BRave Business and The Tax Factor

Accountants are lucky people getting two ‘New Years’ to celebrate: the real one and the tax one. This week on the Tax Factor, Nimesh Shah and Heather Self are looking back at the 23/24 tax year, what’s coming up for 24/25, and they also share their new tax year resolutions.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week CEO Nimesh Shah is joined by Corporate Tax Partner Neil Insull as they look at the monthly tax stats, particularly the Government's major increase in tax receipts this year. Revisiting the Spring Budget, they question if the changes to Multiple Dwellings Relief were really thought through, and Neil takes a look at the first manifesto ahead of the General Election from The Reform Party, who have some interesting ideas.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week Matt Crawford and Ele Theochari look at a recent High Income Child Benefit charge win for the taxpayer, the effect of a crackdown in the R&D tax industry, and changes to minimum wage and sick pay. They also talk about HMRC announcing it was to close its phonelines on the 19 March only to change its mind less than 24 hours later.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week Rob Goodley and Rehanna Earle look at the fallout from the Spring Budget and wonder if the Government really wants to make the non-dom changes or just leave a bit of a mess for a new Government to fix. HMRC have launched a consultation to attempt to clamp down on rogue tax advisors, whilst it's been announced that the Government Gateway website is being replaced (but it’s going to be three years until we see it). Finally, they look at the HMRC consultation on global transparency rules, meaning crypto platforms will have to share client data directly with HMRC, making it much harder to avoid Capital Gains Tax.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There’s only one topic of conversation in this week’s Tax Factor: The Budget. Nimesh and Heather discuss all things property, Non-Doms and Child benefit. Is all the evidence pointing to an Autumn election?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week Heather Self, Melissa Thomas and Nimesh Shah look ahead to the Budget, discussing electric cars, fuel duty and proposals to remove VAT on loo roll. Heather also has a grumble about the High-Income Child Benefit charge and trying to guess when Rishi Sunak might call an election (and whether he’ll go off to California afterwards)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on The Tax Factor, Roger Holman and Robert Salter talk about politician’s tax returns and attempt to get to the truth behind media comments. They also look at employment challenges and share a warning about phishing scams pretending to be from HMRC.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode we take a look at the challenges of moving goods internationally. How have things changed post-Brexit, what is the new Border Operating Model and what impact will new and proposed trade agreements have on the supply of different types of products to the UK. Joining Declan in the studio are Blick Rothenberg’s Customs Duty Partner Simon Sutcliffe, with our guest Charles Hogg, who is Commercial Director at freight forwarder and customs broker Unsworth.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week, Matt Crawford and Rob Goodley look at the Prime Minister’s tax returns, which were released last week, and find them more interesting for what they don’t say than what they do. There’s a VAT case querying if a product aimed at gym goers is actually confectionery or not. They also look at updated guidance published regarding upcoming changes to CSOP and EMI schemes, and ongoing service issues with HMRC.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on the Tax Factor, Rehana Earle and Ele Theochari look at how ITV’s implementation of HMRC’s off payroll working rules has caused a stir with some of its stars. They also look at a recent fraud case involving dividend payments called Cum-Ex fraud (sometimes called dividend stripping) and how HMRC is set to be given more powers to deal with tax avoidance scheme promoters.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week it’s a Pensions Special, with Blick Rothenberg CEO Nimesh Shah joined by Pensions specialist Martin Reynard. In this episode they cover all things pensions, including over payment of tax when taking money out of pensions and what the differences are between saving in an ISA versus a pension.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode we take a look at the key considerations for expanding your UK business to the US. What expansion options are available to you, which kind of businesses tend to succeed, and what are some of the common challenges UK businesses face? Joining Declan for the conversation are Blick Rothenberg’s US UK Private Client Partner Michael Holland and our guest Brad Doline, Of Counsel at law firm Wilson Sonsini.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on The Tax Factor Matt Crawford and Ele Theochari are talking about the importance of record keeping after a recent tribunal highlighted that the burden of truth can be on the Taxpayer. They also discuss issues with the payrolling of benefits in kind and the debate over when a poppadom is actually a crisp.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The deadline for Self-Assessment Tax returns is fast approaching, so this week sees Nimesh Shah and Matt Crawford in a special edition of The Tax Factor. They’ll be looking at some top tips for preparing your tax return as well as the future of Self-Assessment.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In the first episode of 2024, Heather Self and Roger Holman discuss some of the tax implications from the Post Office scandal, the recent reporting changes to online platforms that have got some sellers concerned, and the tax bill for Darts World champion runner-up Luke Littler. They also ask: is anything really going to happen with Inheritance Tax?