Business Tax Changes

National Insurance

It was confirmed that the tax threshold for National Insurance Contributions will rise to £9,500 from April 2020 (was £8,632). This should save £100 a year in National Insurance contributions for some 31 million people.

Relief for Statutory Sick Pay payments

Small and medium sized businesses, those with less than 250 employees at 28 February 2020, will be able to reclaim any approved SSP payments. The actual method for making a claim is yet to be agreed as current payroll processes cannot accommodate this type of refund.

Watch this space as this is a welcome cost saver for smaller businesses.

Business Rates Retail Discount Scheme

The government has already announced that, for one year from 1 April 2020, the business rates retail discount for properties with a rateable value below £51,000 in England will increase from one third to 50% and will be expanded to include cinemas and music venues.

To support small businesses, in response to COVID-19, the retail discount will be increased to 100% and expanded to include hospitality and leisure businesses.

The government previously committed to introducing a £1,000 business rates discount for pubs with a rateable value below £100,000 in England for one year from 1 April 2020. To further support pubs, in response to COVID-19, the discount will be increased to £5,000.

Affected businesses should receive amended rates bills for 2020-21 from their local authority. Regional variations may apply.

One-off grant for small businesses

The government is to provide a £3,000 grant to businesses that presently qualify for the Small Business Rates Relief or Rural Rate Relief.

Businesses that think they may be eligible should contact their local authority.

Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme

The government will launch a new, temporary Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme, delivered by the British Business Bank, to support businesses to access bank lending and overdrafts.

Government will provide lenders with a guarantee of 80% on each loan (subject to a per lender cap on claims) to give lenders further confidence in continuing to provide finance to SMEs. The government will not charge businesses or banks for this guarantee, and the Scheme will support loans of up to £1.2 million in value. This new guarantee will initially support up to £1 billion of lending on top of current support offered through the British Business Bank.

HMRC’s Time To Pay Scheme

HMRC are expanding the number of operatives that manage calls from taxpayers that are unable to pay their taxes on time. If readers are concerned about meeting tax payments call the dedicated help-line 0800 0159 559.

Corporation Tax

The previously announced reduction in Corporation Tax from 19% to 17% - from April 2020 - has been scrapped. Corporation Tax rates are to remain at 19% for the financial year beginning 1 April 2020.

Structures and Buildings allowance

The annual writing down rate is to be increased from 2% to 3% from April 2020.

Digital Services Tax

Despite opposition from various quarters it looks as if the new Digital Services Tax of 2% will be applied to digital businesses from April 2020.

This will be a major revenue raiser for HMRC.

Capital loss restriction from 1 April 2020

For accounting periods ending on or after 1 April 2020, companies making capital gains will only be able to offset up to 50% of those gains using carried-forward, allowable capital losses.

Employment Allowance

The present £3,000 relief that reduces employer’s NIC contributions is to be increased to £4,000 from April 2020. From 6 April 2020, you will only be able to claim if your Class 1 NIC bill was below £100,000 in the previous tax year.

Car and van benefits charges

Van benefit charges and car and van fuel benefit charges will be increased to account for inflation from April 2020.

R&D expenditure credit

This “Above the line” expenditure credit is currently 12% of qualifying R&D expenditure. This is to be increased to 13% from 1 April 2020.

Zero-rating of e-publications

From 1 December 2020, e-books, e-newspapers, e-magazines and academic e-journals will be zero-rated for VAT purposes.

VAT reverse-charge for the construction sector

A reminder that the domestic reverse charge process will apply to the construction sector from 1 October 2020.

Affected contractors that are still unsure of the changes they will need to make are invited to call so we can help you set up the relevant systems.

VAT registration threshold – no change

The present VAT registration limit (£85,000) and deregistration limit (£83,000) will continue to apply for a further two years; until 31 March 2022.

Clamp-down on tax evaders

As is usual, the budget includes a number of provisions to reduce the successful application of tax avoidance strategies.

Bank support for small businesses

In concert with the flexibility being offered to individuals, banks are looking at relaxing their criteria that would allow small businesses affected by Coronavirus disruption to obtain loans on favourable terms.