HLAS

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: [...]

Making Tax Digital (MTD) for Income Tax officially came into effect from 6 April 2026 for many self-employed individuals and landlords earning over £50,000 in the 2024/25 tax year. The new system changes how income and expenses are reported to HMRC, moving away from the traditional once-a-year tax return approach. Instead, affected taxpayers are now required to maintain digital records and submit quarterly updates using HMRC-compatible software. For those already within the scheme, the first quarterly submission deadline for the 2026/27 tax year is 7 August 2026. Who Will Be Affected Next? The next phase of MTD for Income Tax [...]

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has opened a consultation on reporting workplace injuries and illnesses, currently governed by the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 2013 (RIDDOR). Proposed updates include: Clarifying definitions where current terminology is unclear. Revising lists of reportable incidents and occupational diseases. Expanding who can diagnose reportable conditions to include certain registered health professionals, not only doctors registered with the General Medical Council. The HSE is also seeking feedback on simplifying the online reporting system. The consultation is open until 30 June 2026. Further details: https://consultations.hse.gov.uk/hse/proposals-riddor-2013/

Changes to how co-working spaces are assessed for business rates are causing concern among business groups. Some estimate the changes could represent a £600 million stealth tax increase. Previously, shared workspaces were assessed individually, often qualifying for Small Business Rate Relief (SBRR). However, following a legal ruling, the Valuation Office Agency (VOA) is now treating them as single entities, increasing their rateable value beyond SBRR thresholds. The Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) estimates that nearly 4,000 shared offices could be affected, with some small businesses facing annual cost increases of £5,400. Shared office spaces have traditionally provided an accessible step [...]