Businesses planning major infrastructure and development projects should be aware of a new government consultation on the tax treatment of predevelopment costs.
The consultation follows the conclusion of recent litigation at the Supreme Court. The Court found that certain early-stage surveys and
UK employers with employees who normally work overseas may have PAYE and National Insurance obligations when those employees come to the UK to carry out their duties in the UK on a short-term basis.
Employers should consider the position whenever an overseas employee visits the UK to work. The fact
HMRC is currently carrying out its annual reconciliation of PAYE for the 2025-26 tax year. Between June and November, HMRC calculates the Income Tax paid by individuals and checks whether the correct amount has been collected. Where HMRC identifies a difference, it may issue a tax calculation
The temporary 5% reduced rate of VAT introduced for certain children’s meals, tickets and family attractions ended on 1 September 2026. The relief applied from 25 June 2026 and was intended to reduce the cost of selected activities and services for families during the summer holidays.
The relief
Where an employee is promised a discretionary bonus as an incentive, an employer may be held liable for the full figure if the preconditions have been met and the chain of authorisation is fully satisfied. Indeed, a recent ruling by a tribunal has made it clear that employers cannot unilaterally
An important change is coming to the way companies file their annual accounts.
From 1 April 2028, all UK-registered companies will be required to file their annual accounts with Companies House using commercial software. The existing web and paper filing routes for company accounts will close.
The
The latest figures from the Office for National Statistics suggest that conditions remain challenging for many UK businesses.
In July 2026, 15% of trading businesses reported an increase in turnover compared with the previous month. However, 22% reported that turnover had fallen.
Economic
Self-employed individuals can deduct allowable business expenses from their income when calculating taxable profits. However, businesses must keep accurate records and evidence to support the costs being claimed.
HMRC requires taxpayers to keep proof of business expenses, although evidence does not
Businesses should regularly review whether individuals working for them are correctly classified as employees, workers or self-employed. Getting employment status wrong can result in unexpected tax liabilities, penalties and loss of employment rights.
Employment status affects both the rights of
Businesses investing in qualifying assets may be able to claim the Annual Investment Allowance (AIA) and deduct the full cost of eligible purchases from their profits before tax. This can help by reducing the amount of taxable profit in the period the investment is made.
The AIA can generally be