B&Q Uttoxeter officially opened by Channel 4 home star George Clarke
Last week, B&Q Uttoxeter celebrated its official opening with a guest appearance from Channel 4 star George Clarke and local mp Andrew Griffiths. George Clarke, famous for his “The Home Show” and More »
Tax Doesn’t Have To Be Taxing for Builders, Does It?
I’m sure that when Moira Stewart was doing the HMRC ad campaign she didn’t find her tax return tax ing at all, but then I doubt she was ever confronted with filling More »
‘E’ is for ensign at Cardiff Hospital Expansion
Iron technology leader Saint-Gobain PAM UK, part of leading international materials company, Saint-Gobain, has secured a major contract to supply its Ensign cast iron above ground system for use in an extension More »
The advantages of precast concrete in construction
More construction industry decision makers are recognising the significant benefits of modern methods of construction (MMC); better products and processes, and improved business efficiency, quality, safety and environmental performance. Spanwright Flooring have embraced More »
Building Regulations, Planning, building and the environment
Communities and local gonvernment are working to ensure that buildings are safe, healthy, accessible and sustainable for current and future generations. Building Regulations set standards for design and construction which apply More »
B&Q Uttoxeter officially opened by Channel 4 home star George Clarke
Last week, B&Q Uttoxeter celebrated its official opening with a guest appearance from Channel
4 star George Clarke and local mp Andrew Griffiths. George Clarke, famous for his “The Home Show” and “Restoration Man” home programmes cut the “wallpaper ribbon” with the store’s new team and served some of the first customers of the day. Andrew Griffiths, Uttoxeter’s local mp, also dropped by to mark the opening and visit the new store.
The new B&Q Uttoxeter team that welcomed customers last Thursday was led by Store Manager Carrie-Ann Oakden and included 17 staff from the former Focus store as well as 5 new joiners. The new team also spans several generations ranging in age from 17 to around 66.
It’s taken just ten weeks to transform the store from the former Focus DIY to B&Q, the UK’s largest home improvement and garden centre retailer. In that time the store has undergone a period of team bonding, store re-fitting and daily lorry deliveries to get the store ready for opening day.
The store will offer a wide range of home improvement products – from turf to treated timber, shelf kits to shower enclosures and plumbing fittings to packet seeds – all housed under one roof at great value. Real experience and practical advice is also available from the store’s team of experts who are on hand to answer questions on any DIY jobs, big or small.
Store Manager Carrie-Ann Oakden said, “We were thrilled to have George Clarke open the store. The team, made up of existing Focus staff and new recruits, has worked really hard to get the store up and running in just ten weeks. So whether you’re a complete beginner or an experienced DIY’er, we have the expertise and products to make any DIY job easier.”
Tax Doesn’t Have To Be Taxing for Builders, Does It?
I’m sure that when Moira Stewart was doing the HMRC ad campaign she didn’t find her tax return tax
ing at all, but then I doubt she was ever confronted with filling in a 64-8 form or an SA1 and you can forget about National Insurance schedules.
The idea behind this article is to give you, as a self-employed, CIS or PAYE builder, a clearer view of the murky world of tax. Hopefully this will help you understand that whilst self-employment isn’t something you should fear, self-assessments aren’t something you can afford to ignore.
From speaking to various professionals across the construction industry and domestic trades, (even t
hose that have completed endless training and classroom based qualifications) it’s become clear that very few curriculums make very little (if any) reference to getting started as a self-employed worker, your tax liabilities and/or legal obligations and of course, your tax refund entitlements.
Self-Employed/CIS
When you look to start your life as a self-employed builder, you’re basically left to your own devices. You have to take on the daunting task of attempting to find your way around the virtual labyrinth of the HMRC website and we can tell you from experience, that even for tax professionals, it’s not the easiest site to navigate.
As a result, it seems that there’s a genuine “what if I do something wrong?” fear amongst Tradesmen, so it’s no surprise that many self- employed builders delay doing tax returns and in a lot of cases, avoid doing them altogether.
PAYE
The problem with each of scenario for Tradesman in both self-employment and PAYE is two-fold.
Firstly, you’ll incur an immediate set fine of £100 for a late return, on top of which you’ll also receive on
going fines which gain interest at a steady rate for each tax year you fail to complete (Please see below for a breakdown of penalties for late returns). This can even go as far as HMRC placing a determination on your account, which will leave you thousands of pounds in the red.
Second, and more importantly to you, if you’re a self-employed builder paying CIS tax, the chances are that you’ll almost certainly be entitled to a refund worth hundreds or even thousands of pounds from HMRC for tax overpaid.
