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From April 2022, in line with announcements made last month, National Insurance Class 1 contributions (that will affect employed persons and their employers) and Class 4 contributions (that will affect the self-employed), are increasing by 1.25%. These increases will affect all employed and self-employed workers that presently pay National Insurance. This increase will only apply…

If you have been keeping up with announcements from Downing Street, you will know that from April 2022 the hybrid rates of Income Tax on dividend income are increasing by 1.25 percentage points. The changes from April 2022 are: The first £2,000 of dividends received are free of any additional tax charge, no change here.…

As well as increasing National Insurance contributions from April 2022 – the 1.25% increase announced earlier this month – the Treasury also increased the hybrid income tax rates applied to dividends received, by the same amount and from the same date. The changes from April 2022 are: The first £2,000 of dividends received are free…

HMRC is warning university students new to the world of working to be wary of potential scams. With higher numbers joining university, we are likely to see more students take on part-time work. As many young people may be unfamiliar with HMRC and legitimate contact from the department could make them vulnerable to scams. There…

No surprises when the Prime Minister announced a hefty 1.25% increase in NIC Class 1 and Class 4 rates from April 2022. The announcement was widely predicted. Effectively, this is a tax increase on earnings (employed or self-employed) and on costs for employers. It is odd that a 1.25% increase in Income Tax would have…

The UK Government’s Start Up Loans scheme has now provided £600 million in loans to small businesses outside London, providing extensive support for entrepreneurs across the UK. The initiative, run by the British Business Bank, was created in 2012 to provide a wide range of smaller businesses with more opportunities to create jobs, expand and…

Having glimpsed the light at the end of the COVID tunnel, many of us will have everything crossed that progress towards normality will continue. The winter months are not a brilliant time for infection and we should expect the usual rash of flu, and now COVID, cases to increase. In the past two years words…

Over the last two years, Companies House has disallowed more than 800 business names for being ‘too offensive’. Building That Fought Hitler Limited, Cambridge Cannabis Club Limited, Fancy a Bomb Ltd and Fit as Fork Ltd are among the company names that have been rejected by the executive agency and trading fund for the government.…

Families are reminded that they may be able to claim for tax-free childcare costs to help pay for breakfast and after school clubs as children go back to school. In a recent press release HMRC confirmed that Eligible families can save money on their childcare and benefit from a government top-up worth up to £2,000…

A government-funded Peer Networks scheme is offering support to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) across the UK. The programme, which is free to join, helps organisations tackle common business challenges through interactive action learning. Additionally, the scheme’s trained mentors help small and medium-sized businesses handle new opportunities and build a strong support network. Business leaders…