The government should extend the Kickstart Scheme application deadline until June 2022, the Confederation of British Industry (CBI) has stated. Kickstart was launched in September and promised to pay the wages and associated employment costs for businesses taking on 16 to 24-year-olds in receipt of Universal Credit for six-month contract periods. The CBI says that […]

HMRC has published a briefing on its approach to the changes to off-payroll working rules, commonly known as IR35, which will be introduced on 6 April 2021. Reiterating its advice from last year, HMRC has confirmed that it will not issue penalties for inaccuracies in the first 12 months of the regime, unless there is […]

Businesses that took out government-backed Bounce Back loans to get through the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic will now have greater flexibility to repay their loans, the government has announced. The Pay as You Grow repayment flexibilities now include the option to delay all repayments for a further six months. This means businesses can choose to make […]

UK business lending is now over £71 billion via the government’s coronavirus (COVID-19) support schemes, according to figures from HM Treasury. The loans have been accessed by over 1.5 million businesses across all sectors and areas of the country. The British Business Bank has also revealed the regional distribution of loans under the Coronavirus Business […]

The Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) has suggested that the current UK tax system discourages employment, investment and corporate risk-taking and needs reform. Research carried out by the IFS suggested that employees’ salaries attract thousands of pounds more in tax each year than the incomes of individuals who are self-employed or working through their own […]

Over a third of UK consumers have been blocked from paying with cash for goods during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, according to research from consumer group Which?. Which? surveyed more than 2,000 people across the country in November 2020 and found 34% had had cash as a means of payment refused. The research showed that […]

The UK’s Supreme Court has found in favour of small firms receiving payments from coronavirus (COVID-19) business interruption claims/insurance policies. The test case was brought against insurers by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). The ruling means that thousands of small businesses are now set to receive insurance payouts covering losses from the first national lockdown. […]

The Trades Union Congress (TUC) has called on employers to offer furlough to working parents affected by coronavirus (COVID-19) school closures. The TUC said that last minute decisions by ministers mean many working parents are now without childcare. The Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS) allows employers to furlough working parents who can’t work due to […]

With festive sales on the horizon, the British Independent Retailers Association (BIRA) has urged retailers to remain vigilant and safe in order to help halt the spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19). The trade association stated that it is important to focus on safety protocols to ensure retail is not contributing to the spread of the […]