Insights & News

Expansion of HMRC’s “Time to Pay” Arrangements during the Covid-19 Outbreak

27 March 2020

Due to the immediate and stark effect that the Covid-19 outbreak is having on a lot of businesses, the Government has reminded everyone that it often reaches arrangements with businesses in financial distress for deferred payment of their tax liabilities. While this facility is not new, the Government expects the demands on the service to increase dramatically and is therefore scaling up its capacity to deal with new enquiries.

Budget 2020 - New Kid on the Block

12 March 2020

There was a sombre mood to the Budget initially, focusing as it did on measures to help deal with the coronavirus / Covid-19. Clearly the financial outlook is expected to be challenging, and our new Chancellor, Rishi Sunak, made sure to point out that the Office for Budget Responsibility forecasts have not (yet) taken the impact of Covid-19 into account.

Of feathers and tax

12 December 2019

Around 350 years ago, LOUIS XIV’S FINANCE minister, Jean-Baptiste Colbert, famously declared that “the art of taxation consists in so plucking the goose as to obtain the largest possible amount of feathers with the smallest possible amount of hissing.”

All systems go on extension of IR35 to the private sector from April 2020

12 July 2019

The Government has confirmed it will extend the new IR35 rules to the private sector from April 2020, despite calls from professional bodies and others to delay the reforms.

Entrepreneurs’ relief: the brave new world

13 March 2019

This is an update on the changes to the qualifying criteria for entrepreneurs’ relief introduced in the October 2018 Budget, amended in December and now embodied in statute.

New IR35 rules for contractors - businesses face additional tax risks and administrative burdens

07 March 2019

HMRC’s latest consultation on off payroll working confirms that the new IR35 rules will be based on the rules that have applied in the public sector since 2017. However, HMRC has proposed a number of changes to those rules which, if implemented, will significantly increase the tax exposure and administrative burden of both private sector and public sector organisations.

Lewis Silkin appointed to Crown Commercial Service wider public sector legal services panel

06 December 2018

Lewis Silkin is delighted to announce its appointment to the Government’s Crown Commercial Service (CCS) Wider Public Sector Legal Services agreement (RM3788) to provide a full range of legal services to public bodies in the UK.

Private sector needs to operate new IR35 rules for contractors from April 2020

30 October 2018

The Chancellor has confirmed that with effect from 6 April 2020 businesses in the private sector which engage contractors - individuals who supply their services via their own company or partnership (“Intermediary”) - will be responsible for determining whether the IR35 rules apply. If the business considers that IR35 applies, the person paying the Intermediary will be responsible for operating PAYE and NICs on the fees it pays to the Intermediary.

Budget 2018. What a wonderful surprise! No really, you shouldn’t have!

30 October 2018

It was my birthday recently, so I was delighted when the Chancellor told me he had got me a present. A Budget! It was a little late, distinctly homemade, and wrapped in a spreadsheet (natch) - but I was fascinated to find out what was inside. In other words, here is a selection of key tax changes for business that were announced in the Budget.

Matthew Rowbotham writes for PR Week: Is PR ready to share? The employee ownership alternative to the agency model

29 June 2018

In an article for PR Week, Matthew Rowbotham comments on how employee ownership uptake has, generally, remained confined to a few core sectors, and asks, is PR ready to share?

Update on the new tax rules for payments in lieu of notice

16 February 2018

New tax rules will mean that income tax and national insurance contributions (“NICs”) must be paid on all payments in lieu of notice (“PILONs”) with effect from 6 April 2018.

Tax on termination - employer NICs charges delayed

23 November 2017

Some good news for employers was confirmed in the Chancellor’s autumn Budget.

Extending ‘off-payroll’ worker reforms to the private sector

23 November 2017

The Chancellor announced in the autumn Budget that there will be a consultation in 2018 to tackle non-compliance with IR35 rules in the private sector.

The Damp Squid Budget?

22 November 2017

Yes, yes, I know the phrase is “damp squib”. Call it pedant bait if you like. And the Chancellor (like everyone else) seems to be Blue Planet crazy, so you may detect a salty theme in this Budget update. Anyway, let’s dive into the icy waters of the latest Budget and see what monsters lurk beneath.

Taxation of termination payments updated legislation published

19 September 2017

The Government proposes to make a number of changes to the tax and national insurance (“NI”) treatment of termination payments.

Proposed disclosure rules for non-UK entities owning property or bidding for Government contracts

12 April 2017

The UK Government proposes new rules requiring non-UK entities that already own, or intend to acquire, UK real estate, or that wish to bid for UK central Government contracts, to be required to disclose information about the beneficial owners of the entity.

Matthew Rowbotham comments for Essential Retail: Sharing is caring, and a bit daring – should you be preparing?

10 March 2017

Matthew Rowbotham, Head of Tax, Reward and Incentives, takes a look at why e-tailers should consider employee ownership.

You will NOT believe what the Chancellor did next!

09 March 2017

Except of course, you probably will believe it. It’s a Budget, not an M Night Shyamalan film. And even by the standards of Budgets, it’s rare for a Chancellor to do as much as Philip Hammond has to set expectations for surprise and drama this low. In fact, some were surprised about some of the things the Chancellor didn’t do on, for example, self-employment. But we’re getting ahead of ourselves.

Clarification on tax changes for the public sector ‘off-payroll’ workers

22 February 2017

HM Revenue & Customs has issued guidance on forthcoming changes to the IR35 rules where workers provide their services to a public authority through a personal services company (“PSC”), i.e. a company owned and controlled by the worker.

Tax treatment of termination payments – draft legislation published

20 December 2016

Over the past couple of years, the Government has been consulting on proposals to make a number of changes to the tax and national insurance (“NI”) treatment of termination payments.