New vaping tax now in force
08/10/2026
A new excise duty on vaping products came into force on 1 October 2026. Vaping Products Duty (VPD) applies to vaping liquids manufactured in, or imported into, the UK, whether or not they contain nicotine.
The duty is charged at £2.20 per 10ml of vaping liquid. It is paid by manufacturers, importers and certain wholesalers, although
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HMRC targets undeclared medical consultancy income
08/10/2026
HMRC is writing to individuals it believes may have failed to declare consultancy income from private healthcare providers on their self-assessment tax returns. The letters follow information received from private healthcare providers and form part of an HMRC campaign specifically targeting the medical sector.
The letter asks recipients
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Capital allowances restricted for project development costs
08/10/2026
The tax treatment of predevelopment costs has been the subject of a recent Supreme Court decision. This is likely to mean that capital allowances will be restricted for some predevelopment costs. The government has consulted on the impact of the decision and whether the current rules could affect investment decisions.
Predevelopment
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Reporting property gains
08/10/2026
Anyone selling a UK residential property usually needs to report the disposal to HMRC within 60 days of completion. The requirement applies even where the individual is not normally required to report Capital Gains Tax (CGT) through a tax return.
Any CGT due must normally be paid within the same 60-day period. Payment can be made online
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New customs system for Northern Ireland trade
08/10/2026
Businesses using the Trader Support Service (TSS) to move goods between Great Britain and Northern Ireland need to prepare for a new platform launching soon. From 20 October 2026, all goods movements must be submitted using the new TSS platform.
Businesses are being asked to pre-enrol before the switchover. From 1 October, existing TSS
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Corporation tax receipts pass £100 billion
08/10/2026
HMRC’s latest Corporation Tax statistics show that receipts from corporate taxes passed £100 billion for the first time in 2025-26.
The main statistics are as follows:
Total receipts from all corporate taxes were £100.4 billion in 2025-26, an increase of £3.5 billion (4%) compared with the previous year. The total includes Corporation
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Flat fees and part-time workers: why "sole cause" no longer protects employers
06/10/2026
A part-time private hire driver challenged a flat weekly fee his company charged for access to its booking and dispatch system. Because the fee did not vary with hours worked, part-timers paid far more per hour than full-timers for the same service. He claimed less favourable treatment because of his part-time status. The Employment
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New digital rules for tracking waste
05/10/2026
A new system for recording waste movements came into operation on 1 October 2026.
The first phase of mandatory digital waste tracking applies to permitted or licensed sites receiving controlled waste in England and Wales.
Affected organisations must record details of every load they receive through the Government’s new digital service.
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Are grid delays holding back investment?
05/10/2026
A business may have the finance, premises and customers for an expansion project, yet still face another obstacle: obtaining enough electricity.
The Government has announced Great British Grid, a new publicly owned organisation intended to help accelerate investment in Britain’s electricity network.
The issue is becoming increasingly
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Company distribution rules and share buybacks
01/10/2026
HMRC has been consulting on proposals to modernise the tax rules governing distributions and repayments of capital from companies. The consultation was published on 23 June 2026 and closed on 14 September 2026.
The proposals look at the treatment of ‘new consideration’ and ‘repayments of capital’, distributions from non-UK companies and
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Share scheme returns - penalties are now being issued
01/10/2026
Employers operating employee share schemes may now be receiving penalties from HMRC for failing to submit their employment related securities (ERS) end of year returns on time.
ERS schemes are used to provide employees with shares, options and other securities as rewards or incentives. Employers must submit an annual ERS return for every
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Need proof of UK tax residence?
01/10/2026
HMRC has updated its guidance on how individuals and organisations can apply for a certificate of residence or letter of confirmation to prove UK tax residence.
A certificate of residence can be used to claim tax relief in another country where UK residents pay tax on foreign income. It confirms to the overseas tax authority that the
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Voluntary National Insurance contributions could be reformed
01/10/2026
The government is considering changes to the voluntary National Insurance contributions (NICs) system following a call for evidence published earlier this year.
Voluntary NICs allow individuals to fill gaps in their National Insurance record where they have not built up a qualifying year through compulsory contributions or National
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Corporation Tax when you sell business assets
01/10/2026
A limited company usually pays Corporation Tax on the profit, known as a chargeable gain, when it sells or otherwise disposes of a business asset.
Business assets can include land and property, equipment & machinery and shares. The rules also apply to most unincorporated associations and foreign companies with a UK branch or office.
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HMRC publishes latest deliberate tax defaulters list
01/10/2026
HMRC has published an updated list of deliberate tax defaulters. The list includes individuals, businesses and companies, detailing the amounts on which penalties are due and the exact penalties charged.
The details of a tax defaulter will be held on HMRC’s website for a maximum of 12 months from the date they are first published and are
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Ready for the October employment law changes?
28/09/2026
Several employment law changes are approaching that businesses need to understand. The first arrives on 1 October 2026, when the normal period in which an employee can bring a claim to an Employment Tribunal increases from three months to six months.
The change has a practical consequence for employers. Employment records relating to
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Could better workplace health reduce staff losses?
28/09/2026
When an employee develops a health problem, the consequences can extend far beyond a few days of absence. The Government published an update to its Keep Britain Working programme on 23 September, setting out plans for what it describes as Britain’s first Workplace Health System.
The scale of the problem is substantial. Around 300,000
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HMRC sending 1.8m Simple Assessment letters
24/09/2026
Some taxpayers have already started to receive Simple Assessment letters from HMRC for the 2025-26 tax year, with a further tranche due to be sent between October and December 2026.
Simple Assessment is used where HMRC cannot collect income tax through PAYE or self-assessment. The PA302 letter sets out HMRC’s calculation of the tax due,
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