This 2021 budget summary covers the key tax changes announced in the Chancellor’s speech and includes tables of the main rates and allowances.

Self-assessment tax returns for 2019/2020 are due for submission by 31 January 2021, but HMRC has announced that late filing penalties will not be charged if the return is submitted online by 28 February 2021.

The Employee Ownership Trust (EOT) was introduced by the Coalition Government in 2014 with the aim of promoting employee ownership in the UK, similar to the John Lewis model. The 2014 rules provide an incentive for owners to sell a controlling stake in their business.

Companies are increasingly being used as a vehicle for family investments due to a low rate of tax (Corporation Tax is currently payable at just 19%) and the ability to use shares and directorship roles to keep control with certain family members, while allowing the whole family to benefit from income and capital growth.

Further details have been announced about the new Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme, but the online service through which claims will be made is not yet available.

The April 2019 loan charge was introduced to tackle tax avoidance using employer-funded third parties, but following an independent review, this measure has been significantly rolled back.

The introduction of changes to the UK off-payroll working rules for the private sector, which was set to take place on 6 April 2020, have been suspended for a year due to COVID-19, and will now be introduced from 6 April 2021.

The Government has clarified that company directors and office holders are eligible for furloughing under the COVID-19 Job Retention Scheme, but many small business owners are still receiving minimal assistance.

The Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rishi Sunak, has written to the chair of the Treasury Select Committee to outline temporary changes to the Statutory Residence Test (SRT) for those coming to the country to work on COVID-19 related activity.

The Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme allows employers to claim a grant to cover wages of furloughed employees, including directors, but dividend payments will not be covered.  

People are being prevented from travelling from the UK to other countries at present due to the Coronavirus epidemic. This could affect their UK tax residence status and therefore; their UK tax liabilities.

COVID-19 is changing the way all of us live and work – Tax Innovations is changing its working practices too, but our services will not be interrupted. This article sets out the government’s current assistance package and an update on how to keep in contact with us.

The new government has published its first post-Brexit budget and Inheritance Tax was not on the agenda. Given the current economic uncertainties, it seems that Inheritance Tax, rarely much of a priority for governments given that it invokes passionate feelings while in reality representing a small part of the total tax take, is unlikely to change for the foreseeable future.

On 11 March 2020, the new Chancellor outlined his first budget. The detailed budget documents set out the following notable tax changes.

From April 2020 the Enhanced Capital Allowances (ECAs) available on energy and water efficient assets will be withdrawn. Currently, 100% first-year allowances are available on these assets, and where the allowances create a loss, this can be converted into a payable tax credit from HMRC.

The 2020 Finance Act is set to reduce the scope of the valuable Private Residence Relief (PRR), which prevents Capital Gains Tax (CGT) being charged when you sell your home. From 6 April 2020, the CGT payable on the sale of a residence may increase by up to £11,200 due to a restriction to PPR ‘Letting Relief’.

Entrepreneurs’ Relief has been the subject of recent changes including an extension to the length of the required qualification period and the introduction of a measure or protection for taxpayers who find that their shareholding has been diluted below the Entrepreneurs’ Relief threshold.

On 6 April 2017, changes to the way that the taxation of workers’ services provided through intermediaries was implemented has had a huge impact for workers in the Public Sector. The Government now intends to roll out similar changes for the Private Sector, with effect from 6 April 2020.

The last day of the 2018-19 UK tax year (5 April 2019) is looming large and for those who seek to be tax efficient, it is time to examine ways of potentially mitigating 2018-19 personal tax liabilities via year-end planning reviews.

From 6 April 2019 the scope of UK CGT on non-residents is being extended to include all UK real estate property as well as to assets deriving at least 75% of their value from UK land.

Changes to Entrepreneurs Relief potentially threatened the availability of capital gains tax relief for owners of companies with alphabet share classes.

On 29 October 2018, the Chancellor set out his budget to Parliament, stating that austerity is "finally coming to an end" as the economic outlook improves, and appearing to spread some of the potential benefits around. The budget offered little in the way of significant overhaul, largely focussing on adjustments to existing reliefs, but what were the actual changes to the UK tax environment?

