Auto enrolment for care workers

Automatic enrolment for workplace pensions has helped many employees make provision for their retirement, with employers and government also contributing to make a larger pension pot.

The law states that employers must automatically enrol workers into a workplace pension if they are aged between 22 and State Pension Age and earn more than minimum earning threshold. The minimum threshold has remained fixed at £10,000 since 6 April 2014. The employee must also work in the UK and not be a member of a qualifying work pension scheme. Employees can opt-out of joining the pension scheme if they wish.

These rules apply if you directly employ a care worker to provide you with care and support, often called a personal assistant or a personal care assistant. It is important to note that you will be classed as an employer whether or not you pay using money provided by your local authority or the NHS in the form of direct payments or a personal budget to pay your personal care assistant, or if you use your own money.

The main exception to this rule is if the care worker is provided by an agency, and the agency pays the personal care assistant’s National Insurance contributions. If this is the case, then the agency will be responsible for the automatic enrolment requirements.

Source: Pensions Regulator Tue, 15 Mar 2022 00:00:00 +0100

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Breaking even – checking the numbers

In previous newsfeeds we have described how you can calculate the level of turnover you need to create in order to meet all your costs whether they be fixed costs (rent, rates etc.,) or variable costs (goods you need to buy to convert into goods you sell).

For example, if your fixed costs are £50,000 per annum and your variable costs are 25% of your turnover, the annual turnover you need to breakeven will be £200,000. The formula is:

Annual fixed costs divided by 25 (the gross profit)

Bereavement Support Payment

The amount of Bereavement Support Payment you can claim will depend on your relationship to the person who died and when you make your claim.

Your payments will be paid into your bank, building society or credit union account.

If you were married or in a registered civil partnership with the person who died

If you were receiving Child Benefit when your partner died (or did not get it but were entitled to it), you will get the higher rate.

This is made up of:

a first payment of £3,500;

Tax codes for employees

The P9X form is used to notify employers of the tax codes to use for employees. The latest version of the form has been published and shows the tax codes to use from 6 April 2023. The form states that the basic personal allowance for the tax year starting 6 April 2023 will, as expected, be £12,570 (£12,570 in 2022-23) and this means that the tax code for emergency use will remain at 1257L.

The basic rate limit will be £37,700 (£37,700 in 2022-23) except for those defined as Scottish taxpayers

Properties not let at commercial rates

There are special rules where a property is let at less than a commercial rate or isn’t let on commercial terms. These rules also apply if a property is occupied rent free or at less than a commercial rate, for example, a property is occupied by a family member at a reduced or nil rent.

In these circumstances, HMRC can take the view that unless the landlord charges a full market rent for a property and imposes normal market lease conditions, it is unlikely that the expenses of the property are

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