But what if you’re PAYE builder? Don’t worry we haven’t forgotten about you. What we’ve found from speaking to a number of people ‘on the books’ or ‘cards in’ is that they’re not even aware that they may be entitled to a tax refund. Admittedly, this isn’t always the case but if you’re PAYE and incurring expenses as part of your job, again, you’re almost certainly entitled to something.
As every individual case is unique, it’s very difficult giving specific advice in a generic article like this, whi
ch is why we are always happy to receive a call and discuss your circumstances to give you an idea of whether (and indeed how) we can help you. Even if you’re just looking for some general tax advice, just give us a call. We’re a very small company of tax specialists and all of our advice is completely FREE, with no obligation attached…just a chat with someone who can hopefully help.
You can contact HMRC on the CIS helpline 0845 366 7899 and/or Complete SA1 form to apply and subsequently obtain your UTR (Unique Tax Reference) Number. Once you receive that, you’ll need to call again and activate your account to start working as a self-employed professional.
You’ll also have to register to pay Class 2 National Insurance contributions, which you can pay by post, giro or at the Post Office but the easiest way is on a monthly direct debit at a fee of £2.50p per week by downloading a C A5601 here http://search2.hmrc.gov.uk/kb5/hmrc/forms/view.page?formid=402&record=SpQKFQiC9tM
Well, it’s quite simple really; you’ll incur the fines that we mentioned earlier in the article. Here’s a breakdown of penalties:What happens if I fail to complete a tax return?
Penalties for missing the tax return deadline
|
Length of delay |
Penalty you will have to pay |
|
1 day late |
A fixed penalty of £100. This applies even if you have no tax to pay or have paid the tax you owe. |
|
3 months late |
£10 for each following day – up to a 90 day maximum £900. This is as well as the fixed penalty above. |
|
6 months late |
£300 or 5% of the tax due, whichever is the higher. This is as well as the penalties above. |
|
12 months late |
£300 or 5% of the tax due, whichever is the higher. In serious cases you may be asked to pay up to 100% of the tax due instead. These are as well as the penalties above. |
Do I need to keep all my receipts?
Some companies will tell you that it’s acceptable to not have your receipts. Whilst HMRC may make a few allowances, our recommendation is to keep all your receipts and bank statements, to substantiate any expenses claims you make. The ‘throw it all in a shoebox’ system seems to be the method of choice for most but we’d recommend a simple system of 12 envelopes, files or folders for monthly earnings and expenses. This method will certainly make life easier for whoever does your tax return
How do I know if I’m entitled to a tax refund?
Regardless of whether you’re CIS or PAYE, if you incur expenses as part of your job, i.e. travel to work (not just between home & ‘the yard’ for PAYE), buy your own tools, work clothes, industry specific training etc, then the answer is yes you are.
Who do I speak to about doing my tax return and claiming my refund?
Well, we’d obviously suggest that you speak to us. Bettertax are tax refund specialists and work exclusively for Tradesmen. The idea behind the company was for us to assist guys in the trade with the recovery of overpaid tax, their business expenses and managing their dealings with HMRC. Over the last 2 years we have refunded over £1,000,000 in overpaid tax to our clients.Don’t just take our word for it, see what other guys in the trade are saying about us on the Freeindex, where we’re ranked as the best Accountancy firm in the UK alongside others that don’t understand you or your trade in the way we do.
http://www.freeindex.co.uk/profile%28better-tax-organisation-ltd%29_220619.htm
What we offer is a hassle free service, giving our clients peace of mind that if were not able to secure a refund for them, they won’t pay us a penny. In a lot of cases, we have clients that come to us with existing fines and/or determinations on their accounts and again, we don’t take a penny until we’ve managed to clear the fines and get them a refund.
We know everything you buy, everything you can claim and of course the best way to claim it, so we can maximise the tax refund you receive.
For more information or simply some more detailed tax advice, you can find us at www.bettertax.org or call 01280 821020.
‘E’ is for ensign at Cardiff Hospital Expansion
Iron technology leader Saint-Gobain PAM UK, part of leading international materials company, Saint-Gobain, has secured a major contract to supply its Ensign cast iron above ground system for use in an extension to a major Cardiff Hospital.
A new two-storey, six-ward block in an ‘E’-shape is being built at University Hospital Llandough in Penarth by main contractor Interserve Projects of Birmingham. The Ensign system was specified for the soil and waste by M&E contractor Spie Matthew Hall based on its proven qualities of longevity, fire resistance, high temperature resistance and sound deadening properties.