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this week’s episode – which is not only our Christmas special but also the last episode of 2023 - Nimesh and Heather look back over the year in tax.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week Blick Rothenberg Partners Rehana Earle and Ele Theochari look at why HMRC is taking an interest in your online selling, the perils of relying on AI for caselaw in court, and the double tax treaty between the UK and San Marino having finally entered into force... …as well as the continuing efforts of HMRC to not deal with customers on the phone!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode we to look at some of the challenges and opportunities faced by entrepreneurs in the rapidly evolving technology sector. What Government support is available for tech Start-ups and what's involved in selling your tech business to a private equity firm. Joining Declan to discuss this and share their stories are Blick Rothenberg Partner Susie Mullin, and our guest Parry Malm, founder of AI content platform Phrasee.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week Blick Rothenberg CEO Nimesh Shah is joined by Tax Partner Roger Holman as they discuss a recent case involving TV Journalist Kaye Adams and HRMC and, with some quick calculations, wonder if IR35 is past its sell by date. They also look at defunct energy supplier Bulb which has incurred a rather large bill for incorrectly applying VAT to a customer referral scheme, how getting through to HMRC on the phones doesn’t seem to be getting better, and Nimesh warns fellow executives about the cost of their Christmas parties and how they might become taxable benefits.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week Heather Self is joined by Property expert and SDLT Partner Sean Randall. With ‘SDLT’ celebrating its 20th birthday this week, Sean and Heather look at its history, teenage years and future. Heather also discusses a recent Supreme Court judgment in which the ruling referenced the adultery of Queen Caroline in 1820!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week it’s no surprise that we focus on the Chancellor’s Autumn Budget Statement. Nimesh Shah and Heather Self look at the detail of the Budget and give their views on the decisions and actions the Chancellor took, as well as the ones he didn’t. Heather describes the Budget as “pre-election”, while Nimesh thought the statement was a little bit vanilla. Where was the Inheritance Tax reform and where were the changes to VAT thresholds?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on the Tax Factor, Heather Self is joined by Global Mobility Partner Alan Tam as they look at some of the Chancellor’s options a week away from the Autumn Budget. With record tax receipts and inflation falling to meet the Government’s pledge, might the Chancellor be able to be more generous next week? There’s also a roundup of the latest tax cases including a fraud case concerning the ‘Eat out to help out’ and ‘Coronavirus Job Retention’ schemes as well as Apple’s tax affairs in Ireland. And as WeWork files for bankruptcy in the US, Alan highlights the importance of having those working remotely correctly managed.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week the Tax Factor is presented by Partners Rob Goodley and Matt Crawford. While the ‘one to many’ letters sent by HMRC can seem speculative, Rob and Matt warn that they should not be ignored. They then look at a Court of Appeal case that HMRC have lost three times, but HMRC believes is a point of principal on tax avoidance – will they go for a fourth appeal and, if not, what does this mean for their approach? Finally, they look forward to ‘Silly Season’, the period before the Budget, when rumours, speculation and gossip abound about what may, or may not be in the Autumn Statement.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week Blick Rothenberg CEO Nimesh Shah is in the host’s chair talking with Tax Director Robert Salter. In today’s episode they look at the latest ruling in a Child Benefit tribunal ruling, HMRC’s recent activities in Indonesia which resulted in a tax fraudster being caught, and how IR35 is really due a review. Nimesh and Robert also look at the state of the Government coffers; as annual tax receipts have now exceeded over 800 Billion pounds, might this give the Chancellor some options in the Autumn statement?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode we look at some of the barriers faced by black entrepreneurs and how they overcome them. We’ll also take a look at unconscious bias, and the importance of representation and diversity in the business world. Joining Declan Curry to discuss this weighty issue and share their stories are Blick Rothenberg Partner Ed Rieu, and our guests Bola Yusuff, founder of International Tax Search, and Kojo Marfo, founder of My Runway Group.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week Heather is joined again by Tax Director Robert Salter as they try to unravel when a biscuit is subject to VAT or not (apparently it’s all down to where the chocolate is!) Heather and Robert also take an early look at the possible consequences of the Supreme court ruling on HMRC v Vermilion Holdings Ltd and the potential far-reaching consequences on employment related securities.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on The Tax Factor Blick Rothenberg CEO Nimesh Shah is joined by Global Mobility enthusiast and Blick Rothenberg Partner Rehana Earle. They discuss Liz Truss, and Trussonomics, with the announcement that she is to publish her own “Growth Budget” in November just a week before the actual Budget and a pet topic of the Tax factor the High-Income Child Benefit Charge although not a pet we are fond of!