HLAS

A recent survey commissioned by Acas has highlighted the growing impact mental health is having on sickness absence across UK workplaces. According to the research, almost one in three employers report that stress, anxiety, depression, or other mental health concerns are now among the reasons employees give for taking time off work. While minor illnesses such as coughs, colds, and flu remain the most common cause of absence, mental wellbeing is becoming an increasingly important issue for employers to address proactively. New Sick Pay Rules Came Into Effect in April 2026 Alongside growing awareness around employee wellbeing, changes introduced under [...]

The way businesses create and process invoices is set to change significantly over the next few years, as HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) moves towards mandatory e-invoicing for VAT invoices from 2029. Although the rules are still being developed, businesses are being encouraged to start preparing early. What Is E-Invoicing? E-invoicing refers to invoices that are sent and received in a structured digital format that allows them to be processed automatically by accounting systems. Unlike traditional PDF invoices sent via email, true e-invoices are designed to integrate directly with bookkeeping and finance software, helping to streamline administration and reduce manual [...]

New consumer protection rules expected to take effect from spring 2027 are set to significantly change how subscription services are marketed, renewed, and cancelled in the UK. The changes are designed to tackle so-called “subscription traps” and make it easier for consumers to understand exactly what they are signing up for — and how to cancel if they choose to. For businesses operating subscription-based models, these updates could require important changes to customer journeys, renewal processes, and terms and conditions. What Will Change? Under the new rules, businesses offering subscriptions will need to provide: clearer and simpler pre-contract information, reminders [...]

Online reviews play a major role in how customers choose products and services, which is why the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) is increasing its focus on fake and misleading review practices. The CMA has recently launched investigations into five businesses as part of a wider crackdown on potentially deceptive online review activity. Why the CMA Is Investigating The investigations are looking into how reviews are: collected, moderated, displayed, and reflected within star ratings shown to customers. The move follows the introduction of the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024, which made several review-related practices illegal, including: posting fake [...]

April 2026 brought welcome news for many pensioners, with the State Pension increasing by 4.8% under the government’s Triple Lock Guarantee. For many retirees, this could mean an additional £575 per year in pension income. Updated State Pension Rates The latest increases mean: The full new State Pension has risen from £230.25 to £241.30 per week The full basic State Pension has increased from £176.45 to £184.90 per week These changes apply automatically, so those already receiving their State Pension should see the increase reflected in their regular payments. Pension Credit Also Increased Pension Credit has also risen by 4.8%, [...]

Running a profitable business does not always translate into feeling fully in control of your personal finances. Many business owners work incredibly hard to build successful companies, yet still feel unsure about whether their long-term financial position is truly secure. That uncertainty is more common than you might think. When Wealth Builds Up in Different Places Over time, business owners often accumulate wealth across multiple areas, including: pensions opened at different stages of life, personal savings and investments, retained profits sitting within the business, property assets, and the future value of the business itself. At the same time, personal financial [...]

Several important updates to the Construction Industry Scheme (CIS) came into effect on 6 April 2026 following the Autumn Budget 2025 announcements. These changes affect contractors and subcontractors across the construction sector and introduce stricter compliance requirements alongside tougher penalties for late filing and fraud-related activity. Monthly CIS Returns Are Now Mandatory Again From April 2026, contractors must now either: submit a CIS return every month — including nil returns where no subcontractors have been paid; or notify HMRC in advance by submitting an inactivity request for months where no subcontractor payments will be made. This marks the return of [...]

A recent Supreme Court ruling has provided important clarification on what businesses can — and cannot — claim under capital allowances rules. The case, Orsted West of Duddon Sands (UK) Limited & Others v HMRC, focused on whether large-scale pre-construction costs linked to offshore windfarm developments could qualify for capital allowances tax relief. What Was the Dispute About? Before construction began, the businesses incurred substantial expenditure on: environmental surveys, seabed investigations, technical assessments, and other feasibility-related studies. The companies argued that these costs were essential to creating the final windfarm assets and should therefore qualify for capital allowances. HMRC challenged [...]

So Which Marshmallows Are Taxable? A recent VAT tribunal case involving marshmallows has once again highlighted just how complex UK VAT legislation can be. The case, Innovative Bites Ltd v HMRC, centred around whether “Mega Marshmallows” should be treated as confectionery and therefore subject to VAT at 20%. Why Does It Matter? Under UK VAT rules, most food products are zero-rated for VAT. However, confectionery is excluded from this relief. The legislation defines confectionery as: “Any item of sweetened prepared food which is normally eaten with the fingers.” The challenge for the tribunal was deciding whether these oversized marshmallows fell [...]

If a close company provides a loan to a participator — most commonly a shareholder or director-shareholder — there can be additional corporation tax implications if the loan is not repaid within the required timeframe. This tax is often referred to as the Section 455 (s.455) tax charge. What Has Changed? For loans made on or after 6 April 2026, the Section 455 tax rate increased from 33.75% to 35.75%. The charge applies where money is borrowed from the company and remains outstanding at the end of the company’s accounting period. When Can Relief Be Claimed? If the loan is: [...]