The latest inflation figure has crept up again, but interest rates haven't followed. Between December 2015 and January 2016, overall prices as measured by the Consumer Prices Index (CPI) fell by 0.8%. However, prices normally fall between Christmas and the New Year as the sales get under way and the festive travel price hikes are…
Read moreMonth: March 2016
Your latest PAYE code may look a little strange. It's the time of year when HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) sends out PAYE codes for the new tax year. Usually that means adjustments for: An increase in the personal allowance, which in 2016/17 will rise by £400 to £11,000; Changes in any benefit values, notably…
Read moreAs we near the end of the tax year, now is the time to consider not only year end planning, but also planning for the new tax year. It is one of the features of the political cycle that the more difficult and less palatable legislation tends to come at the start of a parliamentary…
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This was the third budget within the space of 12 months. It threatened to be the most difficult of the trio because of constraints imposed by June's EU referendum and disappointing economic numbers. Nevertheless the Chancellor managed to produce several surprises, including net tax cuts in 2017/18 and 2018/19 before reaching his often repeated goal…
Read moreThis year's venture capital trusts (VCT) offerings are the first under a changed set of investment rules. VCTs offer several attractive tax benefits: •Income tax relief at 30% is available on new share subscriptions for investments up to £200,000 per tax year; •Dividends are free of income tax; and •Any gains are free from capital…
Read moreThe Governor of the Bank of England has made another interest rate pronouncement. Almost since he started the job in July 2013, Mark Carney has used his position of Governor of the Bank of England to talk about when UK interest rates will begin to increase. So far he has largely managed to prove that…
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