Category: Finance

Mar 21

Inheritance tax receipts surge to £7 billion in just ten months, says HMRC

HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) has revealed that inheritance tax (IHT) receipts reached £7 billion between April 2024 and January 2025—£700 million more than during the same period last year—putting the government on track for another record-breaking year for IHT revenue. With £7.499 billion collected in the 2023–24 tax year, the latest figures suggest this […]
Mar 20

Rise in pre-nup and post-nup agreements for farming families following budget reforms

Specialist agricultural lawyers at Clarke Willmott LLP have reported a surge in enquiries about pre-nuptial and post-nuptial agreements from farming families, following recent government changes to inheritance tax on farm assets. With succession planning now a pressing concern, private client and family law specialists are seeing increased demand for legal advice to safeguard farming assets, […]
Mar 19

HMRC accused of misusing powers to “correct” R&D tax relief claims

HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) has significantly increased the number of Research and Development (R&D) tax relief claims it has “corrected” using controversial powers, sparking concerns that the tax authority is bypassing due process. New data obtained by accountancy firm Price Bailey through a Freedom of Information request reveals that HMRC’s Fraud Investigation Service (FIS) […]
Mar 13

UK SMEs eye £4bn NI savings despite looming tax hike

Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are bracing for a significant rise in National Insurance (NI) contributions after last year’s Autumn Budget, in which Chancellor Rachel Reeves announced higher employer NI rates and a lower threshold from 2025/26. Although the Treasury expects to raise £25 billion annually to help plug a public finances deficit, concerns are […]
Mar 12

Royal Bank of Canada cuts prime rate to 4.95%, following Bank of Canada’s lead

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Feb 28

Ottawa posts $21.7 billion deficit for April-to-December period

Article content The result compared with a deficit of $23.6 billion for the same period a year earlier. According to the Finance Department’s monthly fiscal monitor, revenue for the nine-month period totalled $355.6 billion, up from nearly $318.1 billion a year earlier, boosted by gains in all categories. Program expenses excluding net actuarial losses amounted […]