The UK tax rules for non-domiciled individuals were thrown into confusion by the proposed reforms to apply from 6 April 2017 not being included in the Finance Act 2017, however, the Government has now confirmed that the Finance Bill due to be published in September 2017 will include the proposed reforms and that they will appl

The government is clearly focused on directing private investment away from property and into areas that are more likely to stimulate economic growth, leading to a series of policies targeted against buy-to-let property owners.

HMRC have announced that the tax legislation regarding the UK tax treatment of the overseas pension scheme is changing from 6 April 2017.

HMRC is making changes to the taxation of Qualifying Non UK Pension Schemes (QNUPS) but, if structured correctly to provide for your future and that of your family, a QNUPS remains an attractive retirement planning opportunity.

On 15 May 2018, the EU reinstated State Aid Approval for the Enterprise Management Incentive (EMI) Scheme, which had lapsed on 6 April 2018. This means that EMI options granted to employees will once again receive a beneficial tax treatment.

The end of the UK tax year for 2017/18 was 5 April 2018 and taxpayers need to consider completing and filing their Tax Returns for this year.

Tax Returns usually need to be filed with HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) by 31 January following the end of the tax year if you file online (or by 31 October following the end of the tax year if you file a hard copy paper Tax Return).

Non-domiciled individuals that have come to work in the UK need to open offshore bank accounts outside the UK to take advantage of rules which exclude earnings from non-UK duties from being taxable in the UK.  This relief is known as Overseas Workday Relief – or OWR - and in broad terms applies for up to three years providing employment earnings are paid outside the UK – offshore – and not remitted/brought to the UK.

On the 15th March 2018, the Finance Act 2018 received Royal Assent, bringing the third Finance Act of the 2017/18 period into force. We discuss the main items brought into force from the 6th April 2018.

The Enterprise Management Incentive (EMI) Scheme is a popular scheme for smaller companies to provide their key employees with tax-advantaged share options, but delays in obtaining renewal of EU State Aid approval for the EMI scheme means that the benefits will be switched off for an unknown period.

As had been expected, the 2018 Spring Statement update did not include any major tax policy announcements; rather it provided a number of consultations that suggest potential legislative changes in the future. Read more about the areas set for exploration here.

Taxpayers you should be aware of the overseas tax disclosure deadline approaching.  Taxpayers who know or suspect that they have unpaid income tax, capital gains tax and inheritance tax relating to overseas assets, income or activities need to act before the deadline of 30 September 2018 to avoid incurring much higher penalties for non-compliance.

HMRC have introduced a restriction to the amount of mortgage interest relief that is available for property businesses. Even so, if you have a property letting business you may find that restructuring your borrowing between properties could still have substantial tax benefits.

Deadlines for registration for the 2016/17 tax year have already passed, but the trust registration penalty deadline is now looming, on the 5th March 2018.

Continuing HMRC’s long-running campaign against abusive tax avoidance, Finance (No. 2) Act 2017, which was enacted on 16 November 2017, contains legislation to create a one-off tax charge on loans from disguised remuneration (DR) schemes if those loans are not repaid by 5 April 2019.

From 6 April 2017, taxpayers have been entitled to an additional nil-rate inheritance tax (IHT) band, which applies to residences that are ‘closely inherited’ on the death of the donor.

On 22 November 2017, Philip Hammond gave his first Autumn Budget as Chancellor. The main tax announcements are set out in Autumn Budget 2017.

A Tax Tribunal has now agreed that HMRC’s view, and their published guidance on tax returns, is incorrect under the law.

Following the election result 2017, many are still left in limbo regarding their current UK tax position, at least until the next Finance Bill is published.

Several widely trumpeted tax measures that were going to be introduced by the Government have belatedly been withdrawn from the draft Finance Bill 2017.

It is time for non-domiciled “Expat” individuals to consider their offshore banking arrangements if they wish to continue claiming Overseas Workday Relief on an efficient basis.

Plans to increase the main rate of National Insurance for self-employed individuals have been cancelled in a quick U-turn from the Chancellor.

On 8 March 2017, Philip Hammond gave his first Spring Budget as Chancellor. The main tax announcements out in this summary.

The Domicile Reforms means that those deemed UK domiciled from 6 April 2017 will pay UK tax on worldwide income/gains & not on the “remittance basis”.

The Autumn Statement 2016 has significant implications for your finances and tax. So what does it mean for you? Read Tax Innovations Summary.