Author: Neil Dando

Simple ways to use the reliefs available on qualifying gifts. Giving to charity is often driven by values rather than tax planning, but the tax treatment still matters. Used properly, the available reliefs can make a donation go further, lower your tax bill, or both. HMRC’s latest charity tax relief statistics show that tax reliefs…

Review systems, suppliers and processes before the deadline. E-invoicing has moved from a back-office improvement to a planning issue for UK businesses. The government has said that all VAT invoices will need to be issued as e-invoices from April 2029. In practice, that mainly affects business-to-business and business-to-government VAT invoices, rather than ordinary business-to-consumer sales.…

Many small businesses remain unclear about electronic invoicing requirements, with most unaware of HMRC communications ahead of the planned rollout. At the Autumn Budget, Chancellor Rachel Reeves confirmed that, from April 2029, all VAT-registered businesses must issue invoices electronically. The move is intended to modernise the UK tax system. However, the announcement received limited attention,…

UK consumers have reduced travel spending for the first time in five years, reflecting growing concern about living costs and global instability. Data from Barclays shows overall card spending rose by just 0.9% year on year in March, slightly down from 1% in February. Within that, travel spending fell by 3.3%, marking the first decline…

A report from the Institute for Fiscal Studies has found that the UK Government’s Help to Buy scheme largely benefited higher earners. Introduced in England in 2013, the scheme aimed to support first-time buyers who lacked financial help from family or friends. It did this through two main policies: a mortgage guarantee scheme that enabled…

More UK businesses are set to receive support with rising energy costs, after the Government confirmed it will expand a scheme first outlined in 2025. Around 10,000 energy-intensive manufacturers, including firms in steel, automotive and pharmaceuticals, could see electricity bills reduced by up to 25%. The original plan covered 7,000 companies, meaning a further 3,000…

Pensions remain one of the most tax-efficient ways to save for the long term. They can help reduce taxable income, support business owners’ extraction planning, and build retirement wealth in a structured way. Problems usually arise when contributions are made without first checking the rules. That is when an otherwise sensible pension contribution can trigger…

Making Tax Digital for income tax (MTD IT) starts from 6 April 2026 for sole traders and landlords with qualifying income over £50,000. For many businesses and property owners, the change is less about extra tax and more about changing how records are kept and how income is reported to HMRC through the year. HMRC…

Businesses could receive financial incentives to hire young people under new Government proposals to tackle youth unemployment and expand apprenticeship opportunities. Ministers have announced plans to create around 200,000 jobs through a £1bn funding package aimed at supporting employers and helping young people move into work. As part of the initiative, companies will receive a…

Chancellor Rachel Reeves has announced a £50m support package for low-income and vulnerable households reliant on heating oil, as prices continue to surge following the conflict in the Middle East. Kerosene, the fuel used in heating oil systems, has risen sharply in recent weeks, outpacing increases in petrol and mains gas. Unlike gas and electricity,…

Mortgage costs have increased sharply in recent weeks, with new data showing that a typical borrower is now paying around £788 more per year compared with before the recent escalation in tensions involving Iran. The figures, compiled by Moneyfacts, are based on a £250,000 mortgage over 25 years with an average two-year fixed rate, which…

Pay growth in the UK has slowed to its weakest level in more than five years, according to the latest figures from the Office for National Statistics. Average earnings, excluding bonuses, rose by 3.8% in the three months to January, down from 4.2% in the previous period. While this marks a continued cooling in wage…

INSIDE THIS FORECAST An overview of the OBR Spring Forecast as delivered by Chancellor Rachel Reeves. Updated economic projections, the fiscal outlook, rising tax burden, spending pressures and practical implications for households and businesses. Introduction The Spring Forecast 2026 centres on the Office for Budget Responsibility’s (OBR) updated Economic and Fiscal Outlook, and the Chancellor’s…

Simple ways to reduce tax on savings. ISAs and pensions remain two of the simplest ways to keep savings and investments tax efficient in the UK. Used together, they can help you build short-term flexibility and longer-term retirement security, without tying everything up in one place. This article covers the key 2025/26 allowances, the rules…

What online sellers must record and report. Online selling can scale quickly. That’s good for revenue, but it puts pressure on records, VAT decisions and how you report to HMRC. It also changes how your transactions “look” on paper. Instead of one sales ledger and one bank account, you often have several moving parts at…

Around one million taxpayers missed the deadline for submitting their 2024/25 self assessment tax return, according to HMRC, leaving many facing financial penalties. HMRC reported that more than 27,000 people submitted their returns during the final hour before the midnight cut-off on 31 January. In total, about 475,722 returns were filed on the final day,…

British manufacturers recorded one of their strongest months in years in January. The closely watched purchasing managers’ index (PMI) for manufacturing rose to 51.8 in January, up from 50.6 in December and its highest level since August 2024. Any reading above 50 indicates growth. The survey, based on responses from around 650 manufacturers, also showed…

UK service sector employers reduced staffing levels in January as businesses increasingly relied on automation rather than recruiting new employees. The latest purchasing managers’ index (PMI) revealed that job losses accelerated in January compared with December, extending a pattern that began in October 2024. The survey highlighted the longest period of workforce reductions in the…

Vulnerable taxpayers face growing risks as the continued freeze on the personal allowance is expected to push around 780,000 low-income earners into the tax system by 2029/30. Many will be people earning only slightly above the minimum wage, often working zero-hours contracts or combining multiple part-time roles. For individuals already balancing essential living costs, entering…

As we approach the end of the 2025/26 tax year, it is a valuable moment to review what has changed over the past 12 months and what that means for your tax planning. Borrowing costs have begun to ease from recent highs, but interest rates remain relatively elevated by historical standards. Inflation has cooled from…