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10/12/2009
The Pre-Budget Report
Chancellor of the Exchequer Alistair Darling delivered this year’s Pre-Budget Report at a time of great uncertainty for the UK economy. While the recession appears to be levelling out, and there are even some tentative signs of recovery, most economists agree that the road ahead will be a rocky one, with rising unemployment and high levels of personal and government debt likely to have a negative impact. The need to reduce the current record levels of government borrowing has hampered the government’s ability to offer standard pre-election giveaways, with several tax rises already on the horizon and increased measures to clamp down on avoidance.
Summary of Key Proposals
VAT – rate will return to 17.5% from 1 January 2010. No further increases announced.
Stamp duty holiday on properties worth up to £175,000 will end on 1 January, with 0% rate continuing to apply only to homes worth under £125,000.
Employers’ and employees’ national insurance to increase by a further 0.5% in 2011 for those earning over £20,000, to raise an extra £3billion.
Restrictions on tax relief on higher earners’ pension contributions from April 2011 will also apply to employer contributions.
Inheritance tax threshold to remain at £325,000.
Bankers to face one-off 50% tax on any bonus paid out over £25,000.
Maximum penalty for offshore tax dodging doubles to 200% of the tax owed.
Corporation tax rise of 1% for small businesses deferred for a further year.
The ‘Time to Pay’ scheme, which gives businesses more time to pay their tax bills, to be extended for ‘as long as it is needed’.
Enterprise Finance Guarantee scheme extended for a further 12 months.
Mortgage Interest Scheme to help homeowners facing repossession extended for another six months.
10% tax on patent income to fund new research in science and technology.
Education or training guarantee for 16 and 17-year-olds, and for under-24s who have been out of work for more than six months, to run for another year.
Pensions up by 2.5%; other benefits to rise by 1.5%.
£160million investment in low-carbon projects and a doubling of investment in ‘carbon capture’ technology.
£200million to improve energy efficiency in homes and completion of ‘smart meter’ programme by 2020.
‘Scrappage’ scheme for inefficient boilers.
50p a month levy on landlines to fund expansion of high-speed broadband.
Setting the Scene
Mr Darling began by stating that there were growing signs that confidence was returning to the global economy, and said he believed the UK economy would resume growth by the end of the year.
However, he said volatile oil prices and the recent problems in Dubai illustrated the fragile nature of the recovery, and said the government would continue to support the economy until the recovery was ‘established’.
He stated that the UK economy will have contracted by 4.75% during 2009 – a far worse figure than the 3.5% anticipated in the last Budget. However, he predicted growth of between 1 and 1.5% next year, and 3.5% in 2011 and 2012 – broadly in line with his previous predictions.
The government borrowing forecast for the 2009/10 financial year was revised slightly, from £175.4billion to £177.6billion, with a similarly high figure of £176billion next year, before beginning to fall back, reducing to £96billion by 2013/14.
The Chancellor gave himself a little more room for manoeuvre by predicting the total cost of taxpayer support to the country’s struggling banks would be around £10billion – less than the £50billion that had previously been earmarked.
Inflation would rise to around 3% early next year, the chancellor said, largely as a result of the reversal of the VAT cut, before falling back to between 1 and 1.5% later in the year.
Public spending would rise by 2.2% in 2010-11, but after that spending will have to be cut, with a fall of 0.8% between 2011-12 and 2014-15.
Mr Darling announced a £12billion programme of savings, including a cap on public sector pension contributions, reducing civil servants’ pay, cutting IT projects and selling off assets.
VAT and Duty
It was confirmed that VAT would revert to 17.5% from 1 January 2010, after just over a year at the reduced rate of 15%.
Contrary to some predictions, there was no indication of further increases in the future.
The duty on bingo will be cut from 22% to 20% at the next Budget, partially reversing a previous rise from 15% to 22%.
Fuel duty will increase by 1p per litre in real terms on 1 April each year from 2010 to 2013. The 20p per litre differential for biofuels will end in 2010-11.
Income Tax
Income tax rates remained unchanged at 20%, 40% and the new rate of 50% from next April.
The threshold for paying tax at 40% will be frozen in 2012-13, potentially drawing more people into paying tax at that rate in the future.
The government’s crackdown on offshore tax dodging is set to continue, with the maximum penalty rising to 200% of the tax due.
In an effort to discourage banks from paying big bonuses, a one-off 50% tax will be charged on any bonuses over £25,000, paid by the banks not the recipients. The proceeds will be invested in job-creation programmes.
