As the spring of 2024 unfolds, the Government have unveiled their budget, setting the stage for economic policies, social initiatives, and infrastructure development for the upcoming fiscal year. This pivotal moment not only reflects current priorities but also shapes the nation in the months and years to come. In this blog, we delve into some of the top topics emerging from the spring 2024 budget and their potential implications.

 

National Insurance

The main topic for the budget was the cut in national insurance again. The chancellor reduced the amount of national insurance employees would pay by 2%. The rate going from 10% to 8% in April 2024. It is estimated that the cut would be worth about £450 a year for someone on a £35,000 full-time salary.

 

It is estimated that around 29 million workers are set to benefit from the change. The rate of 'class 4' national insurance contributions, which is the main rate paid on self-employed profits of between £12,570 and £50,270, will be cut from 9% to 6% from 6 April. This rate had been due to fall to 8% from 6 April, but the chancellor has taken it one step further today. The self-employed will benefit too as the rate is slashed from 9% to 6%.

 

Housing

The chancellor confirms plans to scrap the furnished holiday lets regime. The initiative gives tax reliefs on properties being rented out to holidaymakers and make renting out to holidaymakers more profitable than to long-term tenants. The move is expected to raise £300m a year for the Treasury, however a blow to furnished holiday lets owners.

 

The chancellor also announced the government will reduce the higher rate of property capital gains tax. This is a tax paid on the amount of gain when selling a property. Currently the rate is 28% for higher rate earners, but this is being reduced to 24%

 

Business and Investment

The VAT registration threshold will be increased from £85,000 to £90,000 from the start of April. This change is estimated to help tens of thousands of businesses.

 


Benefits and Income Support

The Household Support Fund, which helps people struggling with cost-of-living pressures and was due to close in four weeks' time, will continue for another six months.

 

Full child benefits to be paid to households where highest-earning parent earns up to £60,000 - the current limit is £50,000. The top of a taper to withdraw the benefit will be raised to £80,000 from £60,000 at the moment.

 

The chancellor also announces a consultation on child benefit rules, to apply it to collective household incomes rather than for individuals from April 2026.

 

If there is something you want to know more about, you can call us on 02920 653995 or

01656 530063 to discuss.

The chancellor, Rishi Sunak announced the Autumn Budget on Wednesday. A ‘New economy’ as it was branded to help us get through the winter. We digest the budget and give the main highlights and what it means for you. If you did want to read the full budget, please click here 


National Living Wage

There is a lot to get through and one of the notable changes in the Chancellors budget was the increase in the National Living Wage. We will see an increase in pay to £9.50 per hour for anyone aged 23+ from April 2022. That’s an increase of 6% from the current £8.91 and the pay rise worth extra £1,000 for full time workers.


Social Care Levy

A new health and social care levy is to be introduced on all of us. It is a 1.25% charge on 

National Insurance from April 2022.  The rate also affects Employers National Insurance, and the dividend rates will also change in line with the new social care levy of 1.25%


Employees National insurance will change from 12% to 13.25%

Employers National Insurance will change from 13.8% to 15.05%

Sole traders National Insurance will rise from 9% to 10.25%


Dividend rates as follows:


Lowest rate 8.75% from April 2022

Mid-rate 33.75%

High rate 39.35%


From April 2023 the 1.25% social care levy will show as a separate section of the tax rate system. National Insurance will revert to where it was.


Why is this social care levy coming in?

The funds from the social care levy will be used for care homes and funding for pensioners. This includes several reforms to how people pay for adult social care in England, supported by £5.4 billion of investment over the next three years.


The reforms include:

From October 2023 a cap on personal care costs of £86,000.

The threshold above which somebody is not eligible for local authority support towards their social care costs (upper capital limit) is increasing from £23,250 to £100,000 from October 2023.

The threshold below which somebody does not have to contribute towards their care costs from their capital (lower capital limit) is increasing from £14,250 to £20,000.

