Date posted: 9th Feb 2023
NEW VAT PENALTY REGIME
A new, and arguably fairer, system for determining penalties for late returns and late payment of VAT applies to return periods commencing on or after 1 January 2023. The same system will also apply to the returns to be submitted under MTD for income tax, when it eventually starts!
Under the new regime, taxpayers will accumulate points for late submissions, and only after reaching a certain threshold will an automatic penalty be imposed. The threshold will depend on how regularly the taxpayer is required to submit a return. For a typical business submitting VAT returns quarterly an automatic £200 penalty will apply when 4 penalty points are accumulated. The system is designed to penalise persistent defaulters rather than those businesses that have an occasional lapse.
130% SUPER DEDUCTION ENDS SOON
Companies considering the acquisition of new plant and machinery need to be aware that the temporary ‘super-deduction’ of up to 130% for the cost of acquiring new plant ends on 31 March 2023.
Consequently, corporate businesses may wish to bring forward planned expenditure to take advantage of this enhanced tax deduction.
IMPORTANT R&D CHANGES FROM APRIL 2023
The government are committed to a number of important changes to Research & Development (R&D) tax relief from 1 April 2023. It also looks increasing likely that the two existing systems will be merged into a single system in future years and we hope to hear more in the March 2023 Budget.
We already know that there will be a significant reduction in the tax relief available to qualifying SME companies from 1 April 2023, with the current 230% tax relief reducing to just 186%. The effect of this change combined with the reduction in the credit rate will reduce the repayable credit for loss making SMEs from £33.35 per £100 spend to just £18.60. Companies affected should consider the timing of their R&D expenditure.
For non-SME companies the R&D Expenditure Credit (RDEC) is being increased from 13% to 20% as part of the gradual alignment.
There are also important changes to the claims notification procedure from April 2023.
If you have any queries, please give us a call.
