HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) has nearly doubled the amount paid to individuals providing tip-offs about suspected tax evasion, disbursing almost £1 million (£978,256) in the 2023/24 financial year compared to £508,500 the previous year. The increase comes amid growing pressure to reduce the UK’s £39.8 billion tax gap—the difference between the tax that should […]
Claims for multibillion-pound business tax incentives are more likely to be non-compliant when submitted with the assistance of specialist agents, according to an official review by HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC). An inquiry into research and development (R&D) tax credits—schemes intended to encourage innovation but undermined by fraud and error—found that behaviour among some agents […]
Introduced to tackle growing concerns over the safety of internet users – particularly children and vulnerable groups, the Online Safety Act (OSA) marks a significant shift in the regulatory landscape for businesses operating online platforms in the UK. Passed in October 2023 and progressively being enforced, it has introduced a wide range of new obligations, […]
In a groundbreaking victory for consumer rights, the Court of Appeal has ruled in favour of the claimant in the Johnson v. Firstrand Bank case, setting a historic precedent in the motor finance industry. The ruling, championed by Sentinel Legal and HD Law, holds lenders accountable for mis-selling Personal Contract Purchase (PCP) finance agreements, a […]
A new duty on employers to take reasonable steps to prevent sexual harassment is imminent. What do businesses need to do to prepare? From 26 October 2024, employers will be under a new duty to take reasonable steps to prevent sexual harassment of their workers. This new preventative duty is contained in the Worker Protection […]
Companies House has implemented a new regime of penalties aimed at improving compliance and transparency in the UK’s company register, with a focus on cracking down on misuse and economic crime. Registered companies are being urged to meet their legal obligations, such as timely filing of confirmation statements, to avoid facing financial penalties or more […]
If so, how often is acceptable? What if the contact is unwanted? The Employment Tribunal recently considered these issues in the Toure v Commissioners for HM Revenue and Customs case. Ms Toure joined HMRC in 2019 and is a French national of African origin and a Muslim. She had a disability as defined by the […]
British firms are missing out on billions of pounds in potential revenue by not filing international patents as aggressively as their competitors in other countries, industry experts have warned. A report from the Chartered Institute of Patent Attorneys (CIPA) reveals that UK companies are filing patents in crucial markets such as Europe and China at […]
Disney has come under fire for arguing that a widower whose wife tragically died after suffering a severe allergic reaction at a Walt Disney World restaurant cannot pursue legal action against the company because he had previously signed up for a free trial of Disney’s streaming service, Disney+. Kanokporn Tangsuan, a 42-year-old medical doctor, died […]
The main provisions of the Employment (Allocation of Tips) Act 2023 and the Code of Practice on Fair and Transparent Distribution of Tips come into force on 1 October 2024. There have been concerns that some employers make deductions from tips, for example, for “administrative fees,” or retain a proportion of tips. Under the Act, […]