The Inheritance Tax residence nil rate band (RNRB) is a transferable allowance for married couples and civil partners (per person) when their main residence is passed down to a direct descendent such
Transfer of unused IHT nil rate band
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HMRC increases interest rates
The Bank of England’s Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) met on 21 June 2023 and voted 7-2 in favour of raising interest rates by 50 basis points to 5% to continue to tackle inflation. The 2 remaining
Protecting intellectual property
Having the right type of intellectual property protection helps you stop people stealing or copying:
the names of your products or brands;
your inventions;
the design or look of your products;
Regulated businesses hit with Anti-Money Laundering fines
The Money Laundering Regulations (MLR) are designed to protect the UK financial system and put in place certain controls to prevent businesses being used for money laundering by criminals and
HMRC’s Self-Assessment line summer closure
HMRC’s Self-Assessment helpline closed on 12 June 2023 and will re-open on 4 September 2023. This closure is part of a trial to direct Self-Assessment queries from the helpline to HMRC’s digital
Deadline to top-up NIC contributions extended
In certain circumstances it can be beneficial to make voluntary National Insurance Contributions (NICs) to increase your entitlement to benefits, including the State or New State Pension.
Usually,
Capital Gains Tax Gift Hold-Over Relief
Gift Hold-Over Relief is a tax relief that results in a deferral of Capital Gains Tax (CGT). The relief can be claimed when assets are given away (including certain shares) or sold for less than they
Offshore taxpayers offered chance to come clean
HMRC is currently writing to UK residents who were named in the leaked Pandora Papers and offering them the chance to regularise their tax affairs. The letters are being sent to UK residents named in
VAT Exempt services
A business that incurs expenditure on taxable and exempt business activities is partially exempt for VAT purposes.
This means that the business is required to make an apportionment between the
New powers for charities
From 14 June 2023, the latest set of changes mandated by the Charities Acts 2022 came into force.
Changes now in place include simplified legal requirements that charities must comply with before
Effects of settlement legislation
The settlement legislation is intended to prevent an individual from gaining a tax advantage by diverting his or her income to another person who is liable at a lower rate of tax or is not liable to
New life sciences growth package announced
The Chancellor, Jeremy Hunt, has announced a new £650 million package of measures to help boost UK life sciences.
The new ‘Life Sci for Growth’ package brings together 10 different policies including
Passport delays and applications
A recent investigation by the House of Commons Committee of Public Accounts, in connection with the UK passport office, has found that hundreds of thousands of applicants faced unacceptable delays in
Check when to expect reply from HMRC
HMRC has a useful online tool to help agents and taxpayers know when they can expect to receive a reply from HMRC regarding a query or request that they have made. The online tool is updated
Gift Aid small donations scheme
The Gift Aid Small Donations Scheme (GASDS) allows qualifying charities and Community Amateur Sports Clubs (CASCs) to claim a top-up equivalent to Gift Aid on small donations of money made without a
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