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Research Briefing
Basic State Pension – contribution conditions
This note covers the contribution conditions for the basic State Pension
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Research Briefing
National Insurance Contributions Bill [Bill 80 of 2014-15]
The National Insurance Contributions Bill 2014-15 would allow for both categories of National Insurance contributions (NICs) which are payable by the self-employed – Class 2 and Class 4 – to be collected through self assessment from April 2016. The Bill would also extend existing tax rules regarding ‘accelerated payments’ and ‘high-risk’ tax promoters to NICs, and introduce a Targeted Anti-Avoidance Rule to prevent the avoidance of NICs by intermediaires.
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Research Briefing
Self-employed people and contribution-based Jobseeker’s Allowance
Self-employed people are eligible for the same contributory benefits and pension as employed earners, with one exception. Self-employed people cannot claim contribution-based Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA).
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Research Briefing
Childcare Payments Bill
This Bill introduces a new Tax-free Childcare scheme to support eligible parents with childcare costs. Under the scheme, the Government would provide 20 per cent support on costs up to £10,000 per year for each child via an online account. The Government would top up any payments made into the account, capped at a maximum Government contribution of £2,000 a year for each child.
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Research Briefing
Bingo taxation
This note discusses the development of the current structure of bingo duty, before looking at the decision by the Government to cut the rate of bingo duty to 10% in Budget 2014.
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Research Briefing
Wales Bill 2013-14: Progress of the Bill
The Committee Stage of the Wales Bill is summarised in this note.
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Research Briefing
National Insurance Fund: 1975 to 2014
The National Insurance Fund had been in healthy surplus, but this has been declining sharply in recent years to the extent that without Treasury finance the balance on the Fund is projected to fall below the recommended minimum in 2014/15.
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Research Briefing
The Tobin Tax : recent developments
The American economist James Tobin first made the suggestion for a tax on currency transactions to dissuade short term currency speculation in the 1970s. Recently the idea of a more general 'Tobin-like' tax on financial transactions has been discussed, in the wake of the global financial crisis. In January 2013 eleven Member States agreed to pursue the introduction of a Tobin-like tax, as consensus on an EU-wide tax proved impossible. The UK is not one of the participating States. This note looks at these developments, while a second note (SN1346) gives some historical background to the issue.
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Research Briefing
Direct taxes: rates and allowances 2014/15
This paper sets out the main changes to direct tax rates and allowances announced in the Budget on 19 March 2014.
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Research Briefing
Wales Bill 2013-14
The Wales Bill had its first reading in the House of Commons on 20 March 2014; it is due to have its second reading on 31 March 2014. The Bill devolves some tax-raising powers to the National Assembly for Wales. Stamp duty and landfill tax are devolved, while a power is created to reduce income tax by 10 pence in the pound and put a Welsh rate of income tax in its place. The Bill allows these powers over income tax to be devolved only if they are approved in a referendum, the calling of which is subject to parliamentary approval and a two-thirds majority in the Assembly.
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Research Briefing
Budget 2014: a summary
Budget 2014 and Office for Budget Responsibility forecasts: a summary. Includes overview along with analysis of forecasts and changes to pensions and savings, the welfare cap and the treatment of disputed tax.
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Research Briefing
Roads: HGV road user levy
This note provides information on the implementation of the HGV road user levy, to be introduced in the UK from 1 April 2014.
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Research Briefing
Budget 2014: Background briefing
This note sets out the background to the 2014 Budget.
Total results (page 24 of 36)