recommendations for Maternity Allowance. The remaining 33 weeks of ‘Adoption Allowance’ should be paid at the lower of the statutory flat rate or 90% of earnings (in the case of low earners).
The description of ‘self-employed’ applies to a wide variety of individuals and sectors and there is currently no clear understanding of the employment status within many of these groups. The lack of a legal definition of self-employment is causing an issue . Simplification and clarification with a single definition for tax and employment law is desired and should be considered.
Read the full Self-Employment Review .
Average earnings down by 13.4% since 2007 26 February 2016
In an article by GMB new analysis of the 2015 Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE) shows the real value of earnings in 6 of the 9 main occupational groups has not recovered from the recession in 2008.
Workers in caring, leisure and service occupations carrying heaviest burden from recession as earnings in real terms are down by 15.4% from 2007.
Overall in 2007 average earnings for all employees were £30,015. In 2015 average earnings have increased by 12.2% to £33,689. During this period inflation has been 25.6%. This still leaves average earnings for all employees 13.4% below 2007 level. The worst hit group has been workers in the caring, leisure and other service occupations group of jobs in the UK which is still 15.4% below its value in 2007. Overall in 2007 earnings for this group were £16,455. In 2015 earnings have increased by 10.2% to £18,130. Jobs in this occupational group where a comparison can be made include ambulance staff (excluding paramedics) who have seen real value of earnings drop by 19.6%, childminders have seen a drop by 13.7%, hairdressers & barbers, 12.3%, caretakers 11.8%,beauticians 11.1%, residential wardens 8.3%, housekeepers, 7.7%, travel agents 4.6% and dental nurses 2.9%.
The next worst affected occupational group are the elementary occupations where the real value of earnings for full time workers is still 14% below its value in 2007.
Read the full article from GMB.
Simplifying tax for small companies 7 March 2016
The Office of Tax Simplification (OTS) has unveiled a package of recommendations aimed at making the tax system simpler and easier to use for small companies.
The OTS agreed to carry out a review of small company taxation in 2015 to build on their earlier work on simplifying the system for unincorporated businesses . They have now published their initial report ahead of Budget 2016 as agreed.
The report Small company taxation review contains a mix of long range structural change ideas and simpler short term administrative improvements. The recommended administrative changes include:
aligning filing and payment dates eg VAT and PAYE, and annual returns and corporation tax HM Revenue and Customs providing extra support at weekends and evenings when more small company owners deal with their tax affairs stopping companies providing the same information to various government departments who instead should share the information looking at the feasibility of having advance clearances for VAT.
The report sets out three main areas for further work:
CIPP Policy News Journal
25/04/2016, Page 119 of 453
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