A free guide for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) on debt and equity finance has been published by the British Business Bank and the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW). The Business Finance Guide explains the finance considerations and options at each stage of a business’s journey, from start-up to growth and […]
Two-thirds (66%) of 18-24 year-olds are unaware that the annual ISA allowance will rise to £15,000 in July, according to a survey by Nationwide Building Society. From the 1 July, the New ISA (NISA) system will allow customers up to £15,000 in tax-free savings and the ability to transfer savings in stocks and shares ISAs […]
Recruiting for Global Assignments A recent survey of employers has highlighted several skills that give candidates a winning edge when applying for global positions. Results show that companies feel that those who are most likely to succeed in roles based in a foreign country would have: Interpersonal and networking skills (60%) Foreign language fluency (55%) […]
Dealing with employee absences due to ill health is complex and a legal minefield for employers. There are two distinct issues to consider: the employee who takes short term absences on a regular basis. the employee who has been off work for a long period of time due to ill health or disability Short term […]
There is a new type of tax relief very similar to the Enterprise Investment Scheme (EIS) tax regime but applicable to investments into social enterprises rather than trading companies which attract EIS. The tax relief an investor into social enterprises can claim is generous and extends to both income tax and capital gains, but as […]
SEIS and EIS tax benefits are huge, but make sure you don’t trip up! A potential client called this week in a state of great excitement. He had just heard about the under trumpeted SEIS (Seed Enterprise Investment Scheme) and thought he had found a great way to essentially double his £60,000 investment in a […]
The government has committed an extra £100 million worth of funding to a scheme designed to boost UK manufacturing, the Business Secretary Vince Cable has announced. The extra funding will go to the Advanced Manufacturing Supply Chain Initiative (AMSCI), which aims to help UK supply chains achieve world-class standards and encourage major new suppliers to […]
One in 10 higher rate taxpayers are missing out on pension tax relief worth £2,500 a year, a survey by Prudential has found. The survey of 302 higher rate taxpayers found that 10% do not make a personal contribution to a pension. The research also revealed that: the average annual salary for higher rate taxpayers […]
As individuals experiencing some form of serious medical problem, we rely on our primary care General Practitioners and then secondary care Medical Specialists to provide us with a package of care (typically including assessment, diagnosis, treatment and multidisciplinary care) that is safe, appropriate, in line with best practice guidelines and which has been clearly communicated to us. We understand that sometimes, […]
Fake HMRC emails and internet security You may have seen on the news over the last day or so that there are threats of a massive cyber-attack in the UK. These include HMRC emails being used to extract funds from businesses. As a reminder, HMRC will never email you asking for bank details. Of you […]
A late Easter meant that total UK retail sales were up 5.7% in April 2014 compared to April 2013, according to the British Retail Consortium (BRC). On a like-for-like basis – which doesn’t include sales at shops open less than a year – retail sales were up 4.2% in April 2014 versus April 2013. Other […]
The economy will grow 3% in 2014, up from a previous forecast of 2.6%, according to the Confederation of British Industry (CBI). This higher growth means that the business group has brought forward its estimate of an interest rate rise. It now expects interest rates to increase from 0.5% to 0.75% in Q1 2015. Key […]