Welcome to the Christmas 2024 Newsletter from Walsh & Co

The number of taxpayers finding themselves caught in the 60% 'tax trap' rose by 45% in the past two years, according to a Freedom of Information (FOI) request.  


Number of taxpayers caught in 60% 'tax trap' rises

The number of individuals caught in the 60% 'tax trap' has risen by 45% in two years, a FOI request has revealed.

In 2023/24, 634,000 taxpayers were predicted to be caught in the 60% tax bracket, which was up by 45% from 2021/22's figure of 436,000.

The 'tax trap' takes effect when a worker earns more than £100,000 - at this point, an individual's personal allowance (which is currently frozen at £12,570) starts to taper away. The personal allowance has been frozen at this figure since April 2021 and the freeze is set to be maintained until 2028.

The number of taxpayers estimated to lose all of their personal allowance is set to surpass one million by 2027/28.

A spokesperson for the Treasury said: 'We are committed to keeping taxes low for working people, which is why we protected payslips from tax rises and are not extending the freeze on personal tax thresholds past 2027/28.'


ESSENTIAL TAX DATES FOR JANUARY

1 January
Due date for payment of corporation tax for period ended 31 March 2024.

14 January    
Due date for income tax for the CT61 quarter to 31 December 2024.

19 January      
PAYE, Student loan and CIS deductions are due for the month to 5 January 2025.
PAYE quarterly payments are due for small employers for the pay periods 6 October 2024 to 5 January 2025.

31 January      
Deadline for submitting your 2023/24 self assessment return (£100 automatic penalty if your return is late) and the balance of your 2023/24 liability together with the first payment on account for 2024/25 are also due.
Capital gains tax payment for 2023/24.
Balancing payment – 2023/24 income tax and Class 4 NICs.


QUOTE OF THE MONTH

'We were pleased that additional funds have been promised by the government at the Budget - we now need to see this plague of potholes being fixed rapidly and efficiently, resulting in a major improvement in our roads.'

Tina McKenzie, Policy Chair at the Federation of Small Businesses, commenting on small firms having to count the cost of pothole damage to company vehicles.  


ON OUR WEBSITE

A wealth of resources for businesses
With topics ranging from the Bribery Act 2010 to the National Minimum Wage and the National Living Wage, the Your Business section of our site is a hub of essential information.

Useful information for individuals
For a comprehensive bank of guides covering Venture Capital Trusts, the dividend nil-rate and much more, please visit the Your Money area of our website.


IN THE NEWS

Public funds fraud cost taxpayers £81 billion
Fraud and error in public funds cost the taxpayer up to £81 billion last year, according to the latest data from the National Audit Office (NAO).
Click here for the full story

No tax changes for online sellers
People selling unwanted items online can continue to do so without any new tax obligations, HMRC has confirmed.
Click here for the full story

Interest rates 'set to be higher for longer'
The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) has warned that interest rates will be higher for longer due to the recent Autumn Budget.
Click here for the full story

Cyber-attacks cost UK businesses £44 billion in last five years
Over half of UK businesses have experienced at least one cyber-attack in the past five years, suffering combined lost revenue of £44 billion as a result, according to insurance broker Howden.
Click here for the full story

Optimism amongst business leaders 'approaching Covid lows'
A survey carried out by the Institute of Directors (IoD) has found that business leader confidence in the UK economy fell from -52 in October to -65 in November 2024, bringing optimism close to its record low in April 2020.
Click here for the full story


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