HMRC’s rent-a-room scheme currently allows individuals to receive up to £7,500 of gross income from renting out spare rooms in their only or main home without a liability to tax arising. Broadly, as long as income is below the annual threshold, it does not need to be reported to HMRC.

However, the emergence and growth of peer-to-peer online marketplaces and digital platforms (for example Airbnb) has made it significantly easier to advertise rooms and put those with spare accommodation in touch with a national and global network of…

The minimum contributions employers and their staff must pay into their automatic enrolment workplace pension scheme increased with effect from 6 April 2019.

From that date, the employer minimum contribution has risen from 2% to 3%, while the staff contribution also increased from 3% to 5%. As part of the ‘phasing’ process, the increases mean that total contributions for employees have gone up from 5% to 8%.

All employers with staff in a pension scheme for automatic enrolment must ensure that they implement the changes and ensure that at least…

In its commentary on the economic and fiscal outlook published alongside details of the Spring Statement, the Office of Budget Responsibility (OBR) has pointed out that the government has altered its proposed schedule of fees payable for an application for a grant of probate. The new rates take effect from April 2019, and range between £250 and £6,000, depending on the value of the estate.

Prior to the change, bereaved relatives paid a flat £215 fee for probate, the charge for securing legal…

Confusion often arises over differing tax treatment of mileage allowances paid to employees using their own cars for business, and those provided with a company car.

An employee using their own car for work can claim a mileage allowance from their employer, which is designed to cover the costs of fuel and wear and tear for business trips. The mileage allowance will be tax-free if it does not exceed HMRC’s Approved Mileage Allowance Payment(AMAP) rates, which are currently as follows:
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Making Tax Digital (MTD)
Mandatory digital record keeping for VAT for businesses over the VAT threshold (with turnover over £85,000) comes into force from 1 April 2019. This is an important first step in this modernisation of the tax system to which the government remains committed. In the WMS, the Chancellor confirmed the government’s ‘light touch approach to penalties in the first year of implementation’. Where businesses are doing their best to comply, no filing or record keeping penalties will be issued. The focus will be on supporting businesses…