Get all the latest news, hints and advice that you need from HMRC to support your business.
This page is constantly being updated so make sure you keep checking for the latest updates.
HMRC Employer Bulletin
The February edition of the Employer Bulletin includes important information regarding the review of off-payroll working rules, the latest National Insurance contributions and Statutory Payments rates, an update for reporting expenses and benefits, and a timely reminder for end of year reporting.
Online support from HMRC
Are you getting the right tax reliefs and allowances for your business? Make sure by taking advantage of the help available from HMRC – including how to complete your online tax return correctly.
Here’s a selection of the online support available to you.
Payroll software and sending reports to HMRC
Whether you’re new to payroll or an experienced employer, there’s plenty of free online help available from HMRC.
Find out about ‘Payroll software and sending reports to HMRC‘ in this short YouTube video.
Becoming an employer: The HMRC handy online guide ‘Becoming an employer‘ takes you through the basics of taking on staff, running a payroll, statutory payments and more, with links to detailed guidance. Keep it as a favourite in your browser so that you can dip into it as you need to.
There’s also a ‘Expenses and benefits from employment toolkit‘. It’s designed to help agents and advisers, but it’s also for employers or anyone completing end of year form P11D.
Getting payroll information right: It’s important to give accurate information when sending payroll information to HMRC. Save time by avoiding common mistakes and ensure your payroll runs smoothly. View recent live webinar
Becoming an employer
There’s a lot to remember when you become an employer.
The ‘Becoming an Employer‘ online guide from HMRC covers many topics, from taking on your first employee to completing end of year reports. It’s full of useful links to further information and available when you are.
There are two upcoming webinars that you’ll find useful and you cal also ask questions through the on-screen text box.
Expenses and benefits – employee travel: An overview of the tax and National Insurance treatment of travel and subsistence payments, as well as mileage payments for employees using their own vehicle for business purposes. Choose a date and time
Expenses and benefits – if your employees have more than one workplace: Will cover the tax and National Insurance implications for those employees with more than one workplace, temporary and permanent workplaces, plus applying the 40% and 24 months rules. Next session:. Choose a date and time
If you haven’t joined a webinar (online presentation) before, this guide will tell you what you need to do.
VAT - your records and returns
From April 2019, VAT-registered businesses with a taxable turnover above the VAT registration threshold will be required to keep digital VAT business records and send returns using Making Tax Digital compatible software.
Find out ‘How does Making Tax Digital for VAT affect you‘ in this short video.
For more on VAT records and returns, take a look at some of the online help available:
How to do your VAT return: Suitable for businesses using VAT standard accounting, this live webinar looks at how and when to send your VAT return, as well as covering some useful tips on how to fill it in. You can ask questions using the on-screen text box. Choose a date and time
HMRC’s online guide ‘VAT – how it works’, looks at charging and reclaiming VAT, plus VAT Returns and payments. You can dip in and out whenever you like.
Did you know that HMRC have an Online Customer Forum which has a dedicated VAT section? You can see what others are asking, ask your own questions and receive responses from the experts. Have a look today.
Statutory Sick Pay
Do you know if your employees are entitled to Statutory Sick Pay?
Whether you’re a new or experienced employer, there’s plenty of free online help available from HMRC.
HMRC’s ‘Statutory Sick Pay online guide’ is full of useful information and will give you the answers you need – any time. It’s broken down into sections to make it easy to find what you’re looking for.
Also on offer is the HMRC ‘National Insurance contributions and statutory payments toolkit’. It’s designed to help agents and advisers in completing employers’ end of year forms, but you’ll find it useful too.
Got a question about self-employment?
Whether you’re new to self-employment or you’ve been in business for a while, HMRC has got the online support you need.
For quick ‘how to’ guidance, HMRC’s YouTube channel has videos to help the self-employed, such as ‘Your self-employed tax return‘.
You can also view a recording of a recent live webinar ‘Capital Allowances for the self-employed’. Find out how to claim for the longer-life items you buy for your business, for example, vans, tools, machinery and computers.
Or, for information on what records you should be keeping, how long to keep them for and how apps can make it easier for you, take a look at this recorded webinar on ‘Record keeping for the self-employed’.
More information can be found on the HMRC online guide to starting your own business. It’s broken down into sections making it easy to find what you’re looking for.
There’s also the ‘Capital Allowances for plant and machinery toolkit’. Designed to help agents and advisers, anyone completing a Self Assessment tax return will find it useful too.