2024 -
July
WORKING TIME - 15.07.2024
Can you ask staff to work a 6-day week?
In a bid to boost productivity and economic growth, Greece has introduced a six-day working week for some businesses. Can you require your employees to work a six-day week?
PAYE - 08.07.2024
Why your tax code is now more important than ever
The amount of tax you pay on your salary depends on your tax code. If it’s wrong you’ll pay too much or too little. For many this can be a temporary issue, for others it can be permanent. What’s the problem and what can you do about it?
CHILDREN - STATE BENEFITS - 08.07.2024
Help with childcare for working parents
As a working parent you probably struggle to balance the needs of your job with those of your children, especially during the long summer holiday. This also poses a problem for employers. How can government childcare schemes help?
PROPERTY - 08.07.2024
Improvement and finance losses and how to claim them
You’re making substantial repairs and improvements to your buy-to-let property. You’ve borrowed from the bank to finance the repairs and these loans will wipe out the profit for a few years. What tax relief are you entitled to and how can you claim it?
EXPENSES - 08.07.2024
Benchmark subsistence rates - are they worth it?
As an employer you don’t want to waste valuable time on avoidable admin tasks such as processing scores of expenses claims for employees’ subsistence claims. Might benchmark rates be a viable alternative?
SELF-ASSESSMENT - 08.07.2024
Self-assessment 2023/24 - what’s new?
If you’re a sole trader or in partnership you may need to show extra information when completing your 2023/24 tax return. What’s required and how might it affect your self-assessment payment due on 31 July?
PROFIT EXTRACTION - 08.07.2024
Tax and NI planning for multiple directorships
You’re a shareholder and director of three companies. You currently take a low salary from each company topped up with dividends. But is this really the most tax-efficient option?
VAT - 08.07.2024
Sale of old equipment - is it VATable?
Our subscriber sold a machine which he had used in his business before he was VAT registered. His accountant has told him that he should have charged VAT on the sale and that he must now account for it out of the proceeds. Is he correct?
IMPORTS - 01.07.2024
Updated guidance for import VAT
If you use postponed VAT accounting (PVA), you must obtain the monthly VAT statements online. HMRC has updated its guidance relating to this. What’s the latest?
OPTION TO TAX - 01.07.2024
Can you avoid charging a new tenant VAT?
One of our subscribers bought a warehouse three months ago and was not charged VAT but still opted to tax the building with HMRC. They will rent it out to an institution which is partially exempt. Can they avoid charging VAT on the rent?
BUSINESS SPLITTING - 01.07.2024
Should you form a separate entity for a new venture?
You are starting a new business and your sales are not expected to exceed the registration threshold until your third year of trading. Should you form a separate legal entity for this business?
INPUT TAX - 01.07.2024
How to deal with overcharged VAT?
One of your suppliers has made an error on their most recent invoice and charged you too much VAT. How should you deal with the error to avoid a potential problem with HMRC?
MOTORING EXPENSES - 01.07.2024
Is there a better option than the scale charge?
HMRC announced revised CO2 emission scale charge rates for private road fuel from 1 May 2024. But is there an alternative way of accounting for VAT on the private fuel used for your business vehicles?
VAT ASSESSMENTS - 01.07.2024
What can you do if your VAT assessment is excessive?
Your business has been issued with a “best judgement” assessment for understated output tax. You intend to challenge the figures because they are unreasonable but how should you do this?
TRAINING - 01.07.2024
How to protect your investment in external training
The government is proposing to require dental graduates to work in the NHS for several years after graduating or otherwise repay their training fees. If you’re intending to pay an employee’s training fees, could you have a similar provision?
BENEFITS - 01.07.2024
Withdrawing lifelong travel benefit was breach of contract
The Employment Appeal Tribunal has ruled that an employer couldn’t rely on the terms of its agreement with a third-party provider to withdraw a lifelong travel benefit from staff. How might this ruling impact your contractual benefit provision?
CONSTRUCTIVE DISMISSAL - 01.07.2024
Constructively dismissed following flexible working request
An employee whose flexible working request was declined has won her claims for constructive dismissal and direct disability discrimination, even though her employer had sound business reasons for refusing her request. What key mistake was made?
MISCONDUCT - 01.07.2024
Watch out for mouse mover devices!
An American bank has sacked more than a dozen employees for using “mouse movers” on their work PCs. What are they and what should you do about them?
