The Pensions Regulator (TPR) has updated its guidance on pensions auto enrolment including what businesses need to do when they have no workers. 

If you would like help with auto enrolment please do get in touch.

Internet link: TPR guidance

According to research 36% of the UK’s smallest businesses are unaware of the rules governing VAT thresholds.

A third of the UK’s smallest businesses are unaware of the rules governing VAT thresholds, recent research has revealed.

This lack of understanding could mean that approximately 780,000 businesses are at risk of being fined by HMRC.

Meanwhile, according to the research, 9% of small businesses intentionally limit their trading in order to avoid reaching the VAT threshold.

Under the current rules, where a taxable person (for example an individual, company or partnership) has VAT taxable turnover of more than the current registration threshold of £82,000 in a rolling 12 month period or where turnover is expected to exceed the registration threshold in the next 30 day period then they must register for VAT.

It is important to monitor turnover, as there is a penalty for late registration in addition to the tax payable.

Please contact us if you would like advice on VAT issues.

Internet links: Economia GOV.UK

The government has announced the introduction of a new type of ISA, the Help to Buy ISA, which will provide a tax free savings account for first time buyers wishing to save for a home.

The scheme will provide a government bonus to each person who has saved into a Help to Buy ISA at the point they use their savings to purchase their first home. For every £200 a first time buyer saves, the government will provide a £50 bonus up to a maximum bonus of £3,000 on £12,000 of savings.

Help to Buy ISAs will be subject to eligibility rules and limits:

• An individual will only be eligible for one account throughout the lifetime of the scheme and it is only available to first time buyers.
• Interest received on the account will be tax free.
• Savings will be limited to a monthly maximum of £200 with an opportunity to deposit an additional £1,000 when the account is first opened.
• The government will provide a 25% bonus on the total amount saved including interest, capped at a maximum of £3,000 which is tax free.
• The bonus will be paid when the first home is purchased.
• The bonus can only be put towards a first home located in the UK with a purchase value of £450,000 or less in London and £250,000 or less in the rest of the UK.
• The government bonus can be claimed at any time, subject to a minimum bonus amount of £400.
• The accounts are limited to one per person rather than one per home so those buying together can both receive a bonus.
• As is currently the case it will only be possible for an individual to subscribe to one cash ISA per year. It will not be possible for an account holder to subscribe to a Help to Buy ISA with one provider and another cash ISA with a different provider.
• Once an account is opened there is no limit on how long an individual can save into it and no time limit on when they can use their bonus.

The government intends the Help to Buy ISA scheme to be available from autumn 2015 and investors will be able to open a Help to Buy ISA for a period of four years.

We will keep you informed of developments.

Internet link:GOV.UK factsheet

HMRC have published a list of common errors in the completion of forms P11D. The information is part of the latest Employer Bulletin and we have reproduced the guidance below.

• Submitting duplicate P11D information on paper where P11D information has already been filed online to ensure ‘HMRC have received it’. These duplicates can cause processing problems.
• Using a paper form that relates to the wrong tax year – check the top right hand corner of the first page.
• Not ticking the ‘director’ box if the employee is a director.
• Not including a description or abbreviation, where amounts are included in sections A, B, L, M or N of the form.
• Leaving the ‘cash equivalent’ box empty where you’ve entered a figure in the corresponding ‘cost to you’ box of a section.
• Completing the declaration on the final FPS/EPS submission accurately (for those employers whose software package requires them to be completed) or question 6 in section A of RT 4 form to indicate whether P11Ds are due.
• Not advising HMRC either by paper form P11D(b) or electronic submission that there is no Benefits in Kind & Expenses return to make.
• Where a benefit has been provided for mixed business and private use, entering only the value of the private-use portion – you must report the full gross value of the benefit.
• Not completing the fuel benefit box/field where this applies. This means an amended P11D has to be sent in.
• Incorrectly completing the ‘from’ and ‘to’ dates in the ‘Dates car was available’ boxes. For example entering 06/04/2014 to 05/04/2015 to indicate the car was available throughout that year. If the car was available in the previous tax year, the ‘from’ box should not be completed and if the car is to be available in the next tax year, the ‘to’ box should not be completed.

If you would like help with the completion of the forms P11D please contact us.

Internet link: Employer Bulletin 53

HMRC have issued details of the updated VAT fuel scale charges which apply from the beginning of the next prescribed VAT accounting period starting on or after 1 May 2015.

VAT registered businesses use the fuel scale charges to account for VAT on private use of road fuel purchased by the business.

Please do get in touch for further advice on VAT matters.

Internet link: GOV.uk VAT fuel scale charges