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Webinar – Bank of England update from the Deputy Agent for Scotland

4 March 2025

National Apprenticeship Week

National Apprenticeship Week 10-16 February 2025 This week is National Apprenticeship Week #NAW2025 and we caught up with Richard Ayre…

Global Market Commentary – January 2025

A Rollercoaster Start to the Year -
2025 has begun with the market’s focus flipping between different topics at a lightning pace. Firstly, government bond yields spiked higher and created alarm about budget deficits. However, lower inflation data made those fears subside and led to a strong rally...

Funds raised for the Great North Air Ambulance Service

On Monday 14 January 2025 we welcomed Kate Barker from the Great North Air Ambulance Service (GNAAS) to our…

Online card payment processing operational

Our online card payment function is now fully operational again.

Successful Autumn Rural Seminars

Greaves West & Ayre recently held two successful and well-attended Port Budget Rural Seminars.

Christmas and New Year Office Hours

Our Festive Opening Hours for our Offices are detailed below -

Payroll Changes

Attention! An important change in legislation will be taking affect in April 2026 which will affect payroll processes.

Another U-Turn On Double Cab Pick-ups

As you may be aware, in February 2024 HMRC proposed a change in relation to the tax treatment of double cab pick-ups for both capital allowances and benefit in kind (BIK) purposes. They then quickly changed their mind around a week later and decided not to implement the changes. However, following the most recent Budget the Government have again decided these changes should be put in place.

Abolition of the Furnished Holiday Lettings Regime

The favourable tax regime for Furnished Holiday Lettings (FHLs) was first introduced in 1984. Forty years later, in the Spring 2024 Budget the then Chancellor of the Exchequer, Jeremy Hunt announced its abolition from 6 April 2025.

Employers’ National Insurance Contributions (NICs)

The biggest revenue raiser in the Budget was the changes to NICs. The increase in Employers’ NICs (increasing from 13.8% to 15% from April 2025) grabbed many of the headlines. What has been largely overlooked is the reduction in “Secondary Threshold” from £9,100 to £5,000. Allied to the increase in the National Living Wage, the changes will particularly affect those in the care, retail, hospitality and cleaning/maintenance sectors.

Inheritance Tax

It is difficult to recollect a more seismic Budget in recent times. The last major changes to Inheritance Tax were made in 2006, but mainly in relation to Trusts. There was an expectation that Inheritance Tax reliefs would be reformed, most likely for landlords who lease out land which qualifies for Agricultural Property Relief (APR). It was considered much less likely that Business Property Relief (BPR) would be reformed, and there was a distinct lack of speculation in this regard.