Happy new tax year

Like so many of the regulations that govern our lives, the legislative processes underpinning these rules are anachronisms – things that belong to the past. For example, the present tax year ends on 5th April 2022. The reason that our tax year ends on this obscure date started in 1582 when Pope Gregory ordered a […]

HMRC warning to taxpayers

HMRC issued the following press release 8 March 2022: “HMRC is warning customers not to share sensitive personal information online to avoid their identities being used to commit tax fraud. “HMRC is aware that criminals are attempting to obtain customers’ Government Gateway logins and other personal details, enabling them to register for Income Tax Self-Assessment […]

The transition to quarterly tax returns

Individuals with significant income – including the self-employed – are presently required to file one tax return a year. From April 2024, HMRC’s Making Tax Digital program is being expanded to include self-employed individuals and landlords with business or rental income in excess of £10,000. This is described as MTD for ITSA (Income Tax Self-Assessment) […]

Change of accounting year end

In preparation for the introduction of Making Tax Digital for Income Tax Self-Assessment the basis period rules for unincorporated businesses are being abolished. Instead, unincorporated businesses will be assessed on the profits actually earned in the tax year. The new rules take effect from 2024/25, with 2023/24 being a transitional year. This will affect you […]

Energy bills support 2022

We have summarised below the three main sources of government support to assist householders with their energy bills for the coming year. They are: A £200 discount on their energy bill this Autumn for domestic electricity customers in Great Britain. This will be paid back automatically over the next 5 years. A £150 non-repayable Council […]

Spring Statement 2022

The Chancellor, Rishi Sunak, has delivered his Spring Statement to the House of Commons against a backdrop of a growing cost of living crisis. The Chancellor also stressed that, apart from the untold human suffering, the Russian invasion of Ukraine is creating further uncertainty in the domestic and global economy, particularly in relation to energy […]