Understanding Basis Period Reform for Self-Assessment Tax in the UK

Understanding Basis Period Reform for Self-Assessment Tax in the UK

 

Understanding Basis Period Reform for Self-Assessment Tax in the UK

Are you a sole trader or in a partnership? 

Do you have different accounting dates from the standard 6th of April to the 5th of Apri?

If you answered YES to both questions, some IMPORTANT changes will apply for the tax year 2023-24.

The concept of the basis period determines the time frame used to calculate taxable profits or losses for self-employed individuals, partnerships, and some trusts.  It marks a departure from the traditional “current year” basis, where business profits were taxed based on the accounting period ending within the tax year. Instead, it introduces a “tax year” basis, aligning taxable profits with the UK’s standard tax year, running from 6 April to 5 April. Read more

VAT in the UK: a comprehensive guide including what it is, the different rates, registering, returns, reclaiming it, the different schemes and more.

Navigating the VAT Landscape in the UK: A Comprehensive Guide

VAT in the UK: a comprehensive guide including what it is, the different rates, registering, returns, reclaiming it, the different schemes and more.

Value Added Tax (VAT), a consumption tax levied on most goods and services in the UK, plays a significant role in the nation’s economy. Whether you’re a sole trader, limited company business owner or simply a curious consumer, understanding VAT is crucial for navigating the UK’s tax system effectively. Today’s comprehensive guide explains what it is, the various VAT rates, when you need to be registered for the tax, VAT schemes, and more. Read more

Domestic Reverse Charge for the Construction Sector

The Domestic Reverse Charge (DRC) for the construction sector comes into effect as of 01/03/2021.

What does this mean for you?

If you are VAT registered & you work falls under the Construction Industry Scheme (CIS) then from the 1st of March you will need a written declaration from your contractor that they are classified as an end user.

An end user simply put is the land owner or an intermediary company with a direct link to the land owner.

If they are classified as the end user then nothing changes and VAT will be paid to you to then declare on your VAT returns.

However, if you are not working for the end user, the VAT will not be paid to you and it will be your contractors responsibility to declare the VAT from your invoice to HMRC.

If you are on a flat rate scheme and some or all your work falls under the DRC then we advise you to consider writing to HMRC and cancelling your flat rate scheme for VAT.  If the majority of your work is not for the end user, then most definitely do this immediately or call us and we can advise you.

If you need help understanding the DRC and how it applies to you then please do not hesitate to contact us on 020 8761 8000.

At Taxfile we specialise in the construction sector, calculating and submitting Making Tax Digital (MTD) compliant VAT returns for numerous sole traders and limited companies.  If you are looking for an accountant to manage your MTD VAT returns, then we can help you.

Making Tax Digital for Income Tax Self Assessment (MTDfITSA). Are you ready?

Making tax digital for Income Tax Self Assessment

The Government has now pencilled in what they regard as a firm date to implement MTD for ITSA, for all landlords and business owners that have an income above £10,000.

The next accounting period starting on or after 06/04/2023 that meet the above mentioned criteria will need to be compiled & submitted via MTD-compatible software.

If you are self-employed or a landlord with a turnover greater than £10k, how will MTD affect you?

1.  You will need to submit a quarterly summary of your businesses income & expenses to HMRC using MTD-compliant software.  Yes, you read that correctly.  No longer can you do your tax return in one go, with a lot of our customers leaving it to December or even January before they come to see us.  As your tax agents, we would need your business transactions every 3 months, to compile, compute, and submit through to HMRC.

The timing of the quarterly updates is determined by the accounting period of the business but typically the 4 quarters will be:

  • 6 April to 5 July
  • 6 July to 5 October
  • 6 October to 5 January
  • 6 January to 5 April

2.  All your income and expenses will need to be individually logged electronically.  The technical term used is that every business transaction will have an ‘electronic signature’.  These signatures will then be submitted to HMRC every 3 months and you will receive an estimated tax projection for the year based on the information provided.

3.  At the end of the year, any non-business information, foreign income, other income, etc is added to finalise your tax affairs and submitted using the MTD-compatible software.  This replaces the need for a Self Assessment tax return.  You will then have Read more

Making Tax Digital – A New Time Line

Making Tax Digital (‘MTD’) was announced as the new initiative by HMRC to revolutionise and modernise the tax system in the UK.

MTD centres around keeping digital financial records that can then be accessed by software to calculate and submit taxes through to HMRC. The goal is that there will be direct ‘digital link’ between the financial record and the software used to calculate and submit the records and therefore ensuring an accuracy in the figures being generated.

With initial teething problems, MTD for VAT started back in April 2019, and as a result of various delays around Brexit & COVID-19, it still has not sailed out of its ‘soft-landing’ period.

On 21st July 2020 the Treasury published a 10-year plan to modernize the UK’s tax system which outlines a blueprint for the transition of the UK’s tax system into the digital age.

MTD for VAT

Introduced in April 2019, MTD for VAT had a soft-landing period where the rules for this ‘digital-link’ were relaxed.  Prior to COVID-19, April 2020 was the date stipulated where all digital links were to be in place for submissions.

As a direct consequence of COVID-19, it has been now been stated that as of 1st April 2021, the ‘soft-landing’ period comes to an end and all VAT registered businesses submitting VAT returns will need to ensure they have these digital links in place for their submissions.

Furthermore, from April 2022, MTD for VAT will apply to all VAT registered businesses and not just those that have a turnover greater than the VAT threshold.

MTD for Income Tax

The 10-year plan targets 6th April 2023 for self-employed businesses and unincorporated landlords to begin reporting Read more

Making Tax Digital (MTD) delayed due to Brexit

HMRC delays the rollout of Making Tax Digital (MTD) for businesses & individuals beyond 2021:

Even though MTD for VAT has been rolled out, the wider extension of the MTD scheme for individuals & businesses has been delayed till at least 2021.

The Chancellor’s 2019 Spring Statement mentioned;

“The focus will be on supporting businesses to transition and the government will therefore not be mandating MTD for any new taxes or businesses in 2020.”

MTD for income & corporation tax was scheduled to come into effect from 2020, but as the UK prepares itself for Brexit, HMRC has redirected its focus on the implications of UK’s exit from the EU.

HMRC has said that its digital delivery team and business analysis team are being redeployed to focus on ensuring that a customs solution will be in place should it be required when the UK leaves the EU.

With the current perplexity surrounding Brexit, HMRC has stressed that ‘this does not indicate any expected outcome but is due to the level of work required to deliver any outcome’.