Month: December 2020

Most smaller businesses will not have the resources to train and employ their own customs clearance staff in which case you may have to consider using a customs agent or broker. We have reproduced the advice on the GOV.UK website on this critical issue below.

If you do import or export goods from and to the EU you could consider one of the options that follow:

You can hire a person or business to deal with customs for you, such as:

• freight forwarders
• customs agents or brokers
• fast parcel operators

What they can do for you (and who will be liable) depends on:

• the services they provide
• what you want them to do
• the commercial agreement you have with them

They can act for you either as a:

• direct representative
• Indirect representative

They cannot act on your behalf without written instructions from you. The instruction must show whether they’re acting for you directly or indirectly. HMRC will only ask for evidence of the authorisation when required.

Freight forwarders

Freight forwarders move goods around the world for importers.

A freight forwarder will arrange clearing your goods through customs. They’ll have the right software to communicate with HMRC’s systems.

Customs agent or broker

Customs agents and brokers make sure your goods clear through customs.

Fast parcel operators

Fast parcel operators transport documents, parcels and freight across the world in a specific time frame. They can deal with customs for you, as part of their delivery.

1 December 2020 – Due date for Corporation Tax payable for the year ended 28 February 2020.

19 December 2020 – PAYE and NIC deductions due for month ended 5 December 2020. (If you pay your tax electronically the due date is 22 December 2020)

19 December 2020 – Filing deadline for the CIS300 monthly return for the month ended 5 December 2020.

19 December 2020 – CIS tax deducted for the month ended 5 December 2020 is payable by today.

30 December 2020 – Deadline for filing 2019-20 self-assessment tax returns online to include a claim for under payments to be collected via tax code in 2021-22.

1 January 2021 – Due date for Corporation Tax due for the year ended 31 March 2020.

19 January 2021 – PAYE and NIC deductions due for month ended 5 January 2021. (If you pay your tax electronically the due date is 22 January 2021)

19 January 2021 – Filing deadline for the CIS300 monthly return for the month ended 5 January 2021.

19 January 2021 – CIS tax deducted for the month ended 5 January 2021 is payable by today.

31 January 2021 – Last day to file 2019-20 self-assessment tax returns online.

31 January 2021 – Balance of self-assessment tax owing for 2019-20 due to be settled on or before today unless you have elected to extend this deadline by formal agreement with HMRC. Also due is any first payment on account for 2020-21.

The Chancellor, Rishi Sunak, confirmed a small increase in the National Living Wage rates from April 2021.

Employers will need to diarise these increases otherwise they may break their obligation to pay these rates and risk penalties.

The increase in the NLW will mean that low-paid workers’ incomes rise broadly in line with predicted wage growth; and modestly ahead of projected increases in prices, meaning low-paid workers’ living standards should be protected. Commissioners do not believe the increase presents a significant additional risk to employment prospects, beyond the already challenging outlook.

The Low Paid Commission’s (LPC) recommendations comprised:

The LPC remain committed to the Government’s goal of ending low pay. Given uncertainties over the long-term economic outlook, they have not recommended any change to the Government’s target of the NLW reaching two-thirds of median earnings by 2024. The LPC’s report sets out an indicative future path for the NLW; but the effects of furloughing on pay data limit its precision this year.