HLAS

Businesses investing in plant and machinery will welcome yet another extension in the 100% Annual Investment Allowance (AIA) until 31 March 2023. The 100% relief was scheduled to revert to £200,000 on 1 January 2022. This deduction is available to unincorporated businesses as well as limited companies and the equipment does not have to be new. This tax allowance is not as generous as the 130% super-deduction announced in the March 2021 Budget which is available when new plant and machinery is acquired by limited companies between 1 April 2021 and 31 March 2023.

The 1.25% increase in the rate of National Insurance Contributions (NICs) paid by workers and employers announced on 7 September to provide extra funds for Health and Social care will go ahead from 6 April 2022. This will become a new Health and Social Care Levy from 2023/24 onwards. Although the income tax personal allowance and thresholds are frozen until 2025/26, certain NIC thresholds have been increased In line with inflation. For 2022/23, employees and the self-employed will start paying NICs at £9,880 and pay at 10.25% (self-employed) and 13.25% (employees) up to £50,270. Note that the Upper Limit is [...]

The basic rate of income tax and higher rate remain at 20% and 40% respectively, and the 45% additional rate continues to apply to income over £150,000. As previously announced in the March Budget, the personal allowance and higher rate threshold have been frozen at £12,570 and £50,270 until 2025/26. As announced on 7 September, from 6 April 2022 dividend income will be taxed at 8.75%, 33.75% and then 39.35%, depending upon whether the dividends fall into the basic rate band, higher rate band or the additional rate band. The first £2,000 of dividend income continues to be tax-free. The [...]

Grants of up to £5,000 are now available to help UK businesses collaborate with partners in other countries to develop bids for Pillar 2 of Horizon Europe. The funding, provided by the UK’s Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy, aims to develop collaborative activity between UK and EU/associated countries’ entities. This activity should focus on Pillar 2 of Horizon Europe, which is Global Challenges and European Industrial Competitiveness. The purpose of this call is not to implement the proposed projects that will be submitted to Horizon Europe, but to give the UK-based partners the resources needed to collaborate with [...]

IETF Phase 2 provides grant funding for feasibility and engineering studies, industrial energy efficiency and deep decarbonisation projects. The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) has opened the new Industrial Energy Transformation Fund (IETF) Phase 2: Autumn 2021 competition window. Businesses in England, Wales and Northern Ireland can bid for a share of up to £60 million in grant funding through the new competition window, which is open for applications until 6 December 2021. See: Industrial Energy Transformation Fund (IETF) Phase 2: Autumn 2021 - how to apply - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

On 1 October 2021, the law on allergen labelling for pre-packed for direct sale (PPDS) foods changed. This means that any food business selling PPDS foods must include full ingredients on the product label with allergenic ingredients emphasised within that list. To help support food businesses, the Food Standards Agency (FSA) has launched a PPDS Hub featuring useful information including new labelling guidance for PPDS foods and guides that will be helpful to specific sectors including bakery, butchers, fast food and takeaways, mobile sellers, restaurants, cafes and pubs, and schools. The guides give practical information on PPDS and how these changes could [...]

Gift Aid is a tax relief for individuals which enables them to give the income tax or capital gains tax that they pay directly to a charity on top of their donation. In effect it adds 25p for every £1 donated to a charity. Gift Aid is an important tax relief worth £1.3 billion to the charity sector. This year’s Gift Aid Awareness Day is taking place on Thursday 7 October 2021. Charity Finance Group (CFG) are asking UK-based charities, small, medium and large, to spread the “#TickTheBox” message far and wide on 7 October 2021. CFG have produced a [...]