time off work to attend antenatal appointments. However, exactly how far do those time off rights extend?
PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT - 14.02.2019
What can you do about workplace romances?
With an estimated 25% of employees having met their long-term partner at work, personal relationships in your workplace are inevitable. However, is there anything you can do here to protect your business from the potential fallout?
WHISTLEBLOWING - 14.02.2019
Defamation allegation can form basis of whistleblowing claim
According to the Employment Appeal Tribunal, an allegation of defamation by an employee can be a breach of a legal obligation under the statutory whistleblowing provisions. Does this widen the whistleblowing protection?
EMPLOYMENT LAW REFORM - 14.02.2019
New protection for pregnant employees
The government is consulting on proposals to extend redundancy protection for pregnant women and new parents. What’s on the horizon?
REDUNDANCY - 14.02.2019
The fair selection of employees for redundancy
When selecting employees for redundancy, you first need to decide on your selection pool and the selection criteria you intend to use. You then need to apply those criteria to the pool of employees in a fair manner. What should you do at each of these stages?
PAYROLL - 14.02.2019
Guidance on new payslip legislation
The government has published guidance to help employers comply with the new payslip legislation coming into force from 6 April 2019. Is it worth a read?
PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT - 13.02.2019
Your rights when an employee is arrested
You’ve just received a phone call advising that an employee is unable to attend work because they’ve been arrested. Must you still pay them and does their arrest give you grounds for dismissal?
SOCIAL MEDIA - 13.02.2019
Don’t discuss work on messaging apps
Apparently, at least 53% of employees regularly use messaging apps, such as WhatsApp and Messenger, for work-related communications. This might be convenient for them but what are the dangers for you?
DISCRIMINATION - 13.02.2019
Two-year delay costs £45,000
The tribunal has awarded a disabled employee nearly £45,000 compensation because her employer delayed making a reasonable adjustment for two years. What’s to learn?
CONSTRUCTIVE DISMISSAL - 13.02.2019
What is a constructive dismissal?
The tribunal often deals with claims where the employee alleges that they have been constructively dismissed by their employer. But what is a constructive dismissal and how does it differ from an unfair dismissal?
