Alexander Accountancy

`New Homebuilding Skills Hubs New Homebuilding Skills Hubs to try and address UK construction challenges 5,000 additional construction apprenticeship places are to be made available annually as part of a £140 million initiative aimed at addressing workforce shortages and meeting housebuilding targets. Central to this plan is the establishment of 32 new Homebuilding Skills Hubs, which are designed to accelerate training. What will the Homebuilding Skills Hubs offer? The hubs, which will be purpose-built training centres, will aim to provide a fast-track route into key construction trades such as bricklaying, roofing, plastering, scaffolding, and carpentry. These centres will replicate realistic working environments, offering apprentices hands-on experience. Notably, the fast-track apprenticeships available through these hubs can be completed in 12 to 18 months, which is significantly shorter than the traditional 24 to 30 months. This streamlined approach is intended to supply the industry with skilled workers more quickly and hopes to address labour shortages and boost housebuilding efforts. The initiative is a collaborative effort involving the government, the Construction Industry Training Board (CITB), and the National House-Building Council (NHBC). Skills England will also play a key role in identifying areas most in need of construction workers. Government and industry perspectives Housing Minister Matthew Pennycook MP underlined the importance of a skilled workforce for meeting the government’s housebuilding target. He said: ................. Click/tap the link to read more ... https://lnkd.in/eZrWmFSE #homebuildingskillshub #ConstructionSkills #buildingapprenticeships

Self Assessment scams – checklist HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) have issued a reminder to be careful about scam attempts that target people filing Self Assessment tax returns. In the last year, nearly 150,000 scam attempts were referred to HMRC, a 16.7% increase on last year. With the 31 January 2025 filing deadline approaching, fraudsters are likely to step up their activities. HMRC reports that around half of all scam reports in the last year were fake tax rebate claims. Fraudsters are usually aiming to get hold of personal information and banking details. If you receive an email, text or phone call from someone claiming to be from HMRC that asks you for personal information or offers you a tax rebate, there is a useful checklist here that can help you identify a scam. It is helpful to know that HMRC will never ... click/tap the link to read more https://lnkd.in/grf7S-RU #selfassessmenttaxreturn #SelfAssessmentScams #businessadviceburton #accountantsburtonontrent

Business rates reforms continue: What it means for you The government has now published the legislation to deliver the business rates changes announced in the recent Budget. These reforms, set to take effect from the 2026/27 tax year, are designed to create a more balanced system, with notable benefits for smaller retail, hospitality, and leisure (RHL) businesses. Here’s what you need to know and how it might affect your business. Relief for retail, hospitality, and leisure Businesses in the RHL sectors with properties valued below £500,000 will benefit from “two permanently lower business rates multipliers”. This means a reduced tax bill for smaller high-street businesses, which could free up funds for growth, staffing, or other operational priorities. Of course, RHL properties have already been receiving temporary relief to their business rates charges. However, the legislation will make permanent adjustments so this should provide greater stability of RHL businesses to plan. Any relief here is likely to be welcome since high-street businesses are facing tough competition. The BBC ....... Click/tap the link to read more ... https://lnkd.in/edgAzq25 #businessratesreform #businessratesbenefits #businessadviceburton

VOA to improve transparency on business rates valuations with reforms coming The Valuation Office Agency (VOA) has announced plans to share more detailed information on business rates valuations, making the system more transparent for ratepayers across England. Starting in 2026, businesses will have access to tailored information about their properties, and by 2029, they will be able to see specific valuation details and evidence. Carolyn Bartlett, Chief Strategy and Transformation Officer at the VOA, noted that while ratepayers generally desire more transparency, some have concerns about data confidentiality. We’ve balanced the desire for greater transparency from some with the concerns of others about the confidentiality of their data, Bartlett explained. Having more detailed information available may make it easier to detect whether an error has been made on your business property valuation. Business rates reforms coming ...... Click/tap the link to read more ... https://lnkd.in/e2EPsHbh #businessrates #businessratesreform #VOA #valuationofficeagency #businessproperty

Make Work Pay: What are the next steps Since coming into power, the Labour government has made its Make Work Pay plan a centrepiece of their policies. As a result, we have already seen a number of changes being proposed and implemented. This includes the new Employment Rights Bill which is currently making its way through Parliamentary processes. The government’s Make Work Pay policy paper makes interesting reading on what it intends to do. The paper outlines how the UK has seen a productivity slowdown in recent years that is more pronounced than other advanced economies. They attribute much of this to issues with the labour market, both in workers feeling insecure and businesses struggling to find the right staff when they need them. The Plan to Make Work Pay is therefore designed to modernise the UK labour market and address the challenges the economy is facing. Principally the plan aims to make work more flexible, more secure and more family-friendly. This will help to support more people to stay in work. Employment Rights Bill ........ Click/tap the link to read more ... https://lnkd.in/eHb4yS5M #makeworkpay #employmentrightsbills #fairpay #equalityatwork

