Wokingham Accountants
Accountancy may not strike everyone as exciting, but it is fast moving. We’ll keep you informed about issues we think may be of interest or relevance to you.
There are various ways to enjoy savings income without paying tax on it. In addition to the personal allowance, basic and higher rate taxpayers benefit from a personal savings allowance. Taxpayers whose taxable non-savings income is not more than £5,000 can also enjoy a zero rate on savings income in the savings rate band. In … Read more
In a post on X, HMRC recently warned taxpayers ‘not to get caught out by ads promising quick refunds for working from home’, urging taxpayers to check that they were eligible before making a claim. So what relief is available to employees who sometimes or always work from home? The rule A deduction can be … Read more
Employers who provided taxable benefits and expenses to employees in the 2024/25 tax year need to meet compliance obligations in respect of those benefits. The obligations will vary depending on whether the benefits and expenses have been payrolled or not or included in a PAYE Settlement Agreement (PSA). Payrolled benefits Where an employer payrolled benefits … Read more
Making Tax Digital for Income Tax Self Assessment (MTD for ITSA) is introduced progressively from 6 April 2026. It will require unincorporated traders and landlords whose income is over the trigger threshold to keep digital records and make quarterly returns and a final declaration to HMRC using MTD-compatible software. The start dates for traders and … Read more
As the 2024/25 tax year has now come to an end, individuals who need to file a Self Assessment tax return for that year can now do so. Although the return does not have to be filed online until 31 January 2026, there are benefits of filing early. There is something very satisfying about ticking … Read more
Employees may pay for the fuel that they use for business journeys undertaken in their own car or in a company car. Often, an employer will reimburse this cost by paying a mileage allowance. However, where employees meet the costs themselves, they are able to claim tax relief. The relief available depends on whether the … Read more
The official rate of interest is a rate set by HMRC which is used to calculate the benefit in kind tax charge on cheap employment-related loans, and also the amount charged to tax in respect of the provision of employer-provided living accommodation where the cost of that accommodation is more than £75,000. Employment-related loans The … Read more
Last October Chancellor Rachel Reeves announced some far-reaching National Insurance changes which will affect employers from April 2025. She also confirmed the rates applying to employees and to the self-employed. Employers The 2025/26 tax year starts on 6 April 2025. From that date, the secondary threshold (which is the point at which employers start paying … Read more
Putting money into a registered pension scheme can be tax efficient. Individuals can make contributions in their own right, or even for someone else, and employers can make contributions on their employees’ behalf (and indeed must do so under auto-enrolment). Tax relief is available on contributions up to certain limits. Auto-enrolment Under auto-enrolment, employers must … Read more
Employees with a company car available for their private use pay tax on the benefit. The amount that is charged to tax is a percentage of the list price of the car and any optional accessories, as adjusted to reflect any capital contributions made by the employee up to £5,000. The percentage, which is known … Read more