If somebody has capital between £20,000 and £100,000 the local authority may fund some of their care, but they may have to contribute up to 20% of their chargeable assets per year (in addition to their income).

Increasing the amount of income that care recipients can retain after contributing towards their care costs (the Minimum Income Guarantee and the Personal Expenses Allowance) in line with inflation from April 2022.


Corporation Tax

From April 2023 changes to corporation tax are coming in place. The reintroduction of the marginal rate system which has been done away with for several years. 


Corporation tax rates for business with:

Profit £50,000 or below – 19% rate

Profit between £50,000 to £250,000 - 25% rate (less marginal relief calculation)

Profit above £250,000 - 25% rate


Super deduction for purchase of equipment and allowance capital allowances will bring tax relief of 130% applies to incorporated (Limited companies, PLC’s) business only and is in place for two years. 1 April 2021 to 31 March 2023


The £1 million annual investment allowance is still available to every company including sole traders.


Business Rates

A new one year 50% business rates discount for retail, hospitality, & leisure businesses for England. Wales already have a discount in place until April next year. We will have to see what the Welsh government say in December for the updates of business rates in Wales. 


Small business rates relief still apply.


Universal Credit

Universal Credit taper rate is cut by 8%, as of now for every £1 earned, 63p gets taken off. With the new rate cut, for every £1 earned, 55p will be deducted. Allowing lower paid people to keep hold of more benefit when they are working. The target date for this is 1st December.


Alcohol Duty

The tax on some alcoholic drinks such as beer, cider and wine will be slashed. The drinks with lower-level percentage of alcohol will mean a lower rate of tax. This means that next time you go to the pub and order a pint or on a night out, a glass of prosecco, will be a little bit cheaper.

It doesn’t matter if it is UK produced or imported. Tax relief for small brewers that produce under 8% alcohol. 


The budget brings about optimism boosted by prediction of higher growth for the UK after Covid. The Chancellor hit an upbeat tone as he talks up building a “stronger economy of the future”. Again, if you want the full version of the budget, please click here


All the important rates and threshold for the tax year 2021/2022

 

National Minimum Wage


This takes effect from 01 April 2021 and all workers are entitled to.

 

Category of worker

Hourly rate

Aged 23 and above

£8.91

Aged 21 to 22

£8.36

Aged 18 to 20

£6.56

Under 18 (but above compulsory school leaving age)

£4.62

Apprentices aged under 19

£4.30

Apprentices aged 19 and over (but in the first year of their apprenticeship)

£4.30

 

Please note the age rate bracket has changed from previous years also.

 

PAYE Tax Rates and Threshold


These rates depend on the amount of income you earn.

 

Personal allowance

£12,570

Basic tax rate – 20%

£12,571 – £37,700

Higher tax rate – 40%

£37,701 - £150,000

Additional tax rate – 45%

£150,000+


Employment Allowance

 

Employment Allowance allows eligible employers to reduce their annual National Insurance liability by up to the annual allowance amount.

 

Employment Allowance

£4,000

 

Statutory Sick Pay (SSP)

 

The same weekly SSP rate applies to all employees. However, the amount you must actually pay an employee for each day they’re off work due to illness (the daily rate) depends on the number of ‘qualifying days’ they work each week.

 

Number of qualifying days in week

1 day to pay

2 days to pay

3 days to pay

4 days to pay

5 days to pay

6 days to pay

7 days to pay

1

£96.35

 

 

 

 

 

 

2

£48.18

96.35

 

 

 

 

 

3

£32.12

£64.24

£96.35

 

 

 

 

4

£24.09

£48.18

£72.27

£96.35

 

 

 

5

£19.27

£38.54

£57.81

£77.08

£96.35

 

 

6

£16.06

£32.12

£48.18

£64.24

£80.30

£96.35

 

7

£13.77

£27.53

£41.30

£55.06

£68.83

£82.59

£96.35

 

Dividend Allowance


You also get a dividend allowance each year. You only pay tax on any dividend income above the dividend allowance.

