Why it’s high time we made private equity less private October 22, 2015 The alternative finance revolution is making waves. There’s been much talk about how it is challenging the banks. Now its impact on the investment world is starting to gather momentum. Private equity and venture capital were once the preserve of the ultra wealthy. But I believe that it is the right time to shake up [...]
Only £4,327 for HMRC despite Facebook UK’s £105m revenues October 11, 2015 FACEBOOK paid just £4,327 in corporation tax last year – less than the annual cost of travel for some people commuting to London from Brighton each day. The social media giant rewarded its UK staff with an average of £210,000 in pay and bonuses, and spent £35.4m on shares for 362 London employees, bringing the [...]
Four actionable tips for starting up a business in 2015 October 8, 2015 We have put together seven actionable tips for SMEs and people thinking of starting up a new business in 2015. As the Chinese proverb says: ‘the best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The second best time is now.’ With the right business idea, planning, marketing and execution it is [...]
UK firms sceptical of new government consultation on tax rules for non-doms October 6, 2015 Accounting and legal experts have said that they are sceptical of a new government consultation out this week on changes to tax rules for non-domiciles, or “non-doms”. In the Summer Budget, chancellor George Osborne said he would be tightening tax rules for high-earning residents whose also reside outside the UK, including getting rid of [...]
Resurgence in British office market fuels record profits at Knight Frank October 5, 2015 LONDON’S booming office market combined with a recovery in the regions helped estate agent Knight Frank to post record full-year results. The company, which is owned by its partners and has 370 offices across the world, said profit before tax rose by 19 per cent to £162m in the year to 31 March, while turnover [...]
John McDonnell at the Labour Party Conference 2015: Here’s what businesses think September 28, 2015 Newly-appointed John McDonnell made his conference debut as shadow chancellor today – and despite promises of a "stultifyingly boring" speech, it actually turned out to be pretty punchy, with attacks on big business and buy-to-let landlords, as well as a hint that the Bank of England's mandate might be up for discussion. But what did business [...]
British firms owe taxman £2.6bn worth of VAT September 27, 2015 British businesses are behind with VAT payments to HMRC to the tune of £2.6bn, due to clients not paying bills on time, according to research from finance firm LDF. It found one of the biggest causes of late payments to the government is that smaller firms are struggling to collect cash from customers, leaving them [...]
How should taxes be spent? Imagine a world where you decide September 24, 2015 Everyone likes to think they have the best ideas for how taxpayers' money should be spent – but what if you actually did get to decide? Academics at Oxford University, Saïd Business School, Harvard Business School and the University of Pittsburgh are proposing Europe's tax authorities try precisely that. They recommend that when individuals carry [...]
London house prices: Flats in the capital cost 67pc more than in 2005 and are set to keep climbing September 23, 2015 London flat prices have outstripped every other property type in every other region of the UK over the last decade, according to research published by a major mortgage provider this morning. Affordability is set to continue falling as data from HMRC yesterday showed the market was hotting up with 106,480 homes sold during August – [...]
UK cider producers fizz upwards to hit record high as sales near £1bn September 22, 2015 The UK cider industry is enjoying the sweet taste of success, as producers have climbed by 50 per cent in the past five years. Medium and large-scale producers numbered 150 across the country last year, up from 97 in 2010, figures from HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) show, which also show there are also some [...]