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The administrative process of registering lasting powers of attorney has long been considered confusing and time-consuming, but new legislation will modernise this by introducing an online system and improving the paper process.

After receiving Royal Assent in September, the Powers of Attorney Act 2023 will update the current paper-based system and bring it online, speeding up registration and strengthening safeguards against fraud to make it more secure.

Digitalisation aims to reduce processing times and human errors, ensuring that vulnerable members of society have better protection if they lose the mental capacity to make their own decisions about their healthcare and finances.

Not everyone is aware of the importance of lasting powers of attorney, or the changes to the system in the works – so here is a quick guide to help.

Tax authority HMRC is removing paper VAT registration from November 2023, pushing ahead with the move to ‘digital by default’ with online-only tax services.

As of 13th November, businesses and tax agents must go online to register for VAT. If they are digitally excluded or unable to use the service, then they will have to call the helpline to make a special request for a paper form.

The switch to online-only VAT registration aims to make the application process faster, easier, and more secure, with the majority of businesses already using the digital service – but what if registering by post is the only option?

If you earn money through self-employment or running your own business, it’s very likely that you’re obligated to file annual tax returns with HMRC.
Self-Assessment involves submitting your income and expenditure details for the previous tax year so that HMRC can calculate how much Income Tax you owe, then paying your tax bill by the annual deadline of 31st January.
This means the deadline for filing returns for the 2022–2023 tax year is looming – they must be submitted and outstanding tax paid by midnight on 31st January 2024.
If you have not submitted a Self-Assessment tax return before but need to do so this year, you’ll have to register for a digital tax account with HMRC. This involves waiting to receive an activation code and Unique Taxpayer Reference in the mail before you can use the account, which can take 2 weeks (or 3 weeks if you’re based overseas).
Therefore, if you’re due to complete a Self-Assessment return for the first time in 2022–2023, it’s crucial that you don’t leave it until the last minute to register with HMRC.

If you are a property owner, you should make sure that you are actively protecting yourself, your property, and your land from fraud.
Though it is not as common as other types of fraudulent activity, the Land Registry has prevented over £100 million in property fraud in the last 5 years.
To help property owners in England and Wales, especially landlords with multiple properties, the Land Registry has a free service called Property Alert.
Landlords may not be aware that they can sign up to receive notifications whenever changes are made to a property’s register, such as a new mortgage application.

There has been plenty of speculation in recent months that the UK government would suspend the Triple Lock for State Pensions due to soaring inflation rates.
With State Pension increases possibly outpacing inflation by the start of the next tax year, and the government’s fiscal management leaving a lot to be desired, the future of the Triple Lock is in question ahead of the next General Election.
But what exactly is the Triple Lock, and how does it affect your pension? Here is a quick summary of what’s happening with the State Pension Triple Lock.

The UK government is facing criticism for ‘backtracking’ on energy efficiency targets for rental properties in England and Wales, but this news is likely to be welcomed by landlords who own older properties that may be expensive or difficult to upgrade.

Currently, any property to let in England and Wales must have an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) with a rating of E or above, otherwise it cannot legally be let. Under previous proposals, new tenancies would be expected to have a rating of C or above by 2025, while existing tenancies were expected to comply with this upgrade by 2028.

Not having a valid EPC can incur a penalty of £5,000, which was due to be increased to a £30,000 penalty under the discarded proposals.

However, in his recent speech on Net Zero, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak announced that these proposals are now being scrapped, as it is believed to be too costly and difficult for most households to meet those targets in such a short timeframe. /.