Latest Business News UK

Since 1 February 2016 landlords have had a responsibility in the UK to verify the "right to rent" for both tenants and lodgers. There is good guidance at Shelter's Website - click here
or
At the HMRC website where the documents required and a Home office Check are available - click here

The UK Trust Registration Service

25-05-2018

The new Trust Registration Service (TRS) has now been introduced by the Government to comply with the EU 4th anti-money laundering directive (4AMLD) implemented on 26 June 2017.

The TRS allows trustees and personal representatives to register their trusts and complex estates online.
Trusts need to be registered by 5 October after the end of the first tax year for which the trust had a liability to pay tax.

For more information click here

GENERAL DATA PROTECTION REGULATION (GDPR)

25-05-2018

GDPR comes into force on 25 May 2018. For more information and to see how the regulations affect you click here

HMRC CAR FUEL SCALE CHARGES FROM 1 MAY 2018 TO 30 APRIL 2019

03-04-2018

The VAT road fuel scale charges are amended with effect from 1 May 2018. Businesses must use the new scales from the start of the next prescribed accounting period beginning on or after 1 May 2018. For the new rates click here.

STATUTORY PAY CHANGES FROM 1 APRIL 2018

22-03-2018

National Minimum Wage and National Living Wage will increase on April 1^st. Those aged over 25 on the National Living Wage will benefit from an increase of 4.4%, with hourly payments rising from £7.50 an hour to £7.83 an hour. Younger workers and apprentices will also benefit from similar improvements, with the new rates as follows:

21-24 years old – £7.38 per hour
18-20 years old – £5.90 per hour
Over compulsory school age – £4.20 per hour
Apprentice – £3.70 per hour

There is likely to be added attention surrounding the incoming wage increases due to the release of the government’s latest ‘naming and shaming’ list of those employers who failed to pay staff minimum wage. The government is increasing enforcement in this area and substantial financial penalties can be issued to your clients if they fail to meet the new legal requirements.

1^st April will also see the introduction of a new set of ‘family friendly’ pay rates. Increases will be made to the weekly rates of statutory maternity pay (SMP), statutory adoption pay (SAP), statutory paternity pay (SPP) and statutory shared parental pay (ShPP). These rates will all rise from £140.98 per week to £145.18 per week and are seen as particularly important in providing added support to workers with families.

Coinciding with the next tax year of 6^th April, statutory sick pay (SSP) will also rise from £89.35 a week to £92.05 a week. Having previously been described as ‘manifestly inadequate’ by the European Committee of Social Rights, this represents an attempt to increase the financial security of employees who will now have to earn at least £116 a week to be eligible for SSP and the family-friendly rates. Your clients should review and update any workplace policies which relate to these family-friendly pay rates ahead of the deadline.

STUDENT LOANS - 2018 THRESHOLD INCREASE

15-02-2018

The thresholds at which student loan repayments are calculated increase from 6 April 2018 as follows:
Plan 1 Loan - £18,330
Plan 2 Loan - £25,000

GENERAL DATA PROTECTION REGULATION (GDPR)

13-02-2018

The biggest update to the EU's data protection legislation in 20 years will be enforced from 25 May 2018 and it could heavily impact your business For a guide to GDPR click here.

Further guidance is available from the Information Commissionioner's Office (ICO) by clicking here.

AUTO-ENROLMENT PENSION INCREASES

30-01-2018

Payrolls where auto enrolment contributions are being paid will have increased contributions from April 2018.

In order to comply with Auto Enrolment duties, minimum levels of pension contributions have to be paid by the employer and by the employees to the Workplace Pension Scheme.

These contributions are due to increase in line with legislation, with the first contribution increase to take effect from 6th April 2018.

The table below shows the current minimum pension contributions payable and the increases which need to be made from 6th April 2018. Contributions are based on Qualifying Earnings.

Qualifying Earnings are currently calculated based on earnings between £5,876 and £45,000 per year (£490 to £3,750 per month, or £113 to £866 per week)*, and include certain elements of pay such as salary or wages, commission, bonuses, overtime and statutory payments.

Date effective	Minimum employer contribution	Minimum total contribution	Employee contribution if employer contributes at minimum level
Until 5 April 2018	1%	2%	1%
Increased contributions from 6 April 2018	2%	5%	3%

The above means that if for example, the employer and the employees are both currently paying the minimum contributions of 1%, the Employer’s contribution must increase to 2% with the Employee’s contribution increasing to 3% from 6th April 2018.

Further legislative increases are due from 6th April 2019.

DO YOU NEED TO COMPLETE A TAX RETURN?

30-01-2018

If one is:

Self employed
Earning more than £2,500 in untaxed income (such as rental income)
receive more than £10,000 from savings or investments
Had a capital gain
Are a company director
Had income of more than £100,000 in the fiscal year
Claimed child benefit and you or your partner earned more than £50,000
Received overseas income which they need to pay tax on
Live overseas with UK income

then you are obliged to complete a UK tax return.

SECURE MAIL

05-01-2018

Client of Wolfson Associates should note that in order for the practice to comply with the new GDPR regulations, confidential data will be sent either via our secure client portal or as secure email using our Citrix/Sharefile secure mail system. Both systems will require your to register your email address. If in doubt about any communications from the practice, please call us.

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Wolfson Associates is the trading name of Wolfson Associates Limited. Registered in England & Wales - Co. No. 6548009. VAT number: 929 3294 93.
Regulated by the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales for a range of investment business activities. Our registration details can be found by clicking here.
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