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Partner Rob Goodley joins Heather this week as they review the Labour Party Conference and ask if we learned anything new about their tax policy and strategy approaching the next election. There’s been a lot of coverage in social media of an aggressive landlord tax scheme which HMRC have issued a spotlight note on – Heather suggests if something sounds too good, be cautious.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week Heather is joined by Tax Director Robert Salter. While the Chancellor says there’s no room for tax cuts at the moment, fiscal drag is creating bumper takes for HMRC. Might we see some kind of tax cuts before the next General Election? They also look at Labour’s plans for VAT on Private Schooling and discuss potential unexpected consequences of what might qualify as ‘private education’. The Prime Minister also discussed tax free bonuses for Teachers in his speech which Heather describes as unnecessary tinkering with the tax system.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on the Tax Factor Heather Self is joined by Blick Rothenberg CEO Nimesh Shah. The hot topic this week is Inheritance Tax, with the media reporting that it is potentially going to be abolished by Rishi Sunak. Both Heather and Nimesh unsurprisingly have their own views on whether that should happen and what it would mean. They then review the recent Bluecrest Tax Tribunal Upper Tier ruling and finally lament that, along with many other individuals and businesses, it looks like tax advisors will be spending longer enjoying the HMRC hold music this coming winter.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Blick Rothenberg CEO Nimesh Shah is joined this week by Tax Investigations and Employment Taxes Specialist Partner Matt Crawford. One year on they look back at the Mini-Budget and the following reversals of....pretty much everything, but were some of those policies, on reflection, actually good ideas? Another property tax case has caught our attention with HMRC disagreeing with a tax payer over a property being classified as ‘derelict’ costing the tax payer over £12k. Matt and Nimesh then look at a couple of Tax Tribunal cases which hinge on whether the Tax Payer had taken reasonable care in the advice sought.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week Private Client Partner Neil Lancaster joins Heather as they discuss the future options for managing state pension increases. Neil also highlights the potential bigger elephant in the room – how are pensions going to be paid for in the long term? They also review recent cases involving the Child Benefit charge which was intended to be a simple pay out for low earning families but can be a trap for anyone filing a personal tax return, and then look at Covid Grant Schemes and wonder if enough is being done to identify and recover fraudulent awards as the recovery rates appear to be very low.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Heather is joined again this week by Blick Rothenberg CEO Nimesh Shah as they look forward to not so much the “Autumn Statement” as the “Winter Statement” and wonder if the lifetime allowance will be reinstated and the problems that that might cause. They also discuss the reopening of the HMRC phonelines after it’s summer closure and hope people have a better experience trying to get through than pre closure.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

CEO Nimesh Shah joins Heather this week as Labour Shadow Chancellor Rachel Reeves gave some insight into Labour’s future tax plans. They also look at the chill that the freezing of allowances is causing taxpayers and why it’s a popular choice by successive Chancellors and the ongoing headache of VAT inconsistences as tax on pants makes the headlines.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on The Tax Factor Heather is joined by one of the country’s leading experts on Stamp Duty and Property Tax, Blick Rothenberg Partner Sean Randall, so it’s no surprise that we’re talking about property. We’ll take a look at what can go wrong on Stamp Duty, how to make sure you’re not a victim of overzealous selling schemes that don’t work, and how to make sure you get proper advice.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week Nimesh Shah and Rob Goodley discuss the perils of poor Stamp Duty Land Tax adviceSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week, Partner Rob Goodley joins Heather Self to talk about Inheritance Tax. It’s a topic which has recently been in the headlines again as the Conservatives consider its future, but what are the rules and potential pitfalls?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Tax Factor is a new weekly podcast series from Blick Rothenberg. Each week members of our team will be looking at the news and updates in the world of tax and providing analysis of what it might mean for you or your business. We’ll also be looking at some of the longer-term issues and challenges such as Child Allowances, non-dom tax, Inheritance Tax and even HMRC itself. Joining Heather Self for the first episode is Nimesh Shah, CEO of Blick Rothenberg, as they look at the outputs of the Spring Budget's 'Legislation day', the possible implications of the tax on pension pots and the ongoing issues around Child Benefit. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode, Declan has a frank and honest conversation with guests Phil Ives from Bean Partners and Rob Begg, an awareness and alignment coach, on the topic of entrepreneur’s mental health. Both share their own raw, personal experiences, as well as their tips on how other entrepreneurs and owner managers can recognise the warning signs earlier. Blick Rothenberg CEO Nimesh Shah also shares his insights into working with entrepreneurial clients who are struggling with their mental health, particularly when it comes to the difficult decision to exit from or sell a business.