The national living wage (NLW) will rise to £9.50 per hour for pay periods starting on and after 1.4.22 along with the other national minimum wage rates (see table). Since 6.4.21 the NLW rate has applied to workers aged 23 and over.

Many employed and self-employed people claim Universal Credit as they have low or unpredictable levels of income. It provides a much needed top-up to their earnings but the benefit is reduced as the worker earns more due to the Universal Credit taper rate.

Many businesses have made large losses in the tax year 2020-21 which have eclipsed the profits made in the previous year and even the year before that. Those pandemic trading losses can be used to generate a tax refund by setting them against profits made from the same trade up to three years earlier.

If an employer has asked an employee to work from their own home, it can pay a tax-free allowance of £6 per week to compensate for any additional costs incurred.

Umbrella companies employ temporary workers such as contractors on behalf of employment agencies or very large companies. Alarm bells should ring if your workers have been promised non-taxable pay, higher take-home pay or have been asked to sign a loan or annuity agreement

Employee expenses and benefits provided in the year to 5 April 2021 must be reported to HMRC by way of the P11D process by 6 July 2021

All tax credit claimants should have received their renewal pack by 4 June 2021. If you have not received your renewal pack you should contact HMRC on 0345 300 3900.

It is a sad fact that some fraudsters have obtained SEISS grants by using innocent taxpayers' Government Gateway IDs and passwords. Once the ID has been proven to work, the fraudsters attempt to double their money by submitting false tax returns to claim tax refunds.

Some potentially good news for employers is the Chancellor’s decision to extend the furlough scheme in its current form until 30 June 2021. Employers can continue to claim 80% of each furloughed employee's usual wages for periods the employee is furloughed, up to £2,500 per employee per month.

Before the Covid-19 pandemic, many of us would travel to Europe to meet customers or attend trade shows. VAT on business expenses incurred in another EU country up to 31 December 2020 can be reclaimed through HMRC's online VAT service.

Whether your business buys a car or a van can make a big difference to the tax relief given on the cost of the vehicle and to the tax payable by the driver who...