Tax treatment of incentive scheme awards
Some companies use incentive award schemes to encourage their employees in various ways. For example, to sell more of their own goods and services. The award can include cash-based, vouchers or other gifts.
Where an employer meets the tax payable on a non-cash incentive award given to a direct employee by entering into a PAYE settlement agreement (PSA), the award is not chargeable to tax on the employee.
With the exception of non-cash awards covered by a PSA, the incentive awards made to
VAT reverse charge and the flat rate scheme
There are special VAT rules for building contractors and sub-contractors that came into effect on 1 March 2021. The new rules make the supply of most construction services between construction or building businesses subject to the domestic reverse charge. The reverse charge only applies to supplies of specified construction services to other businesses in the construction sector.
This means that since 1 March 2021, sub-contractors no longer add VAT to their supplies to most building customers,
Self-employed basis period reforms
The government announced back in September that the introduction of Making Tax Digital (MTD) for Income Tax Self-Assessment (ITSA) has been delayed by one year until April 2024. There had been widespread concerns on the speed of the MTD for ITSA rollout and the delay was widely welcomed.
In tandem with this announcement, the government also announced that proposals for Income Tax basis period reform would also be delayed until the 2024-25 tax year with 2023-24 being a transitional year. The
Improvements to the apprenticeship system
As part of the Autumn Budget and Spending Review 2021, the government has confirmed that it will continue to meet 95% of the apprenticeship training costs for employers who do not pay the Apprenticeship Levy and it will deliver several apprenticeship system improvements for all employers. These include:
an enhanced recruitment service by May 2022 for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), helping them hire new apprentices
supporting flexible apprenticeship training models to ensure that
Vehicle benefit charges from April 2022
The vehicle benefit charges were updated following the Chancellor’s Budget speech. Where employees are provided with fuel for their own private use by their employers, the car fuel benefit charge is applicable. The fuel benefit charge is determined by reference to the CO2 rating of the car, applied to a fixed amount. The car fuel benefit charge will increase in 2022-2 to £25,300 (from £24,600). The fuel benefit is not applicable when the employee pays for all their private fuel.
The standard
More time to pay Capital Gains Tax
The Capital Gains Tax (CGT) reporting and payment date for UK residents that sell a residential property changed with effect from 6 April 2020. This change meant that any CGT due on the sale of a residential property needed to be reported and a payment on account of any CGT due made within 30 days of the completion of the transaction.
In the Autumn Budget, the Chancellor announced that the deadline for making CGT returns and associated payments on account would be changed from 30 days after
Autumn Budget 2021 – Alcohol and Tobacco Duty
As part of the Budget measures the Chancellor announced, to a big cheer, that the planned duty rates on beers, spirits, wines and ciders expected to come into effect from midnight on Budget Day will be cancelled.
The Chancellor also announced major changes to the current duty system are expected to be introduced from 1 February 2023. This will result in a reduction in the number of main alcohol duty rates from fifteen to six with stronger drinks attracting higher rates. The changes will also
Autumn Budget 2021 – Minimum Wage increases
The Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rishi Sunak confirmed that the government has accepted in full the proposals of the Low Pay Commission for increasing minimum wage rates from 1 April 2022. This puts the government back on track to reach their minimum wage target of two-thirds of median earnings by 2024.
The new National Living Wage (NLW) rate of £9.50 will come into effect on 1 April 2022 and represents an increase of 59p or 6.6%. The NLW is the minimum hourly rate that must be paid to those
Autumn Budget 2021 – £1 million Annual Investment Allowance
In the Spring Budget earlier this year, the government announced that the temporary Annual Investment Allowance (AIA) cap of £1 million would be extended until 31 December 2021. The Chancellor, delivering the Autumn Budget revealed that the temporary cap will now be extended further until 31 March 2023.
The government says that this move is intended to have positive outcomes for businesses by supporting and encouraging business investment, particularly those that are ineligible for the
Tax Diary November/December 2021
1 November 2021 – Due date for Corporation Tax due for the year ended 31 January 2021.
19 November 2021 – PAYE and NIC deductions due for month ended 5 November 2021. (If you pay your tax electronically the due date is 22 November 2021.)
19 November 2021 – Filing deadline for the CIS300 monthly return for the month ended 5 November 2021.
19 November 2021 – CIS tax deducted for the month ended 5 November 2021 is payable by today.
1 December 2021 – Due date for Corporation Tax payable for the