HLAS

As announced at Autumn Budget 2024, the government has published draft legislation to reform Agricultural Property Relief (APR) and Business Property Relief (BPR) from 6 April 2026 to make them “fairer and more sustainable” In addition to existing nil-rate bands and exemptions, APR and BPR will continue, but a cap will be introduced that will restrict the 100% relief to the first £1 million of combined agricultural and business property. The rate of relief will be 50% thereafter. Relief will also be reduced to 50% (with no £1m allowance) for quoted shares designated as “not listed” on the markets of [...]

New figures from the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) show that for the first time in 15 years, more small businesses expect to shrink, close or sell up in the coming year than those planning to grow. It’s a significant shift - and one the FSB has called “a very dangerous situation” for the UK’s small business sector. This net-negative growth reading in the FSB’s Small Business Index underlines just how tough trading conditions remain for many firms, despite falling inflation. Among the issues that the FSB have identified that continue to put pressure on small businesses are: Late payments, [...]

The government has announced the revival of the Pensions Commission, twenty years after it helped bring in automatic enrolment. Its goal is to stop future pensioners from being worse off than those retiring today. New government analysis suggests some worrying trends: 45% of working-age adults are saving nothing into a pension 4 in 10 people are undersaving for retirement Self-employed workers, low earners and some ethnic minorities are most at risk of falling behind There’s a 48% gap in private pension wealth between men and women It’s estimated that people retiring in 2050 could see 8% less private pension income [...]

If your business sources products from online marketplaces - whether for resale, internal use or part of a service - you may soon benefit from tighter product safety rules. The newly passed Product Regulation and Metrology Act gives regulators more power to crack down on unsafe goods sold online. It’s part of the Government’s Plan for Change and aims to hold online platforms like Amazon, eBay and others to the same safety standards as high street retailers. The move follows rising concerns over dangerous products. As an example, there’s been an increase in safety incidents involving e-bikes and e-scooters, many [...]

If you're involved with a charity - whether you're on the board, manage the accounts, or provide support behind the scenes - you may have heard that there are some changes coming to the way charities report their finances. The biggest step in that process has been completed with the consultation into the new Charities Statement of Recommended Practice (SORP) now closed. Over 140 stakeholders submitted their views, and these are now being analysed to help shape the final version of the guidance. So, what should charities be doing in the meantime? What Is the SORP? The SORP (Statement of [...]

On 21 July 2025, HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) announced its Transformation Roadmap – a plan to modernise the UK’s tax and customs systems by 2030. HMRC have said that the aim of the Transformation Roadmap is to make the tax administration system more automated, more focused on self-service and better set up to get things right first time. The roadmap includes more than 50 IT projects, services and measures. Let’s see what some of these include. New PAYE service As part of the Transformation Roadmap, a new online PAYE service will be launched that’s designed to give all UK [...]

UK government borrowing was £20.7 billion for June, according to new figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) - an increase of £6.6 billion compared to the same month last year. While the overall figure is broadly in line with forecasts for the year so far, the rise has added pressure on Chancellor Rachel Reeves ahead of the Autumn Budget. Higher spending on public services, rising interest payments on debt, and weaker-than-expected tax receipts have contributed to the increase. What does this mean for taxpayers? Economists now widely expect that the Chancellor will need to find £15–25 billion later [...]

New guidance on using an agent to manage your business rates has been published by the Valuation Office Agency (VOA). Many business owners choose to made their own business rates, but others prefer the convenience of appointing an agent to help them. The VOA are keen to make sure that business owners exercise care in choosing an agent. They say that while the majority of business rates agents are reputable and provide a good service, there are a small minority that act in bad faith. The VOA’s new guidance encourages the following: Do your research Beware of big promises Understand [...]

Starbucks is telling its corporate staff to return to the office four days a week – or take a one-off payment and leave. From October, employees in the US and Canada must be in between Monday and Thursday, up from three days. The company’s CEO, Brian Niccol, says the change is part of a broader turnaround plan to revive sales and performance. In-person working, he argues, is essential to rebuild collaboration and company culture. This move follows similar decisions from firms like Amazon and JP Morgan. Research shows about one-third of remote-capable workers in the US are now back in [...]

The UK Government has announced reforms to the Internal Market Act, aimed at simplifying cross-border trade between England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland. These changes are designed to reduce friction and give businesses greater confidence when trading across the UK. Following feedback from businesses, the reforms seek to clarify the rules that apply across the four nations, while still respecting the ability of devolved administrations to set policies in line with local priorities. What’s Changing? More consistent rules UK-wide – Businesses can expect clearer, more aligned regulations across borders, helping to avoid confusion or unexpected costs. Fewer internal trade barriers [...]