The Ensign system is being supplied by Drain Center Cardiff and installed by plumbing subcontractor KS Barry.
For more information about the market-leading range of soil and drain products available from Saint-Gobain PAM UK visit www.saint-gobain-pam.co.uk/
BPS Access Solutions
Ladders are a huge part of the building and construction industry and are the safest way to reach high areas. Many homes also require ladders for various purposes. However, ladders need to be sturdy and reliable as they have to be used in risky conditions. We have a range of high quality ladders that will meet your needs.
Loft Ladders
Loft ladders are one of the most popular types of ladders and are used especially in homes. Loft ladders are available in different styles and usually come in height adjustable models. These loft ladders are used mostly to reach attics but can be used for other purposes as well. This makes loft ladders an essential tool in homes.
Scaffold Towers
Scaffold towers are one of the main elements in construction. Without these, building and construction work may not even be possible. However, it is important that scaffold towers are reliable and strong. So if you are looking for scaffold towers for any purpose, we at BPS Access Solutions Ltd can provide you with various options to match your requirements.
Extension Ladders
From the very name you would know that extension ladders are the kind of ladders whose length can be extended so that users can reach higher places. Extension ladders, which are mostly used for outdoor jobs, are usually made of aluminium, steel and fibreglass and depending on the model can withstand different weights.
Telescopic Ladders
Telescopic ladders are the ideal kind of ladder to have anywhere as they suit all job types. We have an extensive range of telescopic laddersthat can be folded, carried about and stored easily. This feature in particular is what makes telescopic ladders excellent tools to have.
The advantages of precast concrete in construction
More construction industry decision makers are recognising the significant benefits of modern methods of construction (MMC); better products and processes, and improved business efficiency, quality, safety and environmental performance.
Spanwright Flooring have embraced the growing trend towards modern methods of construction (MMC) by offering a range of innovative precast, pre-stressed and reinforced concrete products which can be used to reduce construction time and promote sustainable development, as well as offering the developer significant cost savings. In recent years there has been a real shift from using traditional concreting methods, as the benefits of precast concrete and MMC are recognised and grow in popularity.
The advantages of precast are clear, faster erection time, the superior quality of the result, and the lifetime energy efficiencies from the thermal mass of the concrete. Precast concrete is seen by many as the best commercial solution for bespoke concrete work.
This is the ninth in a series of articles from Spanwright flooring, exploring the MMC agenda and the specific advantages of using precast concrete systems in construction.
Reduced impact on the environment (#9) Precast concrete allows reductions in the level of dust, noise, waste materials and disruption normally associated with the more traditional forms of construction. It is an environmentally friendly way of building, by better use of available building materials and production systems, with a reduced impact on the environment. Because the Precast is made offsite, Contractors benefit from reduced energy usage on-site and due to fewer materials deliveries, they see a reduction in disruption and fuel consumption. Precast concrete contributes to green building and eco building in a number of ways. Because precast concrete is factory-made, there is little waste created in the plant (most plants employ exact-batching technologies) and it reduces construction waste and debris on site, reducing construction Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) concerns.
Precast concrete contains recycled materials.
Precast concrete’s performance can improve when several common industrial by-products are added. Fly ash, slag, and silica fume, which would otherwise go to landfills, can be incorporated into concrete as supplementary materials. These by-products can also reduce the amount of cement that is used in concrete. Reinforcement can be made from recycled steel and this steel can be re-used. At the end of a structure’s life, precast units can be re-used in their entirety, for example reclaimed as whole elements such as floor slabs.
These could be re-installed in the same building or even transported a short distance and used in another building project. Precast can be recycled. As with many concrete products, precast is easy to crush and recycle as aggregate. Demand for materials like this is growing every year in the UK – and the government is encouraging its use through networks for suppliers and customers. Gareth McMeekin, Structural Precast Manager, SpanWright Flooring, one of the UK’s leading suppliers of precast concrete flooring and concrete stairs said:
“Spanwright have long understood that the use of precast concrete in construction makes for an economic, durable, structurally sound and architecturally versatile form of construction. It has an impressive whole life value and offers value through attractive finishes, robust structures and major performance advantages such as fire-proofing and thermal mass throughout its life”
Spanwright is a leading supplier of precast concrete flooring and concrete stairs throughout the UK. You can visit the main website at www.spanwright.co.uk or call 01793 441474 or email our sales team at sales@spanwright.co.uk
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