2011 Tax Cards
Main Income Tax reliefs
| allowed at top rate of tax | 2011/12 | 20010/11 |
| personal allowance | £7,475 | £6,475 |
| personal allowance (65-74)* | 9,940 | 9,490 |
| personal allowance (75 and over)* | 10,090 | 9,640 |
| blind person’s allowance | 1,980 | 1,890 |
| Personal allowances in 2011/12 are withdrawn at £1 for every £2 by which total income exceeds £100,000.
allowed only at 10% |
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| married couple’s allowance* (only available if born before 6th April 1935) |
7,295 | 6,965 |
| income limit for age-related allowances | 24,000 | 22,900 |
| * Age allowances are reduced £1 for every £2 by which income exceeds the income limit, until the age allowance is reduced to the normal allowance. Personal allowance is reduced before married couple’s allowance. MCA is reduced to a minimum of £2,800 (2010/11: £2,670). | ||
Income Tax Rates and bands
| 2011/12 | 2010/11 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| starting rate on band * (SRB) | 2,560 | 2,440 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| basic rate band (BRB) | 35,000 | 37,400 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| higher rate band (HRB) | 35,001-150,000 | 37,400-150,000 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Additional Rate | over 150,000 | over 150,000 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| * SRB is within BRB and applies to savings income only. If taxable general income exceeds the SRB, the 10% rate is not available for savings income. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Tax rates | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Car Benefit Assessment
| Charge based on a percentage of the initial list price of the car, including accessories, delivery charges and VAT. The percentage depends on the carbon dioxide emissions rating of the car, and whether the engine runs on petrol or diesel. The taxable benefit on an electric car (no emissions) is nil. | ||
| ratings | petrol | diesel |
| 1-75g/km | 5% | 8% |
| 76-120g/km | 10% | 13% |
| 121-125g/km | 15% | 18% |
| over 130g/km | +1% for each extra 5g/km (135,140 etc.) | |
| Maximum | 35% | 35% |
| Special rules apply to older cars which do not have a CO2 rating. Employee contributions for private use are deducted from the taxable figure. Company vans are charged at £3,000 if private use is more than home-to-work travel. An additional amount of £550 is charged if fuel is provided free for private use. There is no taxable benefit on an electric van. |
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car fuel benefit
| The benefit of free fuel for private use in a company car is calculated using the same percentage as that used for the car benefit, applied to a standard figure of £18,000 (2009/10: £16,900). The taxable amount is therefore between £900 (min) and £6,300 (max). |
Tax Free Mileage Allowances
| higher rate | lower rate | ||
| 2011/12 | |||
| all cars | 45p | 25p | |
| motorcycles | 24p | 24p | |
| bicycles | 20p | 20p | |
| business passengers | 5p | 5p | |
| Higher rate (which was 40p for cars in 2010/11) is allowed up to 10,000 business miles. | |||
| fuel-only allowances for company cars | |||
| petrol | diesel | lpg | |
| From 1.3.2011 (From 1.12.2010) | |||
| up to 1400cc | 14p (13p) | 13p (12p) | 10p (9p) |
| 1401 – 2000cc | 16p (15p) | 13p (12p) | 12p (10p) |
| over 2000cc | 23p (21p) | 16p (15p) | 17p (15p) |
| These figures usually change on 1 June and 1 December each year. | |||
National Insurance Contributions
| class 1 (employees) | |||
| contracted in | contracted out | ||
| salary related | money purchase | ||
| employee contributions | |||
| – on earnings between £139.01 – £770pw | 12.0% | 10.4% | 10.4% |
| – on earnings between £770 – £817pw | 12.0% | 12.0% | 12.0% |
| – on earnings above £817pw | 2.0% | 2.0% | 2.0% |
| employer contributions | |||
| – on earnings between £136.01 and £770pw | 13.8% | 10.1% | 12.4% |
| – on earnings above £770pw | 13.8% | 13.8% | 13.8% |
| Employer contributions (at 13.8%) are also due on most taxable benefits and on tax paid on an employee’s behalf under a PAYE settlement agreement. | |||
| class 2 (self-employed) | |||
| flat rate per week | £2.50 | ||
| small earnings exception: profits per annum | £5,315 | ||
| class 3 (voluntary) | |||
| flat rate per week | £12.60 | ||
| class 4 (self-employed) | |||
| on profits £7,225 – £42,475 | 9.0% | ||
| on profits over £42,475 | 2.0% | ||
| From September 2010, there is a “holiday” from employer’s NIC for new businesses employing up to 10 new employees (including directors) in their first year. The maximum benefit is £5,000 per employee. Businesses in certain areas, such as London and the SE, are excluded. | |||
Pension Contributions
| maximum annual tax efficient gross contributions to age 75 | ||
| – individuals | £3,600 or 100% of earnings to £50,000 | |
| – employers | £50,000 less employee contributions | |
| Maximum tax efficient fund on taking benefits in 2011/12: £1.8m | ||
