Month: September 2019

If there was a measure of stability in UK politics, we would be expecting the usual dispatch-box presentation by the Chancellor before Christmas. The annual budget is usually presented November each year.

This may still happen this year, but present uncertainties regarding the Brexit outcome, and the present government’s slim majority may scupper that timetable – we may have two budgets this Autumn or none at all.

Never-the-less, we will advise if and when a date is agreed. If we do leave the EU with no-deal, gripping the sides of your chair may be in order as the fiscal changes required (changes to taxation) to meet the resulting economic consequences, may be significant.

We will keep you posted.

Earlier this year we highlighted the tax concession afforded by the so-called Trivial Benefit rules.

We said:

It is possible to make small tax-free payments to employees, including directors…

Employers and employees don’t have to pay tax on such a benefit if all of the following apply:

• it cost you £50 or less to provide,
• it isn’t cash or a cash voucher,
• it isn’t a reward for their work or performance,
• it isn’t in the terms of their contract.

HMRC describes these payments as a ‘trivial benefit’.

You can’t receive trivial benefits worth more than £300 in a tax year if you are the director of a ‘close’ company. A close company is a limited company that’s run by 5 or fewer shareholders.

Readers who manage a business may want to integrate a formal process into their benefits strategy to take advantage of this opportunity.

Every little helps.