Businesses must prepare for a significant new workplace entitlement where a baby is born on or after 6 April 2025 – neonatal care leave. Currently, 1 in 7 babies in the UK requires neonatal care due to premature birth, low birth weight, or complications. Until now, parents in this situation have had to rely on maternity, […]
A High Court battle is set to determine whether Azzurro Associates, a debt buyer ultimately owned by the hedge fund Elliott Management, has the right to pursue two small business directors for repayment under personal guarantees initially arranged through Funding Circle. The case, closely watched by the alternative lending industry, centres on claims that potential […]
The new year is an excellent opportunity for businesses to review their finances and plan effectively for the months ahead. With the annual increases to the national living and minimum wage and other statutory payments set to take effect in April 2025, its essential to prepare for these changes in advance. National Living and Minimum […]
HM Revenue & Customs is ramping up its scrutiny of “side hustle” earnings, requiring online platforms such as eBay, Vinted and Airbnb to submit information on users’ incomes for 2024 by the end of this month. However, concerns have been raised that the discrepancy between the UK tax year (April to April) and the OECD’s […]
Hundreds of current and former McDonald’s employees – some as young as 19 – have joined a legal action against the fast-food giant over allegations of bullying, sexual abuse and harassment across more than 450 UK outlets. The complaint, filed through law firm Leigh Day, follows a fresh wave of accusations highlighted by a BBC […]
Apple has pledged to pay $95 million (£77 million) to settle a US class-action lawsuit alleging that Siri, its virtual assistant, recorded private conversations without users’ consent. The proposed settlement, filed in a federal court in Oakland, California, comes after a five-year legal dispute and covers tens of millions of Apple device owners. Although Apple […]
A federal appeals court has upheld a law requiring TikTok’s Chinese parent company, ByteDance, to sell the app to a non-Chinese entity by mid-January or face a ban in the United States. The decision by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit marks a significant escalation in the ongoing scrutiny of […]
HMRC has confirmed the settlement of its high-profile IR35 tax case with Gary Lineker, ending a long-running dispute over a £4.9 million tax liability tied to his presenting work with the BBC and BT Sport. The case, initially decided in Lineker’s favour by the First-tier Tribunal (FTT), was set for an Upper Tribunal hearing after […]
HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) has released new guidance cautioning freelancers, contractors, and consultants about the risks associated with Managed Service Companies (MSCs)—complex tax arrangements that could leave independent workers facing tax bills running into tens of thousands of pounds. Introduced in 2007, the MSC legislation aims to combat perceived tax abuse by freelancers who […]
Gary Lineker, the former England footballer turned broadcaster, has strategically placed his television production company, Goalhanger Films, into voluntary liquidation ahead of upcoming capital gains tax rises. Co-owned with former ITV controller Tony Pastor, the company reported net assets exceeding £440,000 in its last published accounts. The decision comes as the UK government announced in […]