National Insurance
National Insurance will rise by a further 0.5% in April 2011, in addition to the 0.5% increase already announced in last year’s PBR.
The threshold at which people begin to pay NI will be raised, so that those earning under £20,000 will not end up worse off.
Business and Enterprise
The government’s ‘time to pay’ scheme, where struggling firms can ask for more time to meet their tax bills will continue for ‘as long as it is needed’, Mr Darling said.
The temporary increase in the threshold for empty property relief will also be extended, so that for 2010-11 empty commercial properties with a rateable value below £18,000 will be exempt from business rates.
In a further piece of good news for hard-pressed firms, the proposed 1% rise in Corporation Tax for small businesses has been deferred, as it was in the previous budget.
A £500million ‘growth fund’ will be created to invest in small businesses, with further details due to be announced at a later date.
The Enterprise Finance Guarantee Scheme, which guarantees bank loans to small businesses, will be extended for a further 12 months, guaranteeing an additional £500million of loans.
A new 10% tax will be introduced on income from patents to fund new research in science and technology, while the previously-announced 50p-per-month levy on landline phone bills to pay for the rollout of high-speed broadband, was confirmed.
Housing and Mortgages
The stamp duty holiday on properties worth up to £175,000, announced in 2008, will end on 1 January, with the 0% rate continuing to app
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A senior accountant at Lincolnshire chartered accountants Nicholsons recently chalked up 40 years with the firm.
Richard Peet joined the company in 1970 as an accounts junior and has remained there ever since, working his way up to his current senior role, where he has developed a particular knowledge of the farming sector.
Having worked on a farm during his school holidays, Richard always had a keen interest in agricultural matters and has developed his expertise during his time at Nicholsons.
He celebrated his milestone with colleagues on Tuesday (July 27), when he was presented with a new bicycle in recognition of his efforts.
Richard, aged 56, is a keen cyclist and rides the three miles to work each day. In his spare time he also enjoys carp angling, walking and spending time with his family.
He said: "I am very happy to have reached 40 years with the firm and am grateful to my colleagues for their good wishes and support."
"I particularly enjoy working with our clients in the farming sector and being able to build up relationships with people over many years is one of the reasons I still enjoy working here today."
Nicholsons senior partner Richard Grayson added: "Richard is a valued member of our team, and I know his knowledge and expertise is particularly appreciated by our farming clients."
"We are delighted that he has reached this milestone with us and thank him for his efforts which have played a big part in Nicholsons' ongoing success."
For more information, contact Jeannine Peta Thornley at Nicholsons on 0845 2766555
Six team members at Lincolnshire chartered accountants Nicholsons have added another string to their bows by passing their certification exams for a leading online software provider.
Xero is an award-winning online accountancy solution which gives Nicholsons instant access to their clients’ vital financial information, allowing them to give targeted financial help and advice and highlight any concerns or problems as they arise.
Richard Hallsworth, Steph Danby, Becky Wells, Becky Betts, Peter Herbert and Simon Hall have all passed a series of tests confirming they are able to use the software correctly and apply it to their clients’ needs.
Richard, a partner at the firm, said: “XERO is an exciting bookkeeping application, not only because it is online and offers a lot of flexibility but because it makes maintaining your books and records simple and easy.
“Over the last nine months we have helped over 50 clients set up and use XERO. The feedback from these clients has been fantastic and we are looking to help even more clients move onto the software over the next 12 months.
“Having six XERO certified advisors will mean we can help even more business owners to liberate their book keeping!”
XERO Business Commercial manager Darren Glanville added: "We are delighted about our partnership with Nicholsons, and the fact that they have passed our stringent certification deserves a special mention."
For more information, contact Jeannine Peta Thornley at Nicholsons on 0845 2766555
Lincolnshire chartered accountants Nicholsons recently treated a group of their clients to a day out in London, mixing investment advice with a tour of some of the city’s main financial sights.
They were invited to the capital by specialist investment company Octopus Investments, who wanted to give a presentation on some of their funds to potential investors. The guests were able to hear more from the Octopus team on their investment philosophy and their views on the current state of the market.
Nicholsons invited eight clients along, as well as taking three members of its own staff, and decided to make a day of it by visiting the Financial Quarter of the City – including the Bank of England Museum, Canary Wharf and Tower 42 (formerly the NatWest tower).
Partner Richard Grayson said: “We had the opportunity to visit Octopus and hear about some of their products, so we took along some clients who we thought may be interested and decided to see a little more of the city while we were there.
