Eight London sites raided in peer-to-peer crypto trading bust Legal The City watchdogs, working with HMRC and the Regional Organised Crime Unit, have carried out the first crackdown on illegal crypto trading across multiple London locations. The enforcement targeted eight premises in London suspected of illegal peer-to-peer crypto trading by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). The traders were issued cease-and-desist letters at each site, notifying [...]
FCA crypto U-turn – everything retail investors need to know Partner After banning crypto Exchange-Traded Notes (ETNs) for retail customers in January 2021, the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) reversed its position in October 2025, meaning retail investors can once again purchase exchange-listed crypto instruments, such as ETNs. According to FCA research, conducted in conjunction with YouGov, 91 per cent of UK consumers are aware of cryptoassets. [...]
‘Concerned but not surprised’: Three-quarters of UK landlords and sole traders miss digital tax launch Personal Finance Only a quarter of sole traders and landlord who need to sign up for the UK’s new digital tax system have done so, despite the scheme already having come into effect this month. From 6 April, anyone who earned more than £50,000 in the 2024/25 tax year from property or self-employment income was required to [...]
From Jaffa Cakes to National Insurance: How to fix Britain’s mad tax system – according to the experts April 14, 2026 In its latest report, the OECD scolded the UK for its illogical and growth-impeding tax system. Ali Lyon speaks to five tax experts to work out how to fix it. Potato crisps and their corn chip cousins are – as indulgent savoury snacks go – undeniably similar. They taste alike and are a similar size. [...]
Thousands of taxpayers to miss out on rebate as HMRC still sending cheques April 13, 2026 Thousands of Brits are missing out on collecting their tax rebates after failing to cash in cheques sent to them by HMRC. According to an FOI from the i paper, the department issued 1,746,720 cheques last year, but 178,180 were never cashed. The cheques had a combined value of £144m, meaning taxpayers who failed to [...]
Taxpayers brace for a financial hit after personal allowance rule change April 9, 2026 British taxpayers are bracing for a fresh financial hit as changes to the personal allowance creeps closer. While the personal allowance itself is not changing, remaining frozen at £12,570 until 2031, a subtle change will take effect from the next tax year, as the government places a new lock onto how it is applied, affecting [...]
Alex Gerko’s XTX paid more than £500m in corporation tax in 2025 April 6, 2026 A London algorithmic trading firm run by billionaire Alex Gerko faced a corporation tax bill of more than £500m last year, the firm’s latest accounts show, making the company one of the largest individual contributors to the exchequer. Kings Cross-based XTX Markets was due to pay around £580m in corporation tax for 2025, according to [...]
NS&I under fire for ‘short-changing’ bereavers March 25, 2026 The UK’s state-owned savings giant is facing mounting backlash over its handling bereaved families’ savings. National Savings and Investments (NS&I) – formerly called the Post Office Savings Bank – has faced criticism for leaving families of deceased savers forced to call in lawyers to claw back their rightful cash. The Treasury-backed vehicle, which holds around £250bn [...]
HMRC rejects nearly half of digital tax exemptions March 24, 2026 HMRC has rejected almost half of applications from taxpayers seeking exemption from Making Tax Digital (MTD) for Income Tax. Figures obtained via a Freedom of Information (FoI) request by Saffery show that as of February 2026 more than 1,600 people had applied for exemption on the grounds of “digital exclusion”. Of those, 855 applications were [...]
Small businesses ‘dismayed’ at HMRC plan to tighten tax rules March 23, 2026 Small businesses are “dismayed” at the prospect of tax rules being tightened under new proposals set out by HMRC. The rules, which are subject to a consultation, would require close companies, which are defined as firms controlled by five or fewer individuals, to provide HMRC with details of all transactions between the company and its [...]