| Only current earnings count for the 100% limit. Most personal pension contributions are paid net of basic rate tax. Extra contributions above £50,000 may use unused £50,000 limit of preceding three years. | ||
Inheritance Tax
| charges on or after 6th april 2009 | rates % | |
| 0 – £325,000 | nil | Nil band frozen |
| above £325,000 | 40% | until 2014/15 |
| Lifetime chargeable transfers at half the death rate, ie 20%. Business property relief of 100% for all shareholdings in qualifying unquoted trading companies and for most unincorporated trading businesses; agricultural property relief at 100% for qualifying holdings of agricultural land. Annual exemption for lifetime gifts £3,000. Small gifts – annual amount per donee £250. Tapering relief applies to reduce the tax on transfers within 7 years of death. The reduction in tax is 20% for survivorship of 3-4 years, 40% for 4-5 years, 60% for 5-6 years and 80% for 6-7 years. |
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Important Annual Limits
| 2011/12 | 2010/11 | |
| Individual Savings Account investment | £10,680 | £10,200 |
| Enterprise Investment Scheme investment | **500,000 | *500,000 |
| Venture Capital Trust investment | **200,000 | **200,000 |
| * Relief at 20% | ** Relief at 30% | |
| ** From 6.10.09, £10,200 for those aged 50+. | ||
Value Added Tax
| Standard rate (1/6 of VAT-inclusive price) | 20% | ||
| registration level from 1.4.11 | £73,000 per annum | ||
| deregistration level from 1.4.11 | £71,000 per annum | ||
| scale charges | |||
| The scale charges for private use of business fuel are based on the CO2 emissions rating of the car. A different charge will apply for each 5g/km increase between 130g/km and 230g/km (max). For a 3 month period ending after 30 April 2011: | |||
| 120 or less | £130.83 net | £26.17 vat | |
| 130 | 210.00 net | 42.00 vat | |
| rising per 5g/km by approx* | 13.10 net | 2.62 vat | |
| 225 or above | 459.17 net | 91.83 vat | |
| * exact figures must be obtained from full table. | |||
Capital Gains Tax
Capital Gains Tax
Annual exempt amount 2011/12: individuals £10,600, most trustees £5,300. An individual’s net gains after all reliefs, losses and annual exempt amount are added to income and taxed at 18% (basic rate band) and 28% (higher rate band). For trusts, the CGT rate is 28%.
Entrepreneurs’ relief
For disposals of sole trade or interest in a partnership trade, or shares in a trading company by an officer or employee owning at least 5%, the gain (up to the lifetime allowance) is taxed at a 10% rate of CGT. The lifetime limit is £10m from 6.4.11 (previously £5m from 23.6.10-5.4.11; £2m from 6.4.10 – 22.6.10, £1m pre- 6.4.10).
Corporation Tax
| Year to 31.3.2012 | 31.3.2011 | ||
| main rate | 26% | 28% | |
| profits above | £1.5m | £1.5m | |
| small companies rate | 20% | 21% | |
| profits upto | £300k | £300k | |
| small/large marginal band | £300k – £1.5m | £300k – £1.5m | |
| fraction (effective rate) | 3/200 (27.50%) | 7/400 (29.75%) | |
Main capital allowances
| allowance % | |
| plant and machinery | |
| – annual investment allowance £100,000* | 100 |
| – certain energy efficient plant, including low emission cars | 100 |
| – writing down allowance: general pool | 20 |
| – writing down allowance: special rate pool | 10 |
| *will fall to £25,000 on 1.4.12 (companies) or 6.4.12 (income tax traders); WDA fall to 18%/8% at same date. | |
| The special rate pool includes long life assets, integral plant in buildings, thermal insulation and cars with CO2 emissions over 160g/km. The general pool contains other plant and machinery. | |
| The old system of cheap/expensive cars has been abolished, but transitional rules cover existing expenditure before April 2009. | |
Stamp Duty & Stamp Duty Land Tax
| rates on sales | % of total consideration | |
| shares and marketable securities (nil if value up to £1,000) | 0.5% | |
| land | 0 – threshold | nil |
| threshold – £250,000 | 1% | |
| £250,001 – £500,000 | 3% | |
| £500,001 and over (all properties) | 4% | |
| Over £1M (residential from 6.4.2011) | 5% | |
| The threshold is: | ||
| £125,000 | general residential property | |
| £150,000 | residential in “disadvantaged areas” | |
| £150,000 | commercial property | |
| For the two years to 24.3.2012, first time buyers can claim relief from SDLT on purchases of up to £250,000 for property they intend to live in. | ||
Earliest due dates for payment of tax
| income tax | |
| employment | most tax paid under paye |
| interest, dividends | lower/basic rate liability usually settled before receipt |
| untaxed sources, plus balance on employment and higher rates on investment income (self assessment) | Payments on account for 2011/12 on 31.1.12 and 31.7.12 based on 2010/11 tax; balance due 31.1.13 with first instalment for 2012/13. |
| capital gains tax | 31 january following the tax year. |
| inheritance tax | normally 6 months after month of death. |
| corporation tax | Large companies pay by instalments starting 6 1/2 months through the accounting period; small/medium companies pay 9 months and 1 day after end of period. |
You are advised to consult us before acting on any information contained herein.