The National Insurance cuts in the 2023 Autumn Statement grabbed the headlines, but there were a number of other changes also announced. What were the most important to be aware of?  Naomi Swan outlines the changes in this article. Self-assessment The criteria to be met for an individual to fall within self-assessment have been changed....

A trustee of an environmental charity has launched a fundraising appeal to ask for donations from supporters. One tree will be planted in a city centre for each £20 donation. Are the donations subject to VAT as a supply of services?  Naomi Swan explains in this article. What is a donation? VAT is not payable...

From all at JRW Hogg & Thorburn we wish you a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year   Our offices will reopen on the 4th January at 9am

If you own the trading premises of your business, charging rent can be a good way to extract income. The trouble is it can increase any capital gains tax (CGT) payable if you sell the property. Can the income tax saving justify the extra CGT? Kenny Logan from our Edinburgh office takes a closer look....

HMRC has recently changed its guidance on electric vehicle (EV) charging costs. If you are an employer who followed HMRC’s original guidance, what steps should you now take?  Audrey Rankine explains. After a long wait HMRC has corrected its guidance on the tax and NI treatment of payments by employers to employees for electric vehicle...

You have been offered financial donations from friends and family to help start your new business. If it’s a success, you plan to reward them. What would the tax position be for the business and the donors?  Kenny Logan from our Edinburgh office explains. It’s far from unusual for close relatives and occasionally friends to...

A business regularly hosts networking events at a hotel, charging £30 per delegate for light refreshments and the travel costs of a guest speaker. They don’t charge output tax as all events make a loss but input tax is claimed on the costs. Is this correct?  VAT expert John Craig explains in this article. There’s...

The way we allocate profits to tax years for sole traders and partnership businesses has change in the 2023/24 tax year. The current system used to allocate profits was designed in the 1920s and creates a situation whereby businesses that do not have an accounting period that is aligned with the tax year may pay...

You have heard that all equipment bought for your business now qualifies for 100% relief as a deductible expense, so there’s no need to keep a separate record of it as expenditure. Is this correct and why does it matter? Naomi Swan provides the answer. The Spring Budget 2023 introduced full expensing which temporarily applies...

It’s been suggested that your business should only auto-enrol new employees who are eligible into your workplace auto-enrolment pension scheme once they’ve successfully completed their probation period. Is this acceptable?  Natasha Crockatt from our Payroll department answers the question.. If you require your employees to successfully complete a probationary period before they start working for...