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What is a reasonable excuse?

There are a number of options if you find yourself in disagreement with a tax decision issued by HMRC. As a first step, it is usually possible to make an appeal against a tax decision. There is normally a 30-day deadline for making a claim, so time

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Tax implications for construction industry

If you run a construction business and secure the services of sub-contractors, or if you are a building sub-contractor, you will need to comply with a special set of tax rules collectively known as the Construction Industry Scheme (CIS). The CIS

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Lump sums paid in continuing employment

A lump sum payment can sometimes be made in lieu of all or part of an employee’s salary, wage, commission or other amounts to which they are entitled by virtue of their employment. Under these circumstances, the lump sum payments are taxable as

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Tax deducted from payments by companies

Under certain circumstances, companies (including non-resident companies trading from a branch or agency in the UK and local authorities) can have a duty to deduct tax in connection with certain payments. In effect the company accounts for all or

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What is a Close Company?

A Close Company is broadly defined as a company that is controlled by: five or fewer participators or any number of participators who are also directors or where more than half the assets of which would be distributed to five or fewer

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Making Tax Digital (MTD)

Since April 2019, VAT registered businesses with a turnover above the VAT threshold need to keep digital records for VAT purposes using the Making Tax Digital (MTD) protocols. This means that businesses must keep their records digitally (for VAT

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Compensation limits for bank deposits

What happens if your bank becomes insolvent and you stand to lose any funds deposited? The bank deposit guarantee limit is the amount of money that is guaranteed, for savers in UK banks and building societies, should the institution become

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New £20 note unveiled

The Governor of the Bank of England, Mark Carney, has unveiled the design of the new £20 note featuring the artist JMW Turner. The new note will be launched on 20 February 2020 and will join the current £5 and £10 notes in being

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National Living/Minimum Wage entitlement

A reminder that the current National Minimum Wage (NMW) and National Living Wage (NLW) rates came into effect on 1 April 2019. The NLW is the minimum hourly rate that must be paid to those aged 25 or over. The current rate for the NLW is

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