 

Dividend Allowance

£2,000


Mileage Allowance


The allowed deductible rate per mile for business use.

 

Type of vehicle

Rate

Car

45p (for the first 10,000 business miles, then 25p for each subsequent mile)

Motorcycle

24p

Cycle

20p

It has been great to see the UK finally move in a positive direction out of lockdown. While we can look forward to restrictions loosening, we need to remember the financial new rules coming in April. It is always this time of year when the financial rules start to come in to place, the budget will be announced this week, and we will digest this for you to see what kind of economical shape we will be in, so keep your eyes for that one.

 

IR35 (Off Payroll Working)

 

The long overdue of IR35 also known as off payroll working, was initially announced to come in, in April 2020, however due to the pandemic, this has been pushed back to April 2021.

 

This will affect you if you are in the private sector from any industry and provide a service through an intermediary such as your own limited company, a partnership or an individual who is on self-assessment and the client could constitute an employer/employee relationship.

 

So, why are these rules coming in?

 

The rules are coming into level the playing field and to make sure that workers who would have been an employee if they were providing their service directly to the client, pay broadly the same tax and national insurance contributions as employees. You could claim travel expenses and other expenses before, which would lower your tax liability, now this will not be allowed.

 

If you are a worker and your client is in the private sector, it is your responsibility to decide your own employment status for each contract. Things that will help decide your employment status are;

·         Who has the control? Can you reject certain projects and decide your working days?

·         Do you use your own tools?

·         Do you have public liability insurance?

 

If you are a worker and your client is in the public sector like a school or library, it is their responsibility to decide your employment status. You should be told of their decision; we have seen a large number of the larger companies starting to make changes to their arrangements with their subcontractors in preparation for this.

 

Reverse Charge VAT

 

If you are in the construction industry, there are changes coming in from

1st March 2021 to the way you apply VAT to your invoices. If you are VAT registered in the UK, and supply building and construction industry service, if the following applies for you, then you will have to use the reverse charge;

·         Your customer is registered for VAT in the UK

·         Payment for the supply is reported within the Construction Industry Scheme (CIS)

·         The services you supply are standard or reduced rated

·         You are not an employment business supplying either staff or workers, or both

·         Your customer has not given written confirmation that they do not make onward supplies of the building and construction services supplied to them, also known as an end user.

 

So, that might have been a bit of jargon and hard to follow, so let us break this down in simpler terms.

 

Example 1

If Alpha Ltd are selling a standard or reduced rated service for building and construction to Joe Bloggs (this can be a company as well), and Joe Bloggs is VAT and CIS registered and has not given Alpha Ltd written confirmation that he is an end user, then the reverse charge VAT must be used.

 

Alpha Ltd bills Joe Bloggs;

Net - £1,000

VAT - £0

Gross - £1,000

(Reverse charge applies)

 

Example 2

If Alpha Ltd are selling a standard or reduced rated service for building and construction to Joe Bloggs, and Joe Bloggs is not VAT registered, then the reverse charge must not be used, and VAT must be charged as normal.

 

Alpha Ltd bills Joe Bloggs;

Net - £1,000

VAT - £200

Gross - £1,200

 

The services you may provide that are subject to reverse charge are;

·         constructing, altering, repairing, extending, demolishing or dismantling buildings or structures (whether permanent or not), including offshore installation services

·         installing heating, lighting, air-conditioning, ventilation, power supply, drainage, sanitation, water supply or fire protection systems in any building or structure

 

Please click here for the full list of services.

 

What you will need to do

 

If you are needing to use reverse charge VAT then you will need to verify some of your customers information. You will need to verify;

·         If your customer has a valid VAT number – (Click here to verify)

·         If your customer is reporting under CIS. (This can be verified using the construction industry scheme online service)

Sole trader:

o   Name

o   Unique taxpayer reference

o   National Insurance number

 

Company:

o   Name of Company

o   Company’s unique taxpayer reference

o   National Insurance number

 

·         Ask your customer to confirm whether they are an end user or intermediary supplier (you will need written confirmation)

 

 

These rules will be enforced by HMRC, so you will have to take care to do this correctly. If you are facing problems with your own subcontractors with IR35, or if you are not sure whether this reverse charge VAT applies to you, please get in touch with us. This can be complicated to get your head around. 

