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A Companies House blunder has raised concerns after a flaw in the WebFiling service briefly exposed sensitive company data. The issue, identified on 13 March 2026, meant that a logged-in user could potentially access and amend limited details of another company by carrying out a specific sequence of actions. Companies House has stated that this system vulnerability was not available to the general public. Only users with authorised access codes who were already logged into the system could have exploited it. Nevertheless, the nature of the...

If you are concerned by the continuing pressures on your take-home pay and need some certainty on your Income Tax liability, the HMRC calculator available at https://www.gov.uk/estimate-income-tax can be helpful. Alternatively, if you believe you may have overpaid tax, reviewing your position could help you claim a refund. The 'Estimate your Income Tax' service allows employees to calculate how much Income Tax and National Insurance they are likely to pay for the current tax year (6 April 2025 to 5 April 2026). It is particularly useful for...

Following the deadline for submission of self-assessment tax returns for the 2024-25 tax year, it is a useful time to revisit the rules on how long you should keep your tax records. There are no strict requirements for how records must be kept, but they should be retained either on paper, digitally, or within appropriate software. For personal (non-business self-assessment records, you are generally required to keep them for at least 22 months after the end of the relevant tax year. This means records for the year ended 5 April 2025 should be...

As a general rule, someone who inherits property, money or shares is not liable to pay tax on the inheritance itself. This is because any Inheritance Tax (IHT) due is normally paid out of the deceased’s estate before assets are distributed to beneficiaries. However, the recipient may be liable to Income Tax on any income generated after the inheritance (for example, dividends from shares) and to Capital Gains Tax on any increase in value of the assets from the date of inheritance. An important exception applies to gifts made during a person’s...

You may have to pay Capital Gains Tax (CGT) tax when you sell or dispose of a property that is not your main home. This includes buy-to-let properties, business premises, land and inherited property. Your gain is broadly the difference between what you paid for the property and what you sell it for. In some cases such as where the property was gifted or sold below market price you must use market value instead. If your total gains exceed the annual exemption, CGT will be payable. For UK residential property, CGT is charged at 18% for basic...

The Rent a Room Scheme is a set of special rules designed to help homeowners who rent out a room in their home, creating a potentially valuable tax-free income stream. Under the scheme, rent received from lodgers during the tax year is tax-free up to £7,500. The exemption is automatic if your income from the scheme is below this threshold, and no specific tax reporting is required. Homeowners can also choose to opt out of the scheme and report property income and expenses in the usual way. The relief applies only to the letting of furnished...

A dividend is a distribution of a company’s profits to its shareholders. Companies may pay dividends in cash or additional shares, giving investors a share of the business’s earnings. Dividends are a common way for shareholders to earn income from their investments. Dividends received within tax-advantaged accounts are completely tax-free. This includes dividends held in Individual Savings Accounts (ISAs) and in pensions, such as Self-Invested Personal Pensions (SIPPs) or other registered pension schemes. For investments outside these...

The employment status of a former bricklayer was recently called into question in establishing liability for asbestos exposure. The widow of the late Mr. Eric Alger, who died from mesothelioma, sought access to historical Employer’s LiabilityInsurance. Mr. Alger had been contracted to work on a major refurbishment project in 1988. However, because the company had long since been wound up, it had to be restored to the register for this case to be heard. Mr. Alger had worked alongside demolition gangs on the site, although he claimed that he had...

Many business owners spend years building their companies but give far less attention to planning how they will eventually exit. In reality, a successful exit rarely happens by chance. It usually requires careful preparation several years in advance. For most owners the business represents their largest financial asset. Without proper planning it can be difficult to realise its full value when the time comes to sell or transfer ownership. Potential buyers will expect to see reliable financial information, stable cash flow and well organised...

Business solvency refers to a company’s ability to meet its financial obligations as they fall due and to maintain a healthy balance between its assets and liabilities. It is one of the key indicators of financial stability and is essential for the long term survival of any business. A solvent business has sufficient resources to pay suppliers, employees, lenders and the tax authorities on time. Maintaining this position helps to build trust with stakeholders. Suppliers may be more willing to offer favourable credit terms, lenders may be more...