our blog

From Property Alerts for fraud prevention, to energy efficiency requirements for rented properties, to Making Tax Digital for Income Tax delays – it’s essential for landlords to keep up with the latest regulatory changes.
For example, the Leasehold and Freehold Reform Bill was introduced in Parliament last November and is likely to be passed into law in mid-2024.
Also in November, the National Trading Standards Estate and Lettings Agency Team (NTSELAT) published two more sections of guidance for sales agents and letting agents regarding ‘material information’ in property listings.
Here’s what these changes could mean for landlords when it comes to advertising a property or extending a lease in 2024.

Following announcements made in the Autumn Statement 2023, new rules will come into effect for individual savings accounts (ISAs) from April this year.

Since launching in 1999, ISAs have offered an excellent route for building up tax-free savings, with different options and regulations introduced over the years.

Allowing savers to set aside ad-hoc sums up to an annual allowance, sheltered from income tax and capital gains tax, it’s no wonder that ISAs are so popular.

Now, changes coming into effect on 6th April 2024 to make ISAs more user-friendly will also make them even more attractive to more people hoping to build their savings – but there are some limitations to be aware of.

Last November, the measures announced in the Autumn Statement 2023 included some extensions and some cuts to business rates relief for the 2024–2025 tax year.

While the business rates burden may be alleviated for some businesses in England and the Scottish islands, businesses in Wales sadly will not be as fortunate.

Here are the latest figures for business rates relief and multipliers from 1st April 2024.

Calculated according to employment status and earnings, it’s essential for workers to pay National Insurance Contributions (NICs) to help provide funding for essential public services like the NHS, state pensions, and state benefits.

However, many people believe they are building up a national fund, when it’s more of a ‘pay as you go’ system – each year’s contributions pay for that year’s benefits.

Framing NICs that way, rather than as just another tax on income, previously allowed politicians to make headlines over basic income tax changes with less attention on revenue from increased NICs – but the Chancellor Jeremy Hunt seemed to give up on this approach last November.

In the Autumn Statement 2023, it was announced that upcoming NIC reductions would be the equivalent of tax cuts for employees and self-employed people.

As of 6th January 2024, the main rate of National Insurance has dropped by 2%, which is effectively a 15% reduction in National Insurance Contributions – resulting in significant savings for millions of workers across a variety of sectors.

Here’s a summary of the changes to NICs in 2024 and what this could mean for you.

According to the Office for National Statistics, the median age of the UK population increased from 30.96 years old in 2011 to 40.7 years old in 2021.

This gradual ageing of the population, combined with shifting work patterns brought about by COVID-19, has led to a rise in research on attitudes towards retirement.

The latest report to investigate such attitudes is Standard Life’s Retirement Voice 2023.

One of the topics it covers is the benefit of planning ahead for retirement – but what do people in the UK think about retirement planning, and when is the best time to start?

In welcome news for young workers and apprentices, minimum wage rates will increase substantially from 1st April 2024. However, this may put more pressure on employers who are already struggling in a difficult economic climate, as even small employers must pay the appropriate minimum wage.

Almost all workers in the UK are entitled to a minimum hourly pay rate known as the National Minimum Wage. The National Living Wage is a higher minimum pay rate currently available for workers over 23 years old, but this age limit will be reduced to 21 years old in the coming April.