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Class 2 NIC refunds made in error – Action to take

Class 2 NIC refunds made in error

Class 2 National Insurance contributions are flat-rate contributions which for 2023/24 and earlier tax years are payable by the self-employed where their profits exceed the relevant trigger threshold. For 2023/24 and 2022/23, the liability to pay Class 2 contributions arose where profits exceeded the lower profits threshold (set at £12,570 for 2023/24). For those years, … Read more

Setting up as a sole trader

The way in which you operate your business determines the taxes that you pay and also your reporting obligations. If you work for yourself and run your business on your own as an individual other than through a limited company, you are a sole trader. By contrast, if you operate your business through a personal … Read more

Small earnings from self-employment – Tax and National Insurance implications

self-employment and small earnings

Many people earn small amounts of money from self-employment, often as a side hustle. For example, this may be from craft or baking activities, tuition, or the provision of services, such as babysitting. If you earn money in this way, it is important to understand the associated tax and National Insurance implications. Tax consequences A … Read more

Training costs and the self-employed

Training costs and the self-employed

A sole trader or proprietor of an unincorporated business may incur training costs. The tax treatment of those costs depends on whether the costs are regarded as ‘revenue’ or ‘capital’ expenditure. HMRC have revised their guidance in this area, expanding the range of training for which a deduction is available. Old rules Previously, HMRC only … Read more

Should I pay Class 2 NIC voluntarily?

Should I pay class 2 NIC voluntarily

Entitlement to the state pension and certain contributory benefits depends on an individual having paid, or been credited with, sufficient National Insurance contributions. To qualify for the full single-tier state pension, an individual needs 35 qualifying years. A reduced state pension is paid where a person has less than 35 qualifying years, but at least … Read more

Changes to National Insurance for the self-employed

Increase in Class 2 NICs and impact on self-employed

If their profits are high enough, the self-employed pay two classes of National Insurance contribution – Class 2 and Class 4. Class 2 contributions are flat rate contributions of £3.15 per week for 2022/23. It is the payment of Class 2 contributions that enables a self-employed earner to build up entitlement to the state pension … Read more

National Insurance changes from July 2022

National Insurance

Although the National Insurance rates and thresholds for 2022/23 had already been set, at the time of the Spring Statement in March 2022, the Chancellor announced increases in the primary threshold which would align the starting point for National Insurance with the personal allowance from 6 July 2022. However, as the increase does not take … Read more

Limited time penalty waivers for your 2020/21 tax return

penalty waivers for 2020/21 tax returns

Didn’t manage to file your tax return by the deadline of the 31st of January?  Don’t panic! To help taxpayers and advisers affected by the surge in Covid-19 cases as a result of the Omicron variant, penalty waivers will apply for a limited time where the 2021/22 tax return is filed late or where tax … Read more

Struggling to pay tax – What should you do?

struggling to pay tax

The January self-assessment payment deadline is not well timed, falling as it does in a month when people may be already struggling to pay their Christmas credit card bills. However unpalatable the 31 January tax deadline is, it is not one that should be ignored. Taxpayers who are within self-assessment will need to pay any … Read more