Making Tax Digital for Income Tax Self Assessment (MTD for ITSA) is mandatory from 6 April 2026 for self-employed traders and landlords whose combined gross trading and business income in 2024/25 is £50,000 or more. Those within MTD for ITSA must maintain digital records and submit quarterly updates and a final declaration to HMRC electronically using software compatible with MTD for ITSA. As the name suggests, MTD for ITSA relies on digital record-keeping and communication.

HMRC publish fuel-only rates which are only of relevance where an employee has a company car. The rates, which are updated quarterly, can only be used in two situations: · to make tax-free reimbursements to employees who meet the cost of business travel in their company car; and · to repay the cost of fuel provided or paid for by their employer and used for private journeys in a company car. The rate depends on the fuel type and, where relevant, the engine size. From 1 Septem

A director’s loan account is simply a means of keeping track of transactions between the director and the company of which they are a director. Where the company is a personal or family company, the director may borrow from the company or lend money to the company. Similarly, the director may meet expenses of the company, or the company may pay the director’s personal bills. These transactions are recorded in the director’s loan account. Dividend or salary payments may also b

It used to be possible to report errors in a VAT return to HMRC on form VAT652. This is no longer the case; form VAT652 was withdrawn from 5 September 2025. This means that now, where an error has been made in a VAT return, the error must be corrected in one of the following ways: · updating the next VAT return; · making the correction online; or · writing to HMRC to notify them of the correction. Updating the next VAT return An error can be corrected by making an adjustment

Many employers have a social event for employees around the Christmas period. This may take the form of a Christmas party or dinner or another social event, such as wreath-making and cocktails. When planning the event, it is important to consider the tax and National Insurance implications up front. Although there is a specific tax exemption for annual parties and other functions, there are conditions that must be met for the exemption to apply. Ensuring that your Christmas e

In these difficult economic times, tenants may struggle to pay their rent, leaving landlords out of pocket. In the absence of insurance that makes good the cost of unpaid rent, the way in which the landlord is able to secure relief for the bad debt depends on whether the landlord uses the cash basis or the accruals basis to prepare their accounts. Cash basis The cash basis is a simple way of preparing accounts that is based on money in and money out. It is the default basis o

Unfortunately, tenants (and their pets) may cause damage to a rental property. Where this is the case, the landlord may be left to repair the damage and pick up the bill. In this situation, can the landlord obtain tax relief for the costs incurred? Nature of costs The nature of the work will determine how and when tax relief is available. Where repairing the damage merely restores the property to the state that it was in before the damage, the associated costs are revenue in

The Renters’ Rights Act 2025 received Royal Assent on 27 October 2025. The Act is not yet in force; the first tranche of provisions come into effect on 27 December 2025 (two months from the date of Royal Assent). Some key provisions, including the abolition of section 21 evictions, an end to fixed-term tenancies, restrictions on the payment of rent in advance and rent increases limited to once a year, take effect from 1 May 2026. The remaining provisions will be brought in pr

At first glance, the UK’s income tax rates seem straightforward, comprising the basic, higher and additional rate bands (currently 20%, 40% and 45% in England, Wales and Northern Ireland). However, calculations show that there exists an often-overlooked quirk in the tax system that can push high earners into an effective marginal income tax rate of 60%. In 2023/24, approximately 634,000 taxpayers fell into the 60% band, with estimates that this will possibly reach over a mill