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The Department for Business & Trade has recently published a report that outlines the government's enforcement of the National Minimum Wage (NMW) and National Living Wage (NLW) for the 2024–25 financial year.The Government is committed to ensuring that all workers receive the minimum wage to which they are entitled, and HMRC enforces this on its behalf through a strategy known as ‘Promote, Prevent and Respond’.The 'Promote' strategy aims to address non-compliance due to lack of understanding rather than deliberate underpayment, focusing on...

HMRC is currently contacting certain sole traders by email to reiterate the importance of adjusting business expenses for personal use.The email explains:why personal use must be adjusted on your self-assessment tax return; andwhat you need to do if your business expenses cover business and personal use.The email also includes links to GOV.UK for more detailed information on personal use adjustments and allowable expenses. This is a genuine email that HMRC recently sent (from 20 October 2025 up to and including 7 November 2025).This is an...

HMRC offers a helpful online tool that allows agents and taxpayers to check when they can expect a response to a query or request that they have made. The online tool is updated weekly with the latest information.The full list of taxes the tool can currently be used for are as follows:Child BenefitCorporation TaxConstruction Industry Scheme (CIS)Employers’ PAYEIncome TaxNational InsuranceSelf-assessmentTax creditsVATAgents can also check how long it will take HMRC to:register you as an agent to use HMRC online services;process an application...

The free HMRC tax app now provides quick access to tax codes, income history, self-assessment details, National Insurance records and even payment options, all from your phone. HMRC’s free tax app is available to download from the App Store for iOS and from the Google Play Store for Android. The latest version of the app includes some updated functionality. To set up the tax app for the first time, open the app and enter your Government Gateway user ID and password. If you do not have a user ID, you can create one within the app. After...

If you are unable to pay your tax bill, it's important to reach out to HMRC as soon as possible. HMRC may offer a Time to Pay arrangement, allowing you to settle the debt in manageable instalments based on your financial situation. Taxpayers with liabilities of up to £30,000 can use the online Time to Pay (TTP) service to set up instalment payments. This service is available without the need for direct contact with an HMRC advisor and can be accessed up to 60 days after the payment deadline. To be eligible for the online service, the...

Many businesses are still unaware that the VAT late filing and late payment rules now operate on a points-based system, where repeated delays can quickly lead to a £200 penalty and added interest. The VAT late filing penalties regime changed for accounting periods beginning on or after 1 January 2023. Under the new system, there are penalty points for late filing of VAT returns and for the late payment of VAT liabilities. The revised system operates on a points-based approach. A taxpayer receives one penalty point for each VAT return that is...

A limited company is a separate legal entity. In normal circumstances, its debts belong to the company, not to the directors. This is one of the central advantages of incorporation. However, the protection is not absolute. Directors have duties in law, and if those duties are not met, there are situations where personal liability can arise. Understanding the main risk areas helps directors manage their responsibilities with confidence. The most common route to personal liability is through personal guarantees. These are often required when...

Current estimates suggest that there are around 5.6 million businesses operating in the UK. This figure comes from the Department for Business and Trade and the Office for National Statistics. What stands out is that most of these businesses are very small. The vast majority are run by one person, without employees, either as sole traders or small limited companies. Only a small proportion of the total business population consists of medium or large organisations, yet those larger firms account for a significant share of total employment and...

1 December 2025 - Due date for Corporation Tax payable for the year ended 28 February 2025. 19 December 2025 - PAYE and NIC deductions due for month ended 5 December 2025. (If you pay your tax electronically the due date is 22 December 2025). 19 December 2025 - Filing deadline for the CIS300 monthly return for the month ended 5 December 2025. 19 December 2025 - CIS tax deducted for the month ended 5 December 2025 is payable by today. 30 December 2025 - Deadline for filing 2024-25 self-assessment tax returns online to include a claim for...

Where cryptoasset tokens (also known as cryptocurrency) are held personally, this investment is usually undertaken in the hope of making a capital appreciation in its value or to make particular purchases. HMRC is clear that these holdings will usually be subject to Capital Gains Tax (CGT) if there is a gain when disposing of these assets by: selling tokens exchanging tokens for a different type of cryptoasset using tokens to pay for goods or services giving away tokens to another person (unless it is a gift to your spouse, civil...