HLAS

With the UK economy flat lining the Chancellor is under pressure to announce measures to stimulate growth. There are even calls for him to cut corporation tax which is scheduled to increase from 1 April 2023. He may also extend the 130% super-deduction for investment in new plant and machinery which is due to end on 31 March. The main focus of the Government continues to be reducing inflation, but Jeremy Hunt may have a few surprises up his sleeve to announce on 15 March. One issue he may address is the large number of workers over 50 taking early [...]

Small and local charities, working with people facing complex issues and barriers, can apply for grant funding from Lloyds Bank Foundation for England and Wales. Specialist charities with an annual income between £25,000 and £500,000 can apply for a three-year, unrestricted grant of up to £75,000. The Foundation will support charities that understand the complexity of the issues people face and are best placed to make a genuine difference to people’s lives. The open themes are: Addiction Asylum Seekers and Refugees Care Leavers Domestic Abuse Homelessness Offending Sexual abuse and exploitation Trafficking and Modern Slavery The deadline for applications is [...]

Over 200 of the world’s highest profile investors, CEOs and financiers are expected to come to the UK in October for a second Global Investment Summit (GIS 23). GIS 23 will aim to raise billions of pounds of high value investment to create jobs across the UK, with a special focus on high tech sectors such as innovation, research, and development. The event will build on the inaugural Global Investment Summit in October 2021, that brought together over 170 CEOs to showcase the UK’s commitment to green investment ahead of COP26. The 2021 Summit secured £9.7 billion of new foreign [...]

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) have updated their guidance to make it easier to find and understand advice on how to protect workers in low temperatures. This includes guidance for working outdoors. It also explains how you can assess the risks to workers and put controls in place to protect them. With low temperatures and less daylight, winter can make surfaces perilous. As a result, slip and trip accidents increase significantly. See: Is it too cold or hot to work? (hse.gov.uk)        

Plastic Packaging Tax (PPT) was introduced on 1‌‌‌ ‌‌April 2022. If you manufacture or import 10 or more tonnes of plastic packaging within a 12-month period you must register for PPT on GOV.UK, even if your packaging contains 30% or more recycled plastic. You must register for Plastic Packaging Tax if you: expect to import into the UK or manufacture in the UK 10 tonnes or more of finished plastic packaging components in the next 30 days have imported into the UK or manufactured in the UK 10 tonnes or more of finished plastic packaging components since 1 April 2022 This includes non-resident [...]

Facial recognition technology (FRT) identifies or otherwise recognises a person from a digital facial image. Businesses can use FRT in a variety of contexts - for example, in allowing access to devices, taking payments, or allowing entry to secure areas. Depending on the use, FRT involves processing personal data, biometric data, and special category personal data. Such technologies can intrude on people's privacy, so businesses need to think carefully when deciding if they should implement them. If you are a small business looking to begin using facial recognition technology, read the ICO's latest FAQ about using FRT for payment, entry, or [...]

Next generation energy innovators will receive a £24 million cash boost to develop new technologies that will decarbonise UK industry, build home-grown energy supplies and help prepare the country for a net zero future. Thirty-seven British companies, including small and medium sized enterprises and start-ups, will get a share of the £19 million Energy Entrepreneurs Fund. The money will drive forward their innovations to reduce carbon emissions, develop clean energy and improve energy efficiency in people’s homes. The UK-wide projects will allow industry to play its part in helping the country meet its 2050 net zero target by delivering decarbonisation [...]

If you are planning to claim the UK state pension you should check your national insurance (NI) record before 5 April 2023. At present, voluntary contributions can be made to plug gaps back to April 2006, but this will be curtailed from April. National insurance (NI) contributions are made by employed and self-employed individuals based on their earnings. To qualify for the maximum ‘new state pension’ (received by those retiring on or after 6 April 2016) a person must have 35 qualifying years of NI contributions. For part payment of the ‘new state pension’ a person must have contributed for at [...]

Innovation has generally been recognised as essential for value creation, both for individual companies and for the UK economy. The development of new ideas, processes and technologies and their flow across different sectors is a significant driver of economic growth and productivity. Recently, innovation has also been identified as crucial to the transition of the economy away from fossil fuels and carbon-intensive business activities. There are many factors that affect whether and how businesses innovate, for example the availability of skills and capital and government policy measures such as tax incentives. However, none are more important that the company’s own [...]

From  7 February farmers and land managers can submit new applications for the Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier, rewarding them for their actions to protect and improve their natural environment. Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier offers multi-year agreements and one-off grants for over 250 different actions farmers can take to enhance the environment alongside their farming business, from planting and maintaining new hedgerows or woodland through to restoring peatland and moorlands. The start of the application window comes after Defra announced an average increase of 10% for Countryside Stewardship revenue payment rates – covering ongoing activity such as habitat management. Capital payment rates, which [...]