Blog
How long does a capital loss last?
You’ve made a large capital gain from a recent sale. Capital losses can reduce the amount on which you have to pay tax but the losses you have date back decades and weren’t reported to HMRC. Is it too late to claim tax relief for them?
Salary transparency on recruitment
A pay transparency survey has revealed that 70% of employers intend to share salary ranges with external candidates during recruitment ahead of the EU Pay Transparency Directive coming into force. Will this become a legal requirement?
VAT reduced on advance payment if customer cancels?
A subscriber to our newsletter wrote to us with a query. The business supplies a three-stage training course to students that fully pay (non-refundable) in advance for all three stages. If the students drop out before the end, can our subscriber partly reduce the VAT paid to HMRC on their return?
HMRC scrutinising directors’ loans
HMRC has begun a new compliance campaign targeting company directors who owed their companies money. What’s the full story, and how should you respond?
Tackling the rise of revenge quitting
A rising career trend in 2025 is so-called revenge quitting. What is it and what can you do about it?
Temporary workers - your pension obligations
If you’re employing temporary workers for the summer season don’t forget that they have the same rights to join your workplace pension as permanent employees. What do you need to do?
Making a main residence nomination
Where you have more than one home, you can choose which is the main residence for capital gains tax purposes. What factors should you consider when making the choice and when can a nomination be made?
Flat rate scheme: join now or never?
HMRC recently published a report about the advantages and disadvantages of the flat rate scheme for a small business. Could the report lead to the abolition of the scheme or a ban on new users?
Accelerate tax relief for the cost of equipment
You’re upgrading your company’s IT equipment as it’s now several years old. Naturally your company will get tax relief for the purchases but what’s the tax position if you sell or scrap the old equipment, and how might you improve it?
Capital gains tax break for job-related accommodation
You’re in the process of selling a property that you bought as your home but because of your job have never lived in. You’ve been told that you’ll have to pay tax on any gain you make, but might a special relief get you off the hook?
Should you revoke your 20-year-old option?
Your business has let out a building to a tenant and it is now just over 20 years since you opted to tax the property with HMRC. Should you revoke it so that your tenant no longer needs to pay VAT?
Chip shop owner fined £40k for hiring illegal worker
A Surrey fish and chip shop owner has been left in shock after being fined £40,000 for allegedly employing someone who didn’t have the right to work in the UK, even though he conducted a right to work check. Where did this employer go wrong and what can you learn from it?