As the owner of a medium-sized company, you are keen to start a company car scheme for senior staff which encourages them to switch to vehicles with lower emissions. But what tax factors should they be aware of, and could salary sacrifice be the most efficient approach?  Audrey Rankine explains in this article. In line...

The Chancellor has indicated that the government will raise taxes in October’s Budget, citing a £22bn ‘hole’ in public finances as the reason. When asked about potential tax increases in the Budget, Rachel Reeves replied: “I think that we will have to increase taxes”. She reaffirmed Labour’s manifesto promise not to increase income tax, National...

One of the more tax efficient ways of reducing a company’s tax bill and increase the amount of money withdrawn at the same time, is by paying salary to a member of the director’s family. This could be the director’s spouse or children at university. Partner Joanne Gibson advises in this article. Another good reason...

Partner Andrew Wayness provides the answers in this month’s Q&A. Is a charity’s loss-making event exempt from VAT? Q. We are a charity that is registered for VAT. We recently held a fundraising event, treating the income as being exempt from VAT, but the event made a loss. Should we treat the income as standard-rated...

With Companies House increasing their fees from 1 May 2024, this will have an impact on every incorporated business in the UK. Kenny Logan from our Edinburgh office looks at the new fees and what these increases will mean. Companies House increase in fees will result in increased costs for all entities registered, including private...

You have recently switched to electronic invoicing. However, some customers are insisting on paper invoices. Must you comply with these requests?  Elaine Wight answers this question below. While the design and layout of your business invoices is up to you, there are government regulations that require you to include certain information about your business and...

Your business is growing and you are considering whether the company should lease or buy new premises. What factors do you need to take into account before making a decision?  Associate Kenny Logan from our Edinburgh office discusses the options in this article. Leasing There are several reasons why it could make more sense for...

“Companies House is an executive agency of the Department for Business and Trade. We incorporate and dissolve limited companies. We register company information and make it available to the public. We are approaching a pivotal moment in our history. The Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency (ECCT) Act will fundamentally change our role and our purpose...

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....

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...