SICKNESS ABSENCE - 01.07.2024
Seeking medical report on sick employee
You may want to seek a medical report on an employee during their long-term sickness absence or if they have a substantial number of short-term sickness absences. What should you do to ensure you obtain a report that’s fit for purpose?
DATA PROTECTION - 01.07.2024
Handling a data subject access request
Data subjects have the right under the UK GDPR to access the personal data that you hold about them and to be given certain information about the processing. Where an employee exercises this right, how should you handle their request?
DISCIPLINARY HEARINGS - 01.07.2024
Must you allow support worker at disciplinary hearing?
An employee has a statutory right to be accompanied at a disciplinary hearing by a work colleague or trade union representative or official. But do they have any wider right where they have a learning disability or there’s a language barrier?
EMERGENCY PLANNING - 01.07.2024
Is your educational establishment ready for an emergency?
Emergency preparedness in educational and childcare settings is crucial for ensuring the safety and wellbeing of students, staff and visitors. It plays a critical role in mitigating risks and effectively responding to unplanned and unforeseen situations. What should you include in your plan?
LEAD PAINT - 01.07.2024
Are you worried about lead in your old paintwork?
One of our subscribers has purchased a 100-year-old building and is planning a refurbishment which will disturb layers of old paint. Should they be concerned about lead pigments that may have been used in the past?
safe systems of work - 01.07.2024
Openreach fined £1.3m following death of engineer
A telephone engineer drowned while trying to repair phone lines across a river. What went wrong and what lessons can you learn from this case to prevent a similar occurrence?
MENTAL HEALTH - 01.07.2024
Are EAPs cost-effective?
With mental health issues rising, the need for an employee assistance programme (EAP) is becoming a necessity, not a luxury. But are they cost-effective?
LIFTING EQUIPMENT - 01.07.2024
The crucial role of lift maintenance
Lifts are an integral part of modern buildings, but the safe operation of them hinges on regular maintenance to safeguard users, minimise downtime and comply with stringent regulatory requirements. What’s to know?
ENVIRONMENT - 01.07.2024
Are you offsetting plastic?
New schemes and strategies are emerging to help businesses and people reduce their plastic consumption. The latest involves buying plastic credits to claim plastic neutrality. Is it just a gimmick?
HAZARDOUS SUBSTANCES - 01.07.2024
Huge fine for failure of permit to work system
A fatal incident has seen Tata Chemicals Europe Limited prosecuted for failing to have in place a permit to work (PTW) for hazardous work at a live chemical plant. Why was this and how should you control working with dangerous substances?
STAFF HANDBOOKS - 01.07.2024
Should you have a staff handbook?
There’s nothing in law that says you must have a staff handbook, but it’s recommended you do, even if you don’t have many employees. What are the benefits and how should you set your handbook out?
TIME OFF - 01.07.2024
How to deal with unauthorised absence
When an employee fails to report to work without permission and without any legitimate reason or explanation, it’s an unauthorised absence. What steps should you take to deal with it?
MAKING TAX DIGITAL - 01.07.2024
MTD for Income Tax Self-Assessment - what’s the latest?
In February 2024 important amendments to the Making Tax Digital for Income Tax Self-Assessment (MTD ITSA) rules became law. How will the changes affect your business when MTD ITSA becomes mandatory?
MACHINERY GUARDS - 01.07.2024
Pizza maker fined after workers caught up in machinery
One of the nation’s largest producers of supermarket pizzas has been fined £800,000 after two workers suffered serious injuries at its factory in Bolton. What were the failures and how can you prevent injuries when working with machinery?
HOMEWORKING - 01.07.2024
Creating a home office tax efficiently
You want to erect a cabin in your garden to use as a home office. You and your family will also use it for private purposes. Will it be more tax efficient for you or your company to pay for it?
ENVIRONMENT - 01.07.2024
Inspections on the rise - should you prepare?
A colleague has told you about news stories warning that the Environment Agency has gone on the offensive, and is talking about all the additional inspections it’s now undertaking. Is this something you need to worry about?
CARS - 01.07.2024
Reduce company car tax with capital contribution
It’s time to replace your company car. A friend says that if you make a personal contribution to the cost it will be more tax efficient. The trouble is, you don’t have the cash for this. Is there still a way to achieve the tax saving?
DATA PROTECTION - 01.07.2024
Police data breach put staff in danger
Data protection compliance can feel like an unnecessary administrative burden, diverting resources away from real work. A recent data breach by a police force reminds data processors of the potential damage a breach can cause. What information was leaked and what were the consequences?
