Free Advice

Churches and trading

What activities do you church trustees consider a trade? What income types of trading are thereexemptions available? There are two key issues to be addressed; 1. whether the activity is an activity of the church or 2. some other organisation however informally established. A good rule of thumb is that if the activity is under […]

Working throught the NIC maze

NIC’s – why pay it ? You pay National Insurance contributions to build up your entitlement to certain state benefits, including the State Pension. The contributions you pay depend on how much you earn and whether you’re employed or self-employed. You stop paying National Insurance contributions when you reach State Pension age. (If you are […]

Business Bites Episode 6: What is your “Total Debt Service Ratio”?

Business Bites Episode 5: is there such a thing as good debt?

Data protection for payroll (GDPR)

GDPR or data protection laws starting 25th May 2018 for payroll will change communication between employers and employees. This will apply to all businesses – no matter how big or small as follows; You can’t do this anymore; – Send/receive emails to/from staff about matters to do with them personally – Staff to email you […]

Are you ready for the increase in pension rates ?

From the 6th April 2018, auto enrolment pension rates are going to increase. It’s important that you’re ready for these contribution increases so that the correct amounts are deducted from your payroll at the right time if you are employer. If you are an employee, you will be paying higher contributions so you need to […]

Do insurance companies pay out on red alerts ?

There is a rumour that insurance companies will not pay out for accidents during a red alert. (Red alert is in place in Scotland at the time of writing, 1st March 2018). This is NOT true. It is not about whether there was a red alert but whether there was “contributory negligence” on the driver’s […]

New Scottish tax & marriage allowance.

By 67 votes to 50, Holyrood (Scottish Parliament) has a new income tax regime. It is more complicated than the rest of the UK in that it has four extra rates and three new thresholds. (SRIT = “Scottish Rate of Income Tax”) On closer examination, there is one of the minor unintended consequences. Marriage Allowance. […]

HMRC vs BBC in IR35 case…ouch ! (this is about contractors with companies)

HMRC has defeated Christa Ackroyd, a BBC presenter in the first IR35 ruling since 2011. The tribunal ruled the TV personality’s contract was caught by IR35 and landed her company with a £420,000 bill! This judgment is the first of a number of IR35 appeals involving television presenters who operated through personal service companies, following […]

What is “Making Tax Digital”?

What is “Making Tax Digital”? Making Tax Digital (MTD) is a government initiative to modernise HMRC’s tax system, with the aim of making the whole process of administrating tax simpler and more efficient. All of your tax information will be in one place (your digital account) and you will be able to pay tax based […]