News
News
Changes planned for modernising company taxation on capital distributions
HMRC have opened a consultation, ‘Modernising the taxation of distributions and repayments of capital from companies’. They are seeking views on proposals to modernise the tax framework dealing with distributions made by companies to shareholders who are individuals or trusts.
New UK investment fund
Investors representing over $3 trillion of assets under management from across North America, the Gulf, Asia and Australia will participate in InvestConnect, a new UK investment fund. Aimed at connecting the UK’s nations and regions to trillions of pounds of global capital, the new platform was developed in consultation with professional investors, government partners and the UK's nations and regions.
Expansion of SME growth scheme
The Chancellor, Rachel Reeves, has announced an expansion of the British Business Bank’s (BBB) Growth Guarantee Scheme (GGS). This provides a 70% government guarantee on commercial loans to SMEs of up to £2 million, cutting credit risk.
New proposals to tackle Electronic Sales Suppression
The government is consulting on potential measures that target Electronic Sales Suppression (ESS). Proposals include the introduction of new software standards for Point of Sale systems. Electronic Sales Suppression (ESS) involves businesses using software or devices to manipulate Electronic Point of Sale (EPOS) systems to hide transactions and evade tax.
UK hiring trends
The June 'UK Report on Jobs' shows subdued business confidence driving a preference for short-term staff. Temporary staff billings rose at the steepest rate in over three years, while permanent staff appointments continued to decline, although at a much slower pace than in May.
Proposed offence for reckless, untrue tax statements
HMRC have proposed a new criminal offence for making reckless, untrue statements or declarations about what's known as 'direct taxes' - Income Tax, National Insurance and the like. For Customs and Excise and VAT ('indirect taxes'), it is already possible to prosecute individuals who make untrue statements or submit incorrect documents either knowingly or recklessly, without the need to prove dishonesty. The penalties for such offences can be severe, including substantial fines and imprisonment. The direct tax regime does not currently contain an equivalent offence.
Britain's yearly £44m health & safety violations bill
A new Freedom of Information (FOI) request has discovered that health and safety violations cost British employers over £44 million per year. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) revealed that serious breaches have resulted in an increasing number of prosecutions between 2023 and 2025.
A response to Land Remediation Relief consultation
The government has published a response to its consultation 'Land Remediation Relief' (LRR). The review sought to understand whether the Corporation Tax relief continues to incentivise the redevelopment of brownfield land and whether reforms are needed to ensure it remains effective, accessible and aligned with modern remediation practices.
More consultations hint at what's to come
The government has published a raft of consultations on tax and business policies. It is worth being aware of these, as they are a good indicator of future policy direction likely to impact small businesses.
How an employer can use non-disclosure agreements
Employers may worry about the use of Non-Disclosure Agreements (NDA) following a series of press stories that have highlighted the abuse of the system.
Business leaders want government to prioritise EU relationships
As the tenth anniversary of the Brexit vote passes, the Institute of Directors (IoD) has published research revealing a shift in business sentiment towards the European Union.
Inexpensive TV advertising available for SMEs
Comcast’s Universal Ads has launched in the UK in partnership with Channel 4, ITV and Sky. It is a self-service platform that opens TV advertising up to Small to Medium-Sized (SMEs) businesses at a more affordable cost.