The charity commission has offered the following guidance to charities following the recent public disorder events.

The main points are summarised below:

• Are you operating in an area which has seen or is at risk of unrest? If so and you wish to continue to operate what changes could be made to mitigate any risk to your staff, visitors or beneficiaries?
• Have you reviewed the entry points to your property for weaknesses should there be unrest? Can you restrict access/improve secure entry to the property?
• Are different entrances available?
• Do you have alternative exit routes from the property if required? Are these clear and communicated to staff visitors on arrival?
• Should an incident occur do you have a clear procedure in place for what staff / visitors should do to stay safe? Is everyone briefed on this procedure and is it clear who will issue instructions should an incident occur?
• Do you need to have first aid trained staff or volunteers onsite?
• Have you contacted the local police force community liaison team to agree contact points for sharing of specific risks or to seek specific advice and guidance on operating?

Some risks may be specific, or time bound such as an alert from police of a specific risk / threat based on their monitoring of social media or intelligence. You may therefore want to consider:

• Who in your charity / how your charity continually reviews the latest advice, guidance or alerts from police forces or other local authorities including monitoring of social media channels.
• If you are at higher risk do you need a procedure at the start of each day to assess risk and a clear channel or method to communicate with staff or beneficiaries prior to start of operations on whether or not they should attend site.
• Ensuring you have a clear process or nominated person responsible for acting upon any urgent alert or risk.

Charities should not hesitate to call emergency services if their staff, volunteers or beneficiaries face abuse, feel threatened, or are in danger.

The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has published an update on the widespread action it is taking to ensure that people can get the best possible choices and prices in the face of ongoing cost of living pressures. New analysis highlights how the cost to drivers of weakened competition in the fuel sector persists, but competition in the groceries sector appears to be more effective in bearing down on retail margins.

In its recent monitoring update, the CMA found:

• Retailers’ fuel margins – the difference between what a retailer pays for its fuel and what it sells at – are still significantly above historic levels.
• Supermarkets’ fuel margins are roughly double what they were in 2019.
• The total cost to all drivers from the increase in retail fuel margins since 2019 was over £1.6bn in 2023 alone.
• Competition among fuel retailers is failing consumers, just as it was in July last year when the CMA published its road fuel market study.

The CMA is currently monitoring developments in the fuel market using information provided voluntarily by fuel retailers. It has created a temporary price data-sharing scheme, and it is positive that some major players have started to integrate this into consumer-facing products, like apps. However, the current scheme covers only 40% of fuel retail sites and is not comprehensive enough to be used by map apps or satnavs to bring accurate, live information to people – and this is what would have a substantial impact on the market.

The proposed introduction of the Digital Information and Smart Data Bill by the new government could provide the legislative basis to set up a compulsory and comprehensive scheme that would change this – which the CMA would welcome.

The new Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rachel Reeves, delivered her widely anticipated House of Commons statement on 29 July 2024. The Chancellor asserted that the new government has inherited a £22bn hole in the public finances. The Chancellor said that she will take the “difficult decisions” necessary to find £5.5 billion of savings this year and £8.1 billion next year.

The main measures announced by the Chancellor included the following:

• The scrapping of the Winter Fuel Payment for those not in receipt of Pension Credit from this year onwards. The Government will continue to provide Winter Fuel Payments worth £200 to households receiving Pension Credit or £300 for households in receipt of Pension Credit with someone aged over 80. Winter Fuel Payments are devolved in Scotland and Northern Ireland.
• VAT will be charged at the standard rate of 20% on private school fees from 1 January 2025. This will apply to any fees for the term starting in January 2025 that are charged from 29 July 2024.
• The planned cap on care costs for adult social care due to be introduced in October 2025 has been scrapped.
• The scrapping of the Rwanda migration partnership and scrapping retrospection of the Illegal Migration Act.
• The cancelling of a number of large-scale road and railway schemes.

A date for the next Budget was also confirmed. The Chancellor announced that this will take place on Wednesday 30 October 2024. The Chancellor restated Labour’s manifesto commitment not to increase the basic, higher or additional rate of income tax, National Insurance or VAT.

However, we can expect additional tax and spending cuts in the upcoming Budget. The Chancellor still has scope to increase other taxes including Capital Gains Tax, Inheritance Tax, Stamp Duty and Fuel Duties at the upcoming Budget.

More than a million parents will receive reminders to extend Child Benefit for their teenagers if they are continuing their education or training after their GCSEs.

HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) is sending more than 1.4 million Child Benefit reconfirmation letters to parents between 24 May and 17 July. The letters will include a QR code which, when scanned, directs them straight to GOV.UK to update their claim quickly and easily online.

Child Benefit is worth up to £1,331 a year for the first or only child, and up to £881 a year for each additional child. Payments will automatically stop on 31 August on or after the child has turned 16 unless parents renew their claim where their child is continuing in education.

Parents have until 31 August to act, or their payments will automatically stop.

Letting HMRC know digitally that a child is continuing in education is the quickest way to get it sorted, with no need to contact HMRC by phone or post.

If you have not received a letter by 17 July, there is no need to worry – if eligible, you can still extend your Child Benefit claim via GOV.UK or the HMRC app.

Child Benefit can continue to be paid for children who are studying full time in approved non-advanced education, which includes:

• A levels or Scottish Highers
• International Baccalaureate
• Home education – if it started before their child turned 16, or after 16 if they have a statement of special educational needs and it was assessed by the local authority
• T levels
• NVQs, up to level 3.

Child Benefit will also continue for children studying on one of these unpaid approved training courses:

• in Wales: Foundation Apprenticeships, Traineeships or the Jobs Growth Wales+ scheme;
• in Northern Ireland: PEACEPLUS Youth Programme 3.2, Training for Success or Skills for Life and Work;
• in Scotland: Employability Fund programme and No One Left Behind.

If a child changes their mind about further education or training, parents can simply inform HMRC online or in the HMRC app and payments will be adjusted accordingly.

Parents will need a Government Gateway user ID and password to use HMRC’s online services. If they do not have one already, they can register on GOV.UK  and will just need their National Insurance number or postcode, and 2 forms of ID.

HMRC can enquire into any statutory return (or amendment of that return) or statutory claim to check if the return / claim has been prepared correctly or if further information is required.

HMRC’s internal manuals state that there is no statutory definition of an enquiry, so it carries its normal dictionary meaning of `seeking information, asking, questioning’. In practice the nature and extent of enquiries will vary considerably.

HMRC has historically referred to ‘full enquiries’ covering a tax return as a whole, and ‘aspect enquiries’ dealing with one or more matter(s). However, the legislation does not distinguish between different types of enquiries. Therefore, all enquiries into tax returns are legally enquiries into the full return, even if in practice HMRC only need to check part of the return.

If HMRC make no enquiries within the period allowed, or if they have completed an enquiry, the return becomes final unless

• the taxpayer is still within time to amend their return;
• the taxpayer has carelessly or deliberately caused a loss of tax; or
• HMRC discover that the return was incorrect, and the taxpayer had not disclosed enough information to show this. This is known as a discovery assessment. If a discovery is made in such circumstances HMRC can make a discovery assessment up to 6 years (20 years if the taxpayer has failed to notify chargeability) after the end of the relevant accounting period.

There is a French saying “Plus ca change, plus c’est la meme chose” meaning, the more things change, the more they stay the same.

Its interesting to apply this to a change that is about to come about, if, as expected, the Labour Party form the next government from the 5^{th of} July.

The present Shadow Chancellor, Rachael Reeves, has indicated that there will be no immediate post-election budget, which means no immediate tax changes.

Both sides (Conservative and Labour) have underlined that they will not add to UK debt by increasing government spending. Instead, they have asserted they will cover any expenditure with tax funding.

But don’t hold your breath. Once the new government is safely ensconced at Downing Street who knows what may be in store for us.

One thing is certain, we may have to rethink any financial planning that we have implemented thus far if we have a Labour administration. There longer term focus is likely to be tackling income inequalities and levelling up. We shall see…

Meantime, expect no immediate, drastic changes in economic policy. But expect movement next year as the new government becomes familiar with facts and figures. We may see evidence short-term that policy may appear to stay the same, but it’s unlikely that this will continue long-term.

The Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act has become law after receiving Royal Assent.

The Act paves the way to give consumers rights across the UK, with greater control and clarity over online purchases. 

It does this by requiring businesses to provide clearer information to consumers before they enter a subscription contract, remind consumers that their free trial or low-cost trial is coming to an end, and ensure consumers can easily exit a contract. 

Unavoidable hidden fees will also need to be included in the initial cost or clearly illustrated at the start of the purchasing journey. This will ensure consumers are clear from the offset about what they’re spending. 

The Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act will also give new tools to the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) to address the challenges to competition in digital markets.

These tools will allow the competition regulator to set tailored ‘conduct requirements’ which require a powerful tech company to change the way it operates if it is not treating users fairly. These rules could give consumers the room to freely choose the services they use or stop companies from withholding information consumers need to make good decisions.  

The Act also gives the regulator powers to intervene and direct a firm to change its behaviour to boost competition – whether that is to benefit people using smartphones or businesses dependent on cloud services.   

The Act will also give new powers to the CMA to closely monitor road fuel prices and report any sign of malpractice to the government.

Only a handful of the most powerful global technology companies will be subject to these new rules if, following an investigation, they are deemed to hold ‘strategic market status’.

The Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak, declared from the steps of Downing Street (on 22 May 2024) that the next general election will take place on 4 July 2024. 

The Prime Minister confirmed that he had spoken with His Majesty the King to request the dissolution of parliament. The King granted this request, thereby confirming that the general election will take place on the 4 July 2024. This will be the first election to take place in July since 1945.

Following the announcement by the Prime Minister the Chief Executive of the Electoral Commission, said:

“The electoral community will now be putting all its planning into action, working to support voters and delivering well-run polls. I’m very grateful to all involved for their crucial work supporting our democracy. 

Voters need to be registered to take part in the election. Applying only takes five minutes at www.gov.uk/register-to-vote and must be done by 18 June. Voters can choose whether to vote at a polling station, by post or by proxy. 

For the first time at a UK general election, those voting at a polling station will need to show photo ID. Voters should check now if they have an accepted form of ID, and if not to apply for free ID, called the Voter Authority Certificate."

Key dates:

An economist from the Treasury explains exactly what a fall in inflation means for you.

How will lower inflation help the economy?  

Lower inflation supports people by maintaining the purchasing power of their money.  

If prices only rise slowly, people can plan their budgets more effectively – encouraging spending and investment, which fuels the economy.  

Lower inflation also helps businesses grow by providing a stable, predictable environment for them to operate in – allowing for more job opportunities or the ability to research new products and services. 

Finally, low inflation enhances the UK’s competitiveness in a global market. When the economy is stable and predictable, other countries are more interested in investing in the UK.  

This can bring in more money from foreign investors, give us better trade deals, and make the overall economy stronger. 

How will lower inflation help my business?  

If inflation is lower, it means the price of materials businesses use to produce their goods and services aren’t rising as quickly, so there is less pressure on them to pass price increases onto their customers. 

For example, a coffee shop won’t face large increases in the cost of their coffee beans, paper cups, or the energy to turn on the lights in the coffee shop.  

Because none of those things are getting drastically more expensive, they don’t have to pass those costs on to coffee for their customers.

Lower inflation provides a sense of stability for businesses, which is important to empower them to make decisions about their future. 

If inflation is high and volatile, businesses aren’t able to plan for their future spending decisions.  

For example, if you want to invest in a factory that will take a year to build, it’s important to know how much things will cost in a year’s time.  

What does inflation going down mean for my mortgage?  

Inflation influences mortgage rates indirectly, through financial market’s expectations for the Bank of England’s base interest rate.  

The base interest rate, which is also known as the Bank Rate, is the tool used by the Bank of England to bring inflation down. 

Mortgages are generally priced to reflect what the financial markets expect future interest rates to be. 

This means that if markets start to expect higher inflation, they will raise their expectations for the Bank Rate, in order to cool the economy and bring inflation back to target. This is in turn reflected in mortgage interest rates.  

If inflation falls more quickly than expected, it may lead to reductions in market expectations for the base interest rate and therefore reductions in mortgage rates offered.

The Annual Tax Summary is a document provided by HMRC that shows details of the tax you pay and how this is used by government.

The Annual Tax Summary shows:

• your taxable income from all sources that HMRC knew about at the time that it was prepared;
• the rates used to calculate your Income Tax and National Insurance contributions; and
• a breakdown of how the UK government spends your taxes – this makes government spending more transparent.

HMRC makes it clear that the tax summaries are for information purposes only and neither taxpayers nor agents should take any action based on the contents of the summary. The summaries are available online via the Government Gateway.

Taxpayers cannot access an Annual Tax Summary if they have paid no income tax or if information is outstanding. The Annual Tax Summary might also be different from other HMRC tax calculations because a taxpayer's circumstances have changed, or sources of income were not included.