Insights & News

CSOP options – A new lease of life?

08 December 2022

As part of the infamous Mini-Budget published on 23 September 2022, the then-Chancellor announced some surprise changes to HMRC’s rules around ‘CSOP option’ grants – and they’re some of the few changes announced in that rather ill-fated reform package still to be going ahead.

Budget 2021: Everything and nothing is changing

04 March 2021

One of the final things I did in the office last March before the office practically emptied due to COVID-19 was watch Budget 2020. The intervening year has been simultaneously one of the most eventful and uneventful years in recent times, and this Budget carries a bit of that dual nature.

HMRC puts its stamp on social distancing

16 April 2020

With vast numbers of people now working remotely due to COVID-19 restrictions, HMRC have put in place an electronic process for the payment of stamp duty and stamping of share transfer documents.

Expansion of HMRC’s “Time to Pay” Arrangements during the Covid-19 Outbreak

27 March 2020

Due to the immediate and stark effect that the Covid-19 outbreak is having on a lot of businesses, the Government has reminded everyone that it often reaches arrangements with businesses in financial distress for deferred payment of their tax liabilities. While this facility is not new, the Government expects the demands on the service to increase dramatically and is therefore scaling up its capacity to deal with new enquiries.

Financial support for larger firms: The COVID-19 Corporate Financing Facility

26 March 2020

The COVID-19 Corporate Financing Facility (CCFF) is a quick and cost-effective way to raise working capital for those large businesses which need it.

Lewis Silkin has advised new client Artelia Group on its acquisition of quantity surveying practice Austin Newport Group

26 March 2020

Lewis Silkin has advised new client Artelia Group, an international, multidisciplinary consultancy, engineering and project management group, on its acquisition of Austin Newport Group, specialised in chartered quantity surveying, project management contracting and recovery of damaged historic buildings.

Types of directors: myths and common pitfalls

25 March 2020

Below we answer some of the most common questions and address frequent pitfalls in the often-confusing realm of company directors.

Too little, too late? IR35 changes announced.

10 February 2020

In a welcome but late move, HMRC confirmed last week that the imminent IR35 reform will only apply to supplies of labour provided on or after 6 April 2020.

Brexit – the prospective changes in company law for private and overseas companies

05 February 2020

This article is to update you on, and explain the expected timing as to, the changes in company law for private and overseas companies to be brought about by the UK’s withdrawal from the EU. In practice, only companies with a connection to the EEA will be impacted and the action points for them will be fairly minimal.

Does your company use email for sending documents or information to shareholders?

22 January 2020

If so, do you have the necessary consents in place?

Brexit – the post Halloween picture as to the minor changes in company law for private and overseas companies

01 November 2019

Now that we didn’t leave the EU on 31 October 2019, this article is to update you on, and explain the timing as to, the few changes in company law for private and overseas companies, to be brought about by the UK’s withdrawal from the EU. In practice, only companies with a connection to the EEA will be impacted and the action points for them will be fairly minimal.

Penalty appeal kicked into touch - Nosworthy v Instinctif Partners Ltd

24 April 2019

A court has recently upheld the actions of an employer (IP) which enforced bad leaver provisions contained in its articles of association (Articles). Those provisions required a resigning employee (N) to transfer her shares for minimal consideration and forfeit her loan notes.

Entrepreneurs’ relief: the brave new world

13 March 2019

This is an update on the changes to the qualifying criteria for entrepreneurs’ relief introduced in the October 2018 Budget, amended in December and now embodied in statute.

Budget 2018. What a wonderful surprise! No really, you shouldn’t have!

30 October 2018

It was my birthday recently, so I was delighted when the Chancellor told me he had got me a present. A Budget! It was a little late, distinctly homemade, and wrapped in a spreadsheet (natch) - but I was fascinated to find out what was inside. In other words, here is a selection of key tax changes for business that were announced in the Budget.

Matthew Rowbotham writes for PR Week: Is PR ready to share? The employee ownership alternative to the agency model

29 June 2018

In an article for PR Week, Matthew Rowbotham comments on how employee ownership uptake has, generally, remained confined to a few core sectors, and asks, is PR ready to share?

Update on the new tax rules for payments in lieu of notice

16 February 2018

New tax rules will mean that income tax and national insurance contributions (“NICs”) must be paid on all payments in lieu of notice (“PILONs”) with effect from 6 April 2018.

The Damp Squid Budget?

22 November 2017

Yes, yes, I know the phrase is “damp squib”. Call it pedant bait if you like. And the Chancellor (like everyone else) seems to be Blue Planet crazy, so you may detect a salty theme in this Budget update. Anyway, let’s dive into the icy waters of the latest Budget and see what monsters lurk beneath.

You will NOT believe what the Chancellor did next!

09 March 2017

Except of course, you probably will believe it. It’s a Budget, not an M Night Shyamalan film. And even by the standards of Budgets, it’s rare for a Chancellor to do as much as Philip Hammond has to set expectations for surprise and drama this low. In fact, some were surprised about some of the things the Chancellor didn’t do on, for example, self-employment. But we’re getting ahead of ourselves.

Sleight of Ha(mmo)nd: Autumn Statement 2016

24 November 2016

I was all ready to write about how the Autumn Statement was an audacious piece of misdirection, using a flashy reduction of corporation tax (to the much-rumoured rate of 15%, or maybe lower) to detract from less welcome announcements.