National Insurance has undergone a plethora of changes in recent years that have kept employers on their toes. Businesses that employ apprentices saw a change in the law back in April 2015 when the Government introduced a zero per cent rate of Secondary National Insurance Contributions (NIC)
Read more →Businesses looking to preserve and subsequently boost their IT operating systems can rejoice as Microsoft is offering Windows 7 and Windows 8.1 users a free upgrade to Windows 10 – a first for the tech giant. Most SMEs are working with the six-year-old Windows 7 operating platform
Read more →A hike in Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT) is due to take a bigger bite out of individuals and families purchasing properties on or after 1 April 2016. Whilst the reforms are yet to be finalised, the Treasury has published a consultation paper which sheds more light
Read more →The recent passing of the Finance Bill 2016 (a vehicle for renewing taxes, delivering new proposals and maintaining administration) saw many of the measures unveiled by the chancellor come to fruition. To separate fact from fiction, we’ve put together a handy breakdown of the most relevant tax-related
Read more →We all want to live comfortably during retirement, yet the type of lifestyle you’ll experience is determined by the decisions you make early on in life. To ensure a relaxing and somewhat care-free retirement, here’s what you need to consider in order to bridge any gaps between
Read more →Although by no means impossible, it’s fair to say that organising a mortgage when you’re self-employed can be a bit of a headache. Sharon Duckworth, director of Key Mortgage Advice, answers your questions and lays out the options available. How will my self-employment mortgage be calculated?
Read more →Millions of older savers have been given the opportunity to boost their retirement income by topping up their state pension. The scheme, known as Class 3A, enables voluntary top ups of up to £25 per week (£1,300 per year) for those already in receipt of a state
Read more →Yesterday the chancellor set out his first all-Conservative Spending Review and Autumn Statement, revealing his party’s economic goals for the next five years – and by anyone’s standards, George Osborne is intending to spend a lot of money. It isn’t immediately obvious how it will all be
Read more →Recent statistics from HMRC have revealed a 23 per cent increase in SME R&D tax relief claims, with the total number during the last year rising from 13,140 to 16,160. Despite the growth, HMRC estimate that this figure is still less than 10 per cent of all
Read more →One of the key announcements from the summer Budget was George Osborne’s complete overhaul of the dividend taxation system. From April 2016, dividend tax credits will be scrapped and replaced by new rates of taxation for all limited company shareholders. Every taxpayer will be entitled to a
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