Self-employed workers could be offered new options for parental leave March 8, 2017 Self-employed workers could be offered new options for parental leave under plans due to face consultation later this year. The government will this summer explore whether plans for the self-employed to pay higher National Insurance contributions should allow for state-funded paternal and maternal leave for new parents. Chancellor Philip Hammond announced the consultation today, citing in [...]
Following a furious reaction to the National Insurance hike, was the Budget bad news for entrepreneurs? March 8, 2017 Chris Bryce, chief executive of the Association of Independent Professionals and the Self Employed, says Yes. The chancellor heralded the UK’s economic strength and “record employment”, but then proceeded to hit the very people responsible for delivering this. No matter which way you choose to work, the self-employed now face a potentially hefty tax bill. [...]
Manchester United boss Jose Mourinho criticises Rostov pitch and accuses Uefa of dismissing his complaints March 8, 2017 Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho has accused European officials of making light of his concerns over the state of the pitch for their match against Rostov on Thursday. Mourinho criticised the patchy surface at the Olimp-2 stadium after arriving in Russia on Wednesday, insisting that it was not fit to stage the Europa League last [...]
Budget 2017: Four things pensions experts have had to say about the Budget March 8, 2017 Former chancellor George Osborne will be remembered for monkeying around with pensions, in particular for ushering in pensions freedoms that were announced in 2014 implemented the following year. Philip Hammond didn't do too much on pensions in his Autumn Statement in November. So what was he up to today? 1 – Quiet day Beancounters EY [...]
Budget 2017: Winners and losers of Philip Hammond’s Spring Budget March 8, 2017 Today, chancellor Philip Hammond delivered his first (and last) Spring Budget. Here are the day's winners and losers. Read more: Budget 2017: Philip Hammond's speech in full Winners Tech got quite the showing in Hammond's Budget. The chancellor pledged millions of pounds of fresh funding for disruptive new technologies like robotics, electric cars and biotech along with plans to [...]
Budget 2017: NS&I saving bond disappoints those looking for a decent return March 8, 2017 Savers on the hunt for a better rate of return may not be jumping for joy, after chancellor Philip Hammond failed to impress them with the launch of a National Savings & Investment (NS&I) three year bond that pays a 2.2 per cent return. Labelling it a "welcome break for hard-pressed savers" in today's budget, Hammond [...]
Budget 2017: Philip Hammond’s national insurance hike prompts accusations Tories reneged on manifesto pledge March 8, 2017 Philip Hammond unleashed a set of measures aimed at closing the gap between the employed and the self-employed in today's Budget. The chancellor said he would raise the main rate of class 4 national insurance contributions (NICs) for the self-employed by one per cent to 10 per cent from April next year, with a further [...]
Budget 2017: Tax hike for self-employed as class 4 NICS changes announced by Chancellor Philip Hammond March 8, 2017 Self-employed workers across the UK are facing a tax hike, after Philip Hammond announced he will do away with lower national insurance payments for freelancers. From April 2018, the main rate of class 4 national insurance contributions for the self-employed will increase by one per cent to 10 per cent, with a further one per cent [...]
Budget 2017: The tax-free dividend allowance has been cut from £5,000 to £2,000 – this is what it means for you March 8, 2017 Chancellor Philip Hammond announced today that the tax free dividend allowance is being cut from £5,000 to £2,000. Hammond said he was taking action to reduce the tax differential between the self-employed and employed – but what does it mean for the UK? Lower "salaries" Many self-employed people provide their services through companies, paying themselves dividends [...]
Budget 2017: No further increases in insurance premium tax scheduled, though rise in June will go ahead March 8, 2017 Insurance premium tax will rise from 10 to 12 per cent in June, as previously announced in the Autumn Statement, but chancellor Philip Hammond broke the trend of successive hikes with no further increases announced in today's budget. Three successive hikes in IPT have taken the rate levied on insurance products from six per cent [...]