Help for the high street: New powers for councils Next month, councils across England will be given new powers to transform high streets by tackling long-term empty shops. Starting from 2 December, High Street Rental Auctions (HSRAs) powers will allow local authorities to auction leases for persistently vacant commercial properties, a move that is hoped will bring new businesses and community groups back to once-busy centres. Through HSRAs, councils can take action if a property remains empty for more than 365 days within a two-year period. By auctioning leases for up to five years, this policy aims to prevent disengaged landlords from sitting on empty properties, which contribute to the decline of high streets. Local authorities will need to first try to engage with the landlord to resolve the vacancy before putting a property to rental auction. According to data quoted by the government, one in seven high street shops are currently closed. So, this initiative could provide a helpful boost, creating jobs and driving foot traffic back to town centres. Local Growth Minister Alex Norris emphasised the importance of reviving high streets, saying: “High streets are the beating heart of our communities. But for too long, too many have been neglected, with more and more empty lots and boarded-up shopfronts.” He added that HSRAs put “local communities first, re-energising town centres and driving local opportunities and growth.” Additional support for high street businesses ....... Click the link to find out more - https://lnkd.in/eDfQmqT6 #helpforthehighstreet #emptyshops #newpowersforcouncils

Agricultural and business property relief: What happened in the Budget? Changes to inheritance tax were announced in the Budget that have caused consternation to farmers and business owners across the UK. What exactly is changing and what could this mean for you? What are agricultural and business property relief? Agricultural property relief (APR) is a type of inheritance tax relief that helps reduce the amount of tax that is paid when farmland is being passed down to the next generation. Currently, the relief has no financial limit, meaning regardless of the value of the farmland, it could be passed on with no inheritance tax payable. Business property relief (BPR) is similar but relates to business assets included in a person’s estate. Again, this relief currently applies without any financial limit to the relief. Clearly, both reliefs have played an important role in families being able to pass on agricultural and business assets without having to worry about inheritance tax. What changed in the budget? Click/tap the link to read more https://lnkd.in/eYmQu9G6 #Agriculturalandbusinesspropertyrelief #agricultrualinheritancetax #businesspropertyrelief

Networking for Charities – Thanks You Thank you for attending our recent Networking for Charities Event. It was wonderful to see so many new faces! We hope you all enjoyed yourselves, and more importantly made some great new connections, as well as raising all important funds for some great causes. It would be great to see some more online posts about the NFC event, so please do let people know about our future Networking for Charities Events!! Would you please also share the hashtag #networkingforcharities Please click the link to for more information and pictures of this great event. https://lnkd.in/gr8efWaw #businessnetworkingderby #businessnetworkingburton #networkingforcharities2025events Laverne King Treetops Hospice Children First Derby David Alexander YMCA Derbyshire Else Solicitors LLP #derbycountycommunitytrust

Self-assessment tax returns: Counting down to 31 January HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) have begun reminding taxpayers that time is ticking for getting self-assessment tax returns filed in time for the 31 January 2025 deadline. More than 3.5 million tax returns have already been submitted, however HMRC are anticipating more than 12 million in total needing to be filed by the end of January. So, HMRC are encouraging people to submit their return as early as possible. Filing earlier does have some advantages, such as avoiding a last-minute panic, and knowing how much any tax payment will be in time to be able to budget for it. If you need to complete a self-assessment tax return this year but haven’t completed one before, then you will need to register first before you can sent your tax return. The registration process can take a few days so it is best to start this in good time before the end of January. Click/tap the link to read more - https://lnkd.in/eN3WyaJC #selfassessmenttaxreturns #selfassessment2025 #businessadviceburtonontrent

Join us this Wednesday, November 2oth Networking For Charities – Lunchtime Networking Meeting Networking For Charities At Harrison’s Hub Pride Park Stadium, Derby. 12.00 pm to 2.00 pm on Wednesday, November 20th, 2024 Business Networking Event – Expand Your Network & Grow Your Business While Raising Money For Local Charities. Click/tap the link to find out more https://lnkd.in/eMRxJSaY #businessnetworkingderby #businessnetworkingburton #networkingforcharities