The Grapevine Winter 2019/2020 Grapevine Dec-Jan 2029 v3 | Page 31

Be prepared for employment allowance changes A mid all the continuing drama surrounding Brexit and England’s unsuccessful defence of the Ashes, the publication of draft legislation for new restrictions to the National Insurance (NI) employment allowance (EA) may have passed you by. t You won’t be entitled to EA if your liability to employers’ Class 1 NI in the previous tax year topped £100,000; Don’t panic – allow us to explain how your business may be affected. t If you share resources such as staff and premises your eligibility must be reassessed; submitting a declaration confirming that you’ve checked and are satisfied that you are eligible; Since April 2014, most employers have been entitled to a deduction from their Class 1 NI bill currently worth £3,000 per year. t The EA counts towards the maximum amount of state aid (£200,000) you can receive in a rolling three-year period. You must be able to accommodate the whole £3,000 EA within the limit or you will lose your entitlement to it. Next year general changes will be made to the way the allowance works and some businesses will lose their entitlement. If you’re unsure about how you’ll be affected by the changes to EA in 2020, please contact us via the details below for straightforward advice. Published by HMRC at the end of June, the draft legislation was subject to consultation until August 20 but it’s not expected that any of the key points will change, though there may be some tweaks to ensure that the legislation achieves its objectives. Worcester tel: 01905 612347 email: [email protected] Let’s start with the (recent) history bit. All employers will be affected in some way by the new legislation, which comes into force on April 6, 2020. The main changes are as follows: t You won’t automatically qualify for the EA and you must claim it every tax year. This will involve Evesham tel: 01386 579999 email [email protected] Tewkesbury tel: 01684 290123 email [email protected] www.hwca.com/accountants-worcester We help business owners to BUILD A MORE VALUABLE BUSINESS Short to medium-term growth and profitability is essential, but do they ensure you maximise the long-term value of your business? Haines Watts can help you look at your business in a different way and support you in building value. To find out more contact Haines Watts, your local award winning accountants Suite 1A, Shire Business Park, Wainwright Rd, Worcester, WR4 9FA - 01905 612347 [email protected] Vale Business Centre, 9 Abbey Lane Court, Evesham, WR11 4BY - 01386 579999 [email protected] www.hwca.com The Grapevine 31