T: 01822 851370 E: [email protected]
Bookings are now officially open for the National Rural Conference 2025, which will take place online from Monday 15 to Thursday 18 September.
This is the Rural Services Network’s flagship event of the year, bringing together rural decision-makers, practitioners, and advocates for four days of live, interactive sessions focused on the future of rural communities.
Click here to book!
“Tax day” combines an overview of the Government’s taxation policy with an update on the 30 tax-related consultations that are underway.
No major policy developments have been announced.
https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/tax-policies-and-consultations-spring-2021
There are announcements that do affect local government but the major policy choices on local taxation will not be announced until the Autumn – at the earliest.
An interim report on the fundamental business rates review has been published.
It summarises the responses from the recent consultation but does not provide any indication of the decisions the Treasury will ultimately make about business rates.
The final report on the fundamental review of business rates will be published in the Autumn.
At that point, we should find out whether the Treasury is minded to replace or reform business rates, or offset the amount paid by businesses through the introduction of an Online Sales Tax.
https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/hm-treasury-fundamental-review-of-business-rates-call-for-evidence
One specific change to business rates was announced: there will be tougher criteria for the owners of second homes paying business rates rather than council tax.
New criteria will “account for actual days the property was rented” (currently, properties have to be available for commercial letting for at least 140 days per year).
In the near future, MHCLG will respond to its consultation on the treatment of self-catering accommodation (November 2018) and will propose new legislation to change the criteria.
This change will force some second-home owners to re-classify their properties as domestic and liable for council tax rather than business rates.
There was no mention of council tax in any of the documents.
In the most significant tax announcement, NHS trusts are reported to have withdrawn their claim for charitable relief.
This removes a major financial risk for many authorities and it is a chance to release provisions for those authorities who had provided for the potential refund.
https://www.themj.co.uk/NHS-backs-down-over-business-rates/220076