Lee Squires and Fiona Bantock report on recent developments, including HMRC’s position on Littlewoods and pension fund management costs, the decisions in both Birmingham Hippodrome and Mercedes-Benz, and the advocate general’s opinion in K Oy, as well as forthcoming judgments to look out for.
The cut in the top rate of income tax from 50% to 45% set up a tax avoidance opportunity. The numbers suggest plenty took advantage of it, David Smith reports
HMRC’s Fast facts online publication trumpets ‘record revenues’ for the UK, but the department should be careful in the way it puts its message across, writes Andrew Hubbard
Few advisers will be surprised at the First-tier Tribunal’s rejection of the highly artificial ‘blue box’ tax planning scheme. David Whiscombe examines the decision which provides a useful summary of the current position on the Ramsay principle
Michael Avient reviews the decisions in Cotter, Rouse and De Silva and provides considerations for advisers when advising on loss carry-back claims.
There are viable alternatives to EMI if a company does not qualify or an individual employee does not meet the criteria to participate. Thomas Dalby sets out the key considerations for advisers.
There have been two conflicting tribunal decisions on the recovery of overpaid VAT where a company either later joined or left a VAT group. Nick Skerrett and Gary Barnett analyse the decisions in Standard Chartered and MG Rover Group
Martin Zetter provides an overview of recent developments
Nigel Doran analyses the 147 page tribunal decision, which has attracted so much recent media coverage.
Scottish independence would raise a host of new challenges for the UK tax system. Dominic Robertson considers the likely impact.