Category: Tax News

With the increases in National Insurance Contributions (NIC) from 6 April 2022 many employees and their employees are considering changing their entitlement to their contractual salary for either tax free benefits in kind such as additional contributions into their pension, or benefits in kind that have a low tax and NIC charge such as an electric company car. This needs to be done with care and requires a change to the Contract of Employment.

From 6 April 2017 where a benefit is given as part of optional remuneration arrangement (salary sacrifice), the rules for valuing the amount of the benefit treated as earnings from the employee’s employment has changed.

Where a benefit is given under optional remuneration arrangements, the general rule is value of the benefit treated as earnings from the employment is the greater of the amount of:

• salary or cash pay given up by the employee in return for the benefit
• the benefit treated as earnings from the employment under the normal rules, ignoring any amount made good, as outlined in HMRC booklet 480

The 5 exceptions to this rule are:-

• employer pension contributions;
• employer-provided pension advice;
• employer-supported childcare and provision of workplace nurseries; and
• cycles and cyclist’s safety equipment
• Ultra – Low (< 75g) CO2 emission cars

Many employers have started offering zero or low emission cars as an alternative to additional or reduced salary entitlement. The normal optional remuneration arrangement rules do not apply to cars with CO2 emissions of 75 grams per kilometre (km) or less. Cars with CO2 emissions of 75 grams/km or less continue to be taxed on the cash equivalent of the benefit worked out under the normal rules without having to make a comparison with the salary foregone.

Example

An employee is given an electric car which is available for their private use under an optional remuneration arrangement in which the employee gives up salary of £150 per month, or £1,800 per year. The car has zero CO2 emissions and has a list price of £40,000 and a cash equivalent value of £800 (£40,000 x 2%). The relevant amount to be treated as earnings from the employment is the £800 cash benefit because its CO2 emissions are no more than 75 grams.

We offer a wide range of services which are unique to your business and work with you to offer tax efficient solutions. We understand that the rise in National Insurance Contributions in 2022 is a huge concern for businesses and we are here to help. Our team of chartered accountants have a wealth of experience in a broad range of sectors and we work hard to ensure they create smart and effective tax-efficient solutions for start-ups to optimise growth and help them succeed. If you want to learn more about how the team can help or simply want some start-up advice from a trusted accountant do hesitate to contact us. For more information please do hesitate to contact us on 0161 962 1855. Alternatively you can email us using the form below and we will contact you as soon as possible.

Our fantastic team at A&C Chartered Accountants are here to help.

Please find below our list of main tax events March/April 2022. If you have any questions, we are here to help you meet these deadlines.

Do you need further support with the tax events March/April 2022? We offer a wide range of services which are unique to your business and work with you to make sure you meet these deadlines. Our team work hard to ensure they create smart and effective tax-efficient solutions for start-ups to optimise growth and help them succeed. If you want to learn more about how the team can help or simply want some start-up advice from a trusted accountant do hesitate to contact us. For more information please do hesitate to contact us on 0161 962 1855. Alternatively you can email us using the form below and we will contact you as soon as possible.

Our fantastic team at A&C Chartered Accountants are here to help.

Company cars – Advisory reimbursement rates

These are the suggested reimbursement rates for employees’ private mileage using their company car from 1 March 2022. Where there has been a change the previous rate is shown in brackets.

Note that for hybrid cars you must use the petrol or diesel rate. You can continue to use the previous rates for up to 1 month from the date the new rates apply.

Do you have a company car? We offer a wide range of services which are unique to your business and have assisted many of our clients with guidance on company cars and the reimbursement rates.  Our team of chartered accountants have a wealth of experience in a broad range of sectors, from construction and property to the charity sector. Our team work hard to ensure they create smart and effective tax-efficient solutions for start-ups to optimise growth and help them succeed. If you want to learn more about how the team can help or simply want some start-up advice from a trusted accountant do hesitate to contact us. For more information please do hesitate to contact us on 0161 962 1855. Alternatively you can email us using the form below and we will contact you as soon as possible.

Our fantastic team at A&C Chartered Accountants are here to help.

The government are concerned about the lack of take up of tax-free childcare accounts, with HMRC estimating that only about 25% of families eligible for the scheme had joined.

With many parents returning to work following the pandemic, they should be encouraged to set up a tax free childcare account to help with their childcare costs. For every £8 paid into an online account, the government will add an extra £2, up to £2,000 per child per year and that money must be used to pay eligible childcare costs.