If you have sold an asset that has increased in value, then Capital Gains Tax will be due. It is the gains that you will pay tax on and not the amount of money received. When Capital Gains Tax is due, it is more than often, when a house has been sold. Although Capital Gains Tax will be due when you have sold a painting, stocks and shares, sale of a business etc…


So, for example, if you have bought a house for £120,000 and sold it for £190,000 then Capital Gains Tax will be due on £70,000. You do not pay any Capital Gains Tax if you have sold a house that is your main home and residence. You also do not have to pay Capital Gains Tax if all your gains in a year are under your tax-free allowance.

 

Your tax-free allowance also known as the Annual Exempt Amount for Capital Gains for this current tax year (2020/2021) is £12,300.


You do not pay Capital Gains Tax on assets you give or sell to your husband, wife, or civil partner, unless,

 

If they decide to sell later, they may have to pay tax on any gain. Their gain will be calculated on the difference in value between when you first owned the asset and when they sold it. They should keep a record of what you paid for the asset


The rules have changed from April 2020.


 If you sell a house, you must report and pay any tax due within 30 days of selling. Before you had until your next self-assessment to report and pay. If you have not reported and paid any gains within 30 days of selling, HMRC can charge penalties and even interest on any late payments.

 

You will have to register and you’ll need a Government Gateway user ID and password to set your account up or sign in. If you do not have a user ID, you can create one the first time you sign in.


You will need the following information at the ready,

  • Property address and postcode
  • Date you got the property
  • Date you exchanged contracts when you were selling or disposing of the property
  • Date you stopped being the property’s owner (completion date)
  • Value of the property when you got it
  • Value of the property when you sold or disposed of it
  • Costs of buying, selling or making improvements to the property

 

Once you have an account you can sign in at any time to report Capital Gains Tax on UK property or see any returns you have already sent.

 

Once you have sent your return to HMRC, you will be notified on how much you owe in Capital Gains Tax, how to pay and when to pay by.


How much do I pay?


Rates on Capital Gains varies. If you are a higher rate taxpayer you will pay,

  • 28% on your gains from residential property
  • 20% on your gains from other chargeable assets

If you are a basic rate taxpayer, the rate depends on the size of the gain and your taxable income.


  1. Work out your taxable income
  2. Work out your taxable gains
  3. Deduct your annual exempt amount from your taxable gains
  4. Add this to your taxable income
  5. Work out which tax rate you pay

If the amount falls within the basic income tax band (£12,501 to £50,000 for 2020/2021) you will pay,

  • 18% on your gains from residential property
  • 10% on your gains from other chargeable assets

 

You will pay the higher taxpayer rate for any amount above the basic tax rate.


Example

Your taxable income (your income minus your personal allowance and any income tax reliefs) is £15,000

 

You sell a house for £200,000 which you bought for £170,000 for a gain of £30,000

 

Deduct your Annual Exempt Amount which is £12,300 (for tax year 2020/2021) leaving you with a chargeable gain of £17,700

 

Your basic rate band remaining after your taxable income above is £22,500 (£37,500 - £15,000)

 

As the £17,700 is fully within the basic rate band, this is taxed at 18% which means you will have to pay £3,186 in Capital Gains Tax.


You need to collect records to work out your gains and fill in your tax return. You must keep them for at least a year after the Self-Assessment deadline. You will need to keep records for longer if you sent your tax return late or HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) have started a check into your return. Businesses must keep records for 5 years after the deadline.

 

The new 30-day rule can make things stressful but being organised and keeping records will help a lot. If you are struggling with Capital Gains Tax, give us a call on 02920 653 995 to see how we can assist you.