“It was an interesting day, and we appreciated the chance to hear the insights of the Octopus team, as well as seeing some of the main financial sights in the capital.”
For more information, contact Jeannine Peta Thornley at Nicholsons on 0845 2766555
The Chancellor, George Osborne, will present his budget speech on Tuesday, 22 June, the government has announced.
The Conservative-Lib Dem coalition had previously pledged that such a budget would take place within 50 days of them gaining power.
Given the need to repair the public finances, it is likely that this Budget will see the introduction of some tax rises, with Capital Gains Tax (CGT) and VAT thought to be likely targets.
The budget is also likely to see the partial scrapping of the employer element of the previous government’s proposed rise in National Insurance, and may also include some movement towards the Lib Dem policy of increasing the income tax threshold to £10,000.
We will keep our clients informed of any further developments.
Lincolnshire-based firm of chartered accountants, Nicholsons, is advising clients to take note of this year’s Budget and the provisions it has made to aid the growth of businesses across the UK.
Alistair Darling dubbed his third Budget, and his last before the general election, as the ‘budget which would set out a route to long term recovery’ for the country’s weakened economy.
A fundamental feature of this plan is a package to increase investment in small and medium sized businesses.
The Chancellor said that although the future is looking a little brighter, the economy is at a crossroads and is still in a ‘period of uncertainty’. However, he also said that he is keen to do all he can to help businesses through this difficult time, with a list of implementations aimed at companies of small and medium stature.
Darling outlined plans to provide £2.5bn in support for small businesses to boost skills and innovation, as well as the doubling of the small firm investment allowance from £50,000 to £100,000.
Part of the programme to help boost innovation in enterprise is a plan for everyone in the UK to have access to broadband internet, with a view to support and encourage digital business development.
The relief on capital gains tax for entrepreneurs will also be doubled, and there will be a one year cut in business rates from October, meaning that some 500,000 companies will benefit from a tax saving.
Darling said that although the UK is slowly heading away from the dark times of the recession, growth cannot be taken for granted. He acknowledged that the Government must play its part in helping businesses to grow and develop, and that access to finance is vital in order for this to be possible. To this end, the Chancellor announced that over the next year he has agreed with RBS and Lloyds banks for them to lend at least £94bn, with a minimum of half going to small to medium sized businesses.
Continuing with the theme of aiding SMEs, Darling also announced plans to create a new investment corporation – UK Finance for Growth – designed to oversee the Government’s £4bn range of support services for businesses. He also promised to increase the number of Government contracts that are given to small-medium sized firms by 15%.
Other points worth noting include the fact that the Inheritance tax threshold will now be frozen for four years, and there is a predicted growth of 1-1.25% for the UK economy in the next year, with a downgraded growth forecast of 3-3.5% for 2011.
Some may also be relieved to learn that there were no planned changes to VAT or income tax announced this time around.
Richard Grayson, senior partner at Nicholsons, said: "Small to medium businesses have faced a tough couple of years, so it is potentially good news that the Government’s focus now seems to be on helping them to grow, with the aim of aiding the economy’s recovery. Some of the planned changes could mean there are some positives ahead for the country’s smaller enterprises. However, the Chancellor also announced a series of moves in the Pre-Budget Report last year which will cost businesses more money when they come into force, in particular the increases in National Insurance contributions. This 'tax on jobs' does not encourage higher levels of employment."
The future shape of the farming industry will be up for discussion at a special seminar being held at Market Rasen Racecourse next month.
'Farming – The Next Five Years' takes place on Tuesday, 2 March, featuring a keynote speech from Tom Vosa, chief economist at Clydesdale Bank, who will give an overview of the global economic outlook, and the prospects for agriculture in the UK.
Presentations will also be given by Mike Perkins, land agent at Perkins George Mawer & Co, Steve Kerby, tax specialist at Nicholsons Chartered Accountants, Jacqui Johnson, a senior associate solicitor at Bridge McFarland, and Mark Warburton, a specialist corporate lawyer at the same firm.
Matters up for discussion are set to include expansion opportunities, succession planning, tax issues, understanding accounts, grants and legal issues.
Steve Kerby said: "The past few years have been difficult for the farming industry, but there are still opportunities out there and deals to be done."
"This event is designed to help those in the sector to make the most of their business by, for example, ensuring they claim the grants they are entitled to and do not pay any more tax than necessary."
The free event begins with refreshments at 9am, with a buffet lunch following the presentations at 1pm. For more information, or to book a place, contact Jeannine Thornley on 0845 276 6555, or email her at jeannine.thornley@nicholsonsca.co.uk.