News

Outsourced Payroll is not a TUPE Transfer: Lessons from a costly VAT ruling

21/10/2026

A recent tribunal decision shows that calling an arrangement a "TUPE transfer" does not make it one. For accounting firms and their HR teams, the case reminds them that employment status turns on legal realities and not administrative assumptions. A specialist engineering and inspection business with around two dozen staff had

More...

New proposals could change self-employment rules

19/10/2026

Businesses that engage freelancers, contractors and other self-employed workers may need to review their arrangements following a new Government consultation aimed at tackling bogus self-employment and improving protections for people who are genuinely self-employed. Bogus self-employment can arise where an individual is described as

More...

Could businesses get more choice over software?

19/10/2026

Most businesses now depend on several software systems to manage everyday activities such as email, accounting, document preparation, customer records and internal communication, and as these systems become increasingly integrated it can become difficult and expensive to move from one supplier to another. The Competition and Markets

More...

New tax return requirements for company directors

15/10/2026

Company directors who complete a self-assessment tax return should be aware of new mandatory reporting requirements that came into effect from the 2025-26 tax year. The changes mainly affect directors of close companies, including many owner-managed and family businesses. Previously, directors could voluntarily identify themselves as

More...

Paying the 2025-26 Child Benefit tax charge

15/10/2026

Taxpayers who need to pay the High Income Child Benefit Charge (HICBC) for 2025-26 may be able to pay it through PAYE rather than completing a self-assessment tax return solely to report the charge. The HICBC applies where an individual or their partner receives Child Benefit and the individual’s adjusted net income exceeds £60,000. The

More...

Tax to pay when you get a pension

15/10/2026

You may have to pay Income Tax on your pension if your total annual taxable income exceeds your Personal Allowance. This applies whether you receive the State Pension, a workplace pension or a personal pension. Your total taxable income can include the basic or new State Pension, Additional State Pension, private pension payments,

More...

HMRC reveals £42.8 billion outstanding tax debt

15/10/2026

HMRC has revealed that it had £42.8 billion in outstanding tax debt at the end of March 2025, equivalent to 5% of total tax receipts. The figures appear in its corporate report, The HMRC tax debt strategy - update. The report also highlighted progress in recovering unpaid tax, with HMRC resolving £48.7 billion of tax debt in the first

More...

Cryptoassets: common tax mistakes to avoid

15/10/2026

Cryptoassets can create unexpected tax liabilities. HMRC’s guidance highlights several areas where mistake can be made. Assuming crypto-to-crypto exchanges are tax-free. Exchanging one type of cryptoasset for another can count as a disposal for Capital Gains Tax (CGT) purposes. Forgetting that spending crypto can trigger CGT. Using

More...

VAT on education: could providers be entitled to refunds?

15/10/2026

Alternative providers of higher and further education may be able to claim refunds of VAT following a recent Court of Appeal ruling, although the position remains subject to further legal proceedings. HMRC recently published a brief explaining the implications of the Court of Appeal’s decision. The court ruled in favour of the college in

More...

Late payments: Is your business at risk?

12/10/2026

Late payment of invoices remains one of the most persistent problems facing UK small businesses, and recent research suggests the situation is becoming increasingly difficult. 60% of UK small and medium-sized businesses report that customers are taking longer to settle invoices than they were a year ago. The average amount owed in

More...

Business confidence rises but is it time to invest?

12/10/2026

Business confidence across the UK is showing signs of improvement, although many smaller businesses remain reluctant to commit money to new investment. The latest British Chambers of Commerce Quarterly Economic Survey, published in October 2026, found that 47% of businesses expect their turnover to increase over the next 12 months.

More...

New vaping tax now in force

08/10/2026

A new excise duty on vaping products came into force on 1 October 2026. Vaping Products Duty (VPD) applies to vaping liquids manufactured in, or imported into, the UK, whether or not they contain nicotine. The duty is charged at £2.20 per 10ml of vaping liquid. It is paid by manufacturers, importers and certain wholesalers, although

More...

HMRC targets undeclared medical consultancy income

08/10/2026

HMRC is writing to individuals it believes may have failed to declare consultancy income from private healthcare providers on their self-assessment tax returns. The letters follow information received from private healthcare providers and form part of an HMRC campaign specifically targeting the medical sector. The letter asks recipients

More...

Capital allowances restricted for project development costs

08/10/2026

The tax treatment of predevelopment costs has been the subject of a recent Supreme Court decision. This is likely to mean that capital allowances will be restricted for some predevelopment costs. The government has consulted on the impact of the decision and whether the current rules could affect investment decisions. Predevelopment

More...

Reporting property gains

08/10/2026

Anyone selling a UK residential property usually needs to report the disposal to HMRC within 60 days of completion. The requirement applies even where the individual is not normally required to report Capital Gains Tax (CGT) through a tax return. Any CGT due must normally be paid within the same 60-day period. Payment can be made online

More...

New customs system for Northern Ireland trade

08/10/2026

Businesses using the Trader Support Service (TSS) to move goods between Great Britain and Northern Ireland need to prepare for a new platform launching soon. From 20 October 2026, all goods movements must be submitted using the new TSS platform. Businesses are being asked to pre-enrol before the switchover. From 1 October, existing TSS

More...

Corporation tax receipts pass £100 billion

08/10/2026

HMRC’s latest Corporation Tax statistics show that receipts from corporate taxes passed £100 billion for the first time in 2025-26. The main statistics are as follows: Total receipts from all corporate taxes were £100.4 billion in 2025-26, an increase of £3.5 billion (4%) compared with the previous year. The total includes Corporation

More...

Tax Diary November/December 2026

07/10/2026

November 2026: 1 November 2026 - Due date for Corporation Tax payable by companies with an accounting period ended 31 January 2026, unless the company is required to pay Corporation Tax by instalments. 7 November 2026 - Deadline for the second quarterly update under Making Tax Digital for Income Tax for the 2026-27 tax year. This applies

More...

About Us

Lord Associates was formed in 2001 by Senior Partner Nigel Lord who saw an opening for a new type of tax consultancy which could provide strategic business advice and also the full range of ancillary services required by clients seeking to arrange their affairs tax efficiently.

Contact us

Loughton Office
9-11 High Beech Road,
Loughton, Essex,
IG10 4BN

020 8418 9101
tax@lordassociates.co.uk

Newsletter Sign Up

With our newsletter, you automatically receive our latest news via e-mail and get access to the archive including advanced search options!

» Sign up for the newsletter
» Login

Newsfeed Search


JUMP TO TOP