Starting in business - How to pay less tax
There are some circumstances in which it may be possible for you to pay less tax. Do any of them apply to you? It's worth checking, as there are tax credits/reliefs/incentives:
- Tax Credits
- Working Tax Credit
- Child Tax Credit
- when you buy equipment to use in your business
- when you do research and development
- to encourage investment in particular kinds of companies
From April 2003 the Government introduced two new tax credits - Working Tax Credit and Child Tax Credit. These replace Working Families' Tax Credit, Disabled Person's Tax Credit and Children's Tax Credits.
This will support working people on low income by topping up earnings. There are extra amounts for working households in which someone has a disability. It is available to employees and self-employed people, and includes support for the costs of qualifying childcare.
Who can claim?
You may qualify if
- you are working 16 or more hours a week
and - are 16 or over and responsible for a child
or - you are 16 or over and have a disability
You may also be able to claim Working Tax Credit if
- you're 25 or over and work for 30 hours or more a week
- you're 50 or over, working 16 or more hours a week and return to work
after time spent receiving qualifying benefits, eg
Jobseeker's Allowance
Incapacity Benefit
Severe Disablement Allowance
Income Support
Minimum Income Guarantee
The amount of Working Tax Credit you receive will be based on, for example, how many hours you normally work, and your annual income.
You may be entitled to Child tax credit if you are responsible for at least one child who is
- 16 or younger, or
- aged between 16-19 and
- in full-time, non-advanced education, that began before their 19th
birthday; or
- has left school, does not yet have a job or training place and has registered with the Careers Service or Connexions Service
Child Tax Credit is paid to the main carer of the child/children.
For more information see www.hmrc.gov.uk/taxcredits,
or call 0845 300 3900.
Buying equipment to use in your business
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There are a number of capital allowance schemes that have been introduced
to encourage investment in particular assets or by particular types of
businesses, including small and medium enterprises. The site www.hmrc.gov.uk/capital_allowances/investmentschemes.htm
provides a brief description of each scheme and links to more detailed
guidance.
Research and development tax reliefs
R&D Tax Credits are a new tax relief for small and medium-sized companies which invest in R&D. Companies can claim them on qualifying R&D expenditure from 1 April 2000.
Direct investment incentives
These schemes all offer tax incentives to encourage direct investment
in qualifying companies (but not other types of business).
- Enterprise Investment Scheme: call 029 2032 7400.
- Corporate Venturing Scheme: call the Corporate Venturing Unit on 029 2032 7400.
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