ADVERTISING FEATURE
ASK MILSTED LANGDON
Milsted Langdon accountants and business advisors answer their most frequently asked questions .
IAN LLOYD Partner and Head of the Bath office
DAN KENYON Director
HARRIET BANKS Business Innovation Accountant
IS IT MORE TAX-EFFICIENT TO HAVE AN ELECTRIC CAR ? The Government has set up numerous tax incentives for company car users who use electric vehicles ( EVs ).
It is not surprising then that more businesses have either already made the switch to EVs or are giving serious consideration to doing so . Some of these incentives include the following :
• Benefits in Kind – Since April 2021 , EVs attract a 1 % tax rate on Benefit in Kind ( BIK ). This also applies to hybrid vehicles with emissions from 1 - 50g / km and a pure electric range of over 130 miles . This rate increases to 2 % in 2022 / 23 , but it still makes electric and low emission cars very affordable in comparison to higher emission vehicles .
• Capital allowance – Cars with CO2 emissions of less than 50g / km are eligible for 100 % first-year capital allowances . This means that electric cars can deduct the full cost from your pre-tax profits . There may be Corporation Tax to pay when the car is later sold , so this needs to be considered .
• Congestion charge exemptions – EVs are exempt from congestion charging and Clean Air Zone ( CAZ ) charges . As well as London , five cities have been required by the Government to introduce a Clean Air Zone , including , Leeds , Birmingham , Nottingham , Derby and Southampton . If your company vehicle regularly travels into areas where clean air zones exist , there will be significant cost savings from switching .
• Electric charge points – Any business that installs charging points for electric vehicles between now and 31 March 2023 , can claim a 100 % first-year allowance for these costs through the Workplace Charging Scheme worth up to £ 350 per charging point .
• Electric vans – The taxable benefit for having the private use of a zero-emission van were reduced to nil from April 2021 . The previous year , electric vans were taxed at 80 % of the benefit for a normal van .
• Government grants – The Government ’ s plug-in car grant provides 35 % of the purchase price up to £ 2,500 towards the cost of an eligible plug-in vehicle costing less than £ 35,000 . This plug-in car grant applies at the time of purchase and is typically given as a discount on the purchase price of a vehicle .
• Leasing – Leasing a vehicle through a VAT registered company allows you to claim back 50 % of the VAT on monthly payments and up to 100 % of the VAT on the maintenance agreement , which you are not allowed to do when buying a vehicle outright . But be aware that a leased EV will not qualify for the Capital Allowances mentioned above .
• Salary sacrifice – Where an electric car is provided under salary sacrifice , the optional remuneration rules do not apply .
• Tax bands for low emission vehicles – 11 new tax bands for vehicles with emissions of 75g / km and below have been introduced . The Government has also announced the tax rate for the next three years , helping businesses to plan . Electric and hybrid vehicles pay no or very little vehicle excise duty .
By thinking differently and challenging the ordinary , our team ’ s main focus is to help you thrive . We have built an enviable reputation in delivering trusted , business-boosting accountancy advice since 1988 .
CAN I PURCHASE AND EXPENSE A GARDEN OFFICE THROUGH MY LIMITED COMPANY ? If your limited company builds an office in a residential garden space owned by an employee or director it may not be eligible for capital allowances , such as the Structure & Building Allowance .
However , it might be possible to use capital allowances to reclaim some of the cost of installation for utilities , such as electrical wiring , plumbing or thermal insulations , via the Plant & Machinery Allowance .
In most cases , the main benefit is a cash one if the right circumstances can be met .
If the garden office is fixed down , then it forms part of your property . This may create Capital Gains Tax issues when you come to sell your home as it may affect how your property is classed . This may also create an issue with insurance and business rates as the office would constitute business premises .
If the garden office is not fixed down , then you could argue that if you were to move , you could take it with you , so the office does not form part of the premises . As such , you would be fine reclaiming the cost of the office from the limited company .
However , where this may fail is proving :
1 . That it can be moved or dismantled without any hassle – even offices that aren ’ t fixed may require substantial work to be relocated .
2 . It is 100 % for business use . This would mean using separate phone lines , internet and utilities that aren ’ t shared with a residential property . Separating the domestic and business items would then mean that the office is a business premise , which could lead to the same issues .
Where your garden office is purchased through your limited company , you should also consider personal usage , such as using it for storing personal items or even utilising the space for family activities .
Personal use of a garden office could restrict the allowances you can claim . It may also affect your ability to reclaim a portion of the VAT on a purchase .
HOW CAN I IMPROVE MY BALANCE SHEET ? There are many different approaches to improve your balance sheet and boost cash flow . Here are four common steps that all businesses should consider :
Improving debt-to-equity ratio – Reducing your debts and increasing the cash coming into your business can only strengthen your operations . You need to increase your income and use this to pay down debts . If you can ’ t increase income , you may need to use assets to reduce debts .
Create a cash reserve – Monitor the amount of cash held and try to build a reserve for investment or emergencies . This can be achieved by disposing of assets , increasing turnover or reducing liabilities .
Reduce cash leaving the business – Cashflow is the lifeblood of your business . If your liabilities exceed the cash being received you cannot operate and you should find a way to manage liabilities .
Strengthen credit control – Many businesses struggle with debts and late payments . These can create a lot of issues with cashflow and balance sheets . Appoint a professional to manage credit control or invest in software that can help do it for you .
If you have a burning question for the Milsted Langdon team , please get in touch . It may even feature in one of our future columns .
advice @ milstedlangdon . co . uk 01225 904940
For more info : www . milstedlangdon . co . uk
THE BUSINESS EXCHANGE 2021 21