VAT decision will be a ‘tax on jobs’

The Recruitment and Employment Confederation (REC) has expressed its dismay at learning that the government intends to go ahead with plans to drop the VAT staff hire concession as from 1 April...[more]

Small employers urged to claim £75 online filing bonus

HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) has reminded firms employing fewer than fifty people that they can pick up a tax-free £75 bonus if they file their 2008/09 Employer Annual Returns online this year...[more]

Businesses failing to tap into workers’ skills

Firms are not making full use of the skills and talents of their workforces, a new study has claimed...[more]

Government should ‘scrap’ double business rates hit

The government must act to reduce the burden that planned increases in business rates are likely to impose on smaller firms...[more]

VAT Dos and Don’ts

Tips on managing your VAT...[more]

Improve your debt collections

We look at ways to improve debt collections and, hopefully, to ease cash flow difficulties...[more]

Pensions deficit hits record levels

Final salary pension schemes in the private sector were underfunded by £219 billion last month, new figures have revealed...[more]

HMRC sending out penalty notices for late P11D(b) returns

Employers are being advised that, as from 16 March, HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) is sending out penalty notices to those firms yet to file their 2007-08 form P11D(b) Class 1A National Insurance contributions annual returns...[more]

Little time left to claim special VAT refunds

Businesses are being reminded that the date by which they can claim a special, one-off refund on past VAT payments is 31 March 2009...[more]

New code of practice for workplace discipline agreed

The draft code of practice from Acas on the new rules governing discipline and grievance procedures at work has been approved by Parliament...[more]

Recession to rule out compulsory equal pay reviews

The government is to be advised not to push ahead with the planned introduction of compulsory equal pay reviews in the forthcoming Equalities Bill...[more]

Businesses unaware of government loan scheme

Nine out of ten businesses do not realise that their banks offer access to the government’s Enterprise Finance Guarantee scheme, a new survey has revealed...[more]

How to stay competitive

Tips on keeping ahead of your competitors...[more]

ISAs are ‘underfunded’

Too few people are taking advantage of the savings opportunities afforded by ISAs, it has been claimed. [more]

Old P45 forms to be replaced soon

Employers need to remember that the old A5 version of the P45 form will no longer be valid as from 6 April 2009...[more]

Chancellor urged to delay date set for VAT increase

The British Retail Consortium (BRC) has said that the planned date for the restoration of the old rate of VAT will come at the worst possible time for businesses. [more]

Achieving financial security in retirement

How to plan for the time you stop working...[more]

Government should ‘drop’ parking tax law

A leading business group has petitioned the government to scrap legislation which allows local authorities to charge a tax on business car parking spaces...[more]

European court rules in favour of UK retirement age

The European Court of Justice (ECJ) has judged that the UK’s retirement age of 65 does not contravene EU regulations...[more]

Bonus rates fall again for employee share schemes

The Treasury has announced another reduction in the bonus rates for the Save As You Earn (SAYE) sharesave scheme...[more]

Automatic rate relief bill wins MPs’ support

A business group is pushing for automatic rate relief for small firms to become law...[more]

Larger employers get important PAYE reminder

Firms with 50 or more staff have been urged to get ready for important changes to the PAYE system that are due to come into effect this April...[more]

Business recovery plan launched by BCC

The British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) has published its strategy for helping businesses recover from the recession...[more]

Taxpayers urged to prepare for new compliance rules

Taxpayers and businesses need to be aware that a new regime on how tax compliance checks are carried out will soon be in force, HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) has warned...[more]

Wage subsidies could help employers save ‘thousands of jobs’

The government is being urged to set up a wage subsidy scheme in order to help hard-pressed employers weather the economic downturn...[more]

Employment guide to help firms handle the recession

Employers are being urged to plan for the longer term during the economic downturn and to take an innovative approach to avoiding job cuts...[more]

Small firms’ loan scheme ‘making a difference’

Lord Mandelson, the Business Secretary, has said that more than £1 million worth of loans are being made each day to small businesses as a result of a government guarantee scheme...[more]

Small company tax changes would ‘complicate not simplify’

Changes intended to simplify corporate tax for smaller companies will have the opposite effect and will add to the burden of tax compliance, the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Scotland (ICAS) has argued...[more]

Better savings rates around the corner

It has been predicted that savers could soon be seeing much improved rates of interest...[more]