There are significant changes from 6 April 2017 for workers in the public sector supplying their services via their own personal service companies or other intermediaries.

From 6 April 2017 the public sector employer or agency that engages the worker will have to review the employment status of the worker and decide whether or not to deduct tax and national insurance from payments to the worker even though he or she invoices for the services through their own company. An online tool called “The Employment Status Service” has been made available by HMRC and can help them make that decision. The tool can be used if the worker uses either an employment agency, or other third-party to get work.

These changes come on top of the restrictions on the tax deductibility of travelling expenses for IR35 workers that came into effect on 6 April 2016. Please contact us if you want to discuss whether or not these rules affect you or your organisation.

During the March budget the Chancellor announced measures to limit the rise in tax-driven incorporation. The £5,000 tax free dividend allowance introduced by George Osborne will now be reduced to just £2,000 from 6 April 2018. Mr Hammond claimed that many smaller owner-managed businesses have incorporated as limited companies mainly for tax reasons. Typically the director/shareholders of such businesses have paid themselves in dividends and paid less tax than similar unincorporated businesses.

Currently, once the dividend allowance has been used the remaining dividends are taxed at 7.5%, 32.5% and then 38.1% depending upon whether the dividends fall into the basic rate band, higher rate band or the additional rate. There are rumours that these dividend rates may also be increased in future years.

Although the cut in the tax-free dividend allowance is clearly aimed at owner managed companies, it will also impact on those with substantial share portfolios. Mr Hammond reminded us in his speech that the annual ISA investment limit increases to £20,000 from 6 April 2017 and that dividends on shares held within an ISA continue to be tax free.

Now that the 2017 finance act has been published we are happy to confirm the tax rates, bands and allowances to be used for individuals, for the current tax year ended 5 April 2018.

The personal allowance has been increased to £11,500 but as in previous years, the allowance is reduced by £1 for every £2 by which income exceeds £100,000 i.e. those with income of £123,000 or more will loose theirs. The marriage allowance, which allows people to transfer 10% of their personal allowance to their spouse/civil partner as long as the recipient is not a higher or additional rate taxpayer, is therefore £1,150. Claiming the marriage allowance is worthwhile where not to would mean personal allowance is wasted. The allowance give a total £230 saving for the one benefiting.

The married couples allowance (which is not the same thing as the marriage allowance) is available to married couples and civil partners where one or both were born before 6 April 1935. The allowance is set at £8,445, but reduced by £1 for every £2 by which income exceeds £28,000 until it reaches £3,260.

The tax-free savings allowance remains at £1,000 for basic rate taxpayers and at £500 for higher rate taxpayers. Those paying tax at the additional rate do not receive a savings allowance.

The new rules for the taxation of dividends (from April 2016) saw all taxpayers being entitled to a dividend allowance regardless of the rate at which they pay tax. This allowance is unchanged at £5,000, however we now know the plan is to reduce it to £2,000 from 6 April 2018.

Moving on to tax rates & bands for 2017/18 it is worth noting that basic rate income tax remains at 20%, higher rate at 40% and the additional rate is still 45%. For the UK (but excluding Scotland) the basic rate band is set at £33,500 and the additional rate of tax applies to taxable income exceeding £150,000.

Finally dividends in excess of the dividend allowance (above) are still taxed at 7.5% where they fall within the basic rate band, 32.5% at higher rate and 38.1% if within the additional rate band.

Capital gains tax

It is good news all around for CGT with the annual exempt amount increasing to £11,300 for the tax year ended 5 April 2018. In addition to this the new favourable tax rates remain unchanged at 10% to the extent that total income and gains do not exceed the basic rate band, and 20% where total income and gains exceed the basic rate band. Unfortunately the higher rates of 18% and 28% respectively which apply to gains on residential property remain unchanged also.

If you need advice in this area then we are here to help.