A new government-backed taskforce is seeking to unlock £1bn in additional lending for small businesses through community development finance institutions.
Category: Finance
Financial advice for owners and managers of small and medium sized business SMEs in the UK All your tax, borrowing and administration advice
Post Office to receive £104m taxpayer bailout to cover historic IR35 breach
The UK government will cover a £104m IR35 tax bill at Post Office Limited after historic off-payroll working failures left the public body unable to pay.
Labour urged to raise private pension access age to curb early retirement
Labour is being urged to restrict access to private pensions from age 55, with the Resolution Foundation arguing reforms could boost employment and ease pressure on the public finances.
Festive filers sleigh their Self Assessment returns as thousands log on over Christmas
More than 4,600 people filed their Self Assessment tax return on Christmas Day, with over 37,000 submitting returns across the festive period, according to HMRC.
Mortgage rules to be eased to help first-time buyers, self-employed and older borrowers
Mortgage rules are set to be eased under new FCA proposals designed to help first-time buyers, the self-employed and older borrowers access more flexible and affordable home loans.
What will Making Tax Digital for Income Tax mean for small businesses in 2026 and beyond?
In just four months, millions of small businesses, sole traders and landlords will need to change how they track and report their finances to HMRC.
AJ Bell hits out at ‘crazy’ Isa overhaul as tax fears trigger £600m pension exodus
AJ Bell says months of budget tax speculation triggered £600m in early pension withdrawals and attacks Rachel Reeves’s planned Isa reforms as “crazy” and over-complex. Profit rises but shares fall as the platform boosts investment for growth.
HMRC to scrap homeworking tax relief from 2026, hitting 300,000 employees
HMRC will scrap homeworking tax relief from April 2026, costing 300,000 employees up to £124 a year as the Treasury targets non-compliance and raises £30m annually.
Budget’s new VAT relief set to boost business donations and cut landfill waste
A 2026 VAT reform will remove tax charges on donated goods, encouraging businesses to give surplus stock to charities instead of sending it to landfill and supporting a wider range of charitable causes.
Budget 2025: Key announcements at a glance
Rachel Reeves’ 2025 Budget freezes tax thresholds, raises dividend and savings taxes, scraps the two-child benefit cap, introduces an EV mileage tax and unveils new levies on property, gambling and sugary drinks.
£4.7bn ‘salary sacrifice raid’ could see pension benefit scrapped by thousands of employers, experts warn
Experts say Reeves’ £4.7bn salary sacrifice cap will make pension schemes far less attractive, push employers to cut benefits, stall hiring and shrink workers’ long-term retirement pots.
HMRC and BFI investigate film producer Alan Latham over £16m taxpayer-funded movie projects
HMRC and the British Film Institute are investigating film producer Alan Latham after 21 of his movies sought £16m in UK tax relief. Liquidators are probing £20m in missing film investments.
The TikTok tax: Millions risk HMRC fines as side hustlers surge past £1,000 earnings threshold
New data from Tide reveals that 42% of UK social media users now earn from content creation — but many risk HMRC penalties for missing the £1,000 trading allowance threshold as side hustles turn into real businesses.
HMRC has stepped up its campaign to expand the scope of ‘confectionery’ under VAT law – and the courts are backing them
HMRC is reclassifying more sweet products as confectionery under VAT rules, hitting producers, wholesalers and retailers with 20% tax liabilities. Here’s what it means for UK food businesses.
Treasury weighs stamp duty holiday for new London share listings in autumn budget
The Treasury is weighing plans to grant newly listed companies a stamp duty exemption in November’s autumn budget, as ministers look to revive London’s competitiveness as a global IPO hub.