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode we take a look at the key considerations for establishing a UK business. What are the challenges for launching a new product or service in the UK and how do you grow and scale a brand? Joining Declan to discuss this topic are Blick Rothenberg’s International Business Senior Manager Melissa Thomas and our guests Angela Crouch from Nectar Sleep and Lisa Robinson from Companiions. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This year marks the 50th year of the UK-China full diplomatic relationship. China is the great economic success story of the last 30 years. It is a huge market for UK businesses in everything from technology to luxury food products. However, it can be a challenging market to enter. As a result, many British entrepreneurs are looking to build relationships with Chinese businesses newly established in the UK as a gateway to China as a market. In this episode we chat about the key opportunities for UK business looking to work with Chinese businesses in the UK, as well as some of the challenges and how can they be avoided. Joining our host Declan Curry in the studio are Blick Rothenberg’s Head of China Desk Winnie Cao and Audit, Assurance & Advisory Director Adam Wildbore. We’re also joined by Senior Advisor on China Strategy Jack Yu from law firm King & Wood Mallesons.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Diversity and Inclusion are topics constantly being discussed across different business sectors, but how do you ensure it’s more than just talk? How can a clear diversity and inclusion strategy help entrepreneurial businesses? And what are the steps that should be taken early on in a business’ growth to ensure D&I is ingrained in their DNA? Joining the discussion from Blick Rothenberg are CEO Nimesh Shah and Head of D&I Angela Cooke. Our guest is Kerry Stares, Partner & Director of Responsible Business and Pro Bono at Charles Russell Speechlys LLP.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hybrid working has been a key outcome for many businesses following the global pandemic, but are you prepared for the four TRAPs? In this episode we discuss the issues businesses are facing, and how to overcome them. Joining in the conversation from Blick Rothenberg is Mark Abbs, partner and head of the Global Mobility team and Alan Tam, Global Mobility Partner. Our guest is Harvey Perkins, director of HRUX - a company which focuses on delivering technology solutions for clients with complex tax and related issues.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In episode 2 of the series, we look at the key drivers of demand across the commercial property sector, what businesses are planning to do with their workspaces, how they can potentially take advantage of tax incentives for office refits, and what the office of the future looks like. Joining in the conversation from Blick Rothenberg is Heather Powell, Head of Property & Construction and Sean Randall, Stamp Duty Partner. Our guest for the episode is James Saunders, Project Management Director at Arcadis, the leading global Design & Consultancy for natural and built assets.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In today’s episode we consider the key considerations for if and when to sell your business, including knowing your population of potential buyers and the number you are willing to sell for, as well as the key tax and legal considerations. And joining me today to discuss all of this is Blick Rothenberg’s Corporate Tax Partner Rob Goodley and our guest Phil Ives from Bean Partners, who is himself a serial entrepreneur.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This is the second of two episodes that focus on the key considerations for an owner-managed business during its life cycle, from start-up through to maturity and finally sale and succession. In part two, we focus on the growth and sale of a business. Joining us for this debate are Blick Rothenberg’s Corporate Tax Partner Rob Goodley and Audit Partner Darsh Shah, with guest David Rai, co-founder of Sparta Global.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This is the first of two episodes that focus on the key considerations for an owner-managed business during its life cycle, from start-up through to maturity and finally sale and succession. In part one, we focus on the start-up and financing phase of a business. Joining us for this debate are Blick Rothenberg’s UK Outsourcing Partner Stephanie Levin and our guest Rob Caplan, co-founder of First Wealth.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

With a UK general election expected in 2024, Corporate Tax Partner Heather Self and Private Client Partner Neil Lancaster share their insights in this bitesize episode of our BRave Business series.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this bitesize episode of our podcast series, Partners Neil Lancaster and Heather Self share their views on the winners and losers of the Chancellor’s 2023 Spring Budget Statement. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode we look at what the impact of the Autumn 2022 Budget Statement might be for owner managed businesses and who the winners and losers were from the Chancellor’s Statement. We also consider what the forecast recession might mean for businesses and what the Government may be planning next for their Summer Statement. Joining the debate are Blick Rothenberg’s CEO Nimesh Shah and Corporate Tax Partner Heather Self. Our guest is financial journalist Simon Gompertz.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.