Tax-free childcare is available for working families (including the self-employed) who are not receiving tax credits, universal credit or childcare vouchers.

It can also be used at the same time as the 15 or 30 hours of free childcare in England. The couple (or single parent) must earn at least £142 per week each. Their children must be under 12 (or under16 if disabled).

The account can be used to pay for nursery fees, breakfast clubs, after school clubs, summer camps and OFSTED registered childminders.

Note that the tax-free childcare scheme is not available if either partner expects to individually earn more than £100,000 a year.

We offer a wide range of services which are unique to you and your business. Do you need further guidance on the HMRCT tax-free childcare accounts? Our team of chartered accountants have a wealth of experience in a broad range of sectors, from construction and property to the charity sector. Our team work hard to ensure they create smart and effective tax-efficient solutions for start-ups to optimise growth and help them succeed. If you want to learn more about how the team can help or simply want some start-up advice from a trusted accountant do hesitate to contact us. For more information please do hesitate to contact us on 0161 962 1855. Alternatively you can email us using the form below and we will contact you as soon as possible.

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HMRC have recently updated their guidance for VAT registered importers. These traders must account for postponed import VAT on their VAT returns for the accounting period which covers the date they imported the goods. The normal rules apply for what VAT can be reclaimed as input tax and the trader’s monthly statement will contain the information to support their claim.

HMRC is aware of the problems some importers are having when trying to access their monthly VAT statements. If you cannot access your statement or you’re having problems when viewing your statement, you can estimate your import VAT figures for the months you cannot access statements for. Your estimate should be as accurate as possible, based on the amount you’ve paid for the goods and any other costs you agreed to cover. As long as you take reasonable care to follow the guidance, there will be no penalty for errors.

There are also important changes from 1 June 2022 for small businesses using the Flat Rate Scheme who are importing goods and using postponed VAT accounting.

We offer a wide range of services which are unique to your businesses and we have expert knowledge with VAT registered importers. Our team of chartered accountants have a wealth of experience in a broad range of sectors within this field. Our team work hard to ensure they create smart and effective tax-efficient solutions for start-ups to optimise growth and help them succeed. If you want to learn more about how the team can help or simply want some start-up advice from a trusted accountant do hesitate to contact us. For more information please do hesitate to contact us on 0161 962 1855. Alternatively you can email us using the form below and we will contact you as soon as possible.

Our fantastic team at A&C Chartered Accountants are here to help.

There are important changes from 1 June 2022 for small businesses using the Flat Rate Scheme who are importing goods and using postponed VAT accounting.

Those businesses using the Flat Rate Scheme must currently add the value of imported goods to the total of all their supplies before they carry out the scheme calculation.

For VAT return periods starting on or after 1 June 2022, they should no longer include import VAT accounted for using postponed VAT accounting in their flat rate turnover. The VAT due on any imports should be added to box 1 of the return after completing the Flat Rate Scheme calculation.

HMRC have issued the following updated guidance:

Complete your VAT Return to account for import VAT – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

Importers not using the VAT Flat Rate Scheme

HMRC have also updated their guidance for VAT registered importers not using the Flat Rate Scheme:-

Complete your VAT Return to account for import VAT – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

These traders must account for postponed import VAT on their VAT returns for the accounting period which covers the date they imported the goods. The normal rules apply for what VAT can be reclaimed as input tax and the trader’s monthly statement will contain the information to support their claim.

HMRC is aware of the problems some importers are having when trying to access their monthly VAT statements. If you cannot access your statement or you’re having problems when viewing your statement, you should follow the guidance on how to complete a VAT Return if you’re having problems with your monthly statements.

As long as you take reasonable care to follow the guidance, there will be no penalty for errors.

We offer a wide range of services which are unique to your business

Our team of chartered accountants have a wealth of experience in a broad range of sectors, from construction and property to the charity sector. Our team work hard to ensure they create smart and effective tax-efficient solutions for start-ups to optimise growth and help them succeed. If you want to learn more about how the team can help or simply want some start-up advice from a trusted accountant do hesitate to contact us. For more information please do hesitate to contact us on 0161 962 1855. Alternatively you can email us using the form below and we will contact you as soon as possible.

Our fantastic team at A&C Chartered Accountants are here to help.