Bookkeepers Newsletter May

23 May 2012

ICB May Newsletter - 46,563 Subscribers

With this year's Bookkeepers Summit tickets selling at unprecedented speed since the Earlybird sale started last month, ICB thought it was time to revisit last year's event and get in touch with the 2011 Luca Award winners. 'It was the best day in my working life! It was such an honour to be nominated in the first place, but to win was overwhelming.....' Angela Capeling, Tutor of the Year 2011.

Diana Bruce - May 2012 Senior Policy Liaison Officer for the Chartered Institute of Payroll Professionals Expenses and benefits annual reporting As one tax year ends and another one begins, 2012 sees the last time that many employers will have to complete a large part of the end of year process...

HMRC secures plumber conviction

A plumber from Hampshire has been sentenced to four months in jail , suspended for 12 months, for tax evasion as a result of HMRC's targeted crackdown on various trades. This follows a number of HMRC investigations targeting plumbers, gas fitters and heating engineers who failed to take advantage of last year's Plumbers Tax Safe Plan (PTSP) to put their tax affairs in order. Those who came forward have already paid more than £4m in outstanding tax...

From the Chief Executive May

From the chief executive European Federation established to represent bookkeepers across the EU Following a series of meetings in the EU parliament, I am delighted to report that the ICB, in conjunction with a number of bookkeeping organisations from across Europe, has established the European Federation of Bookkeepers (EFoB). EFoB will be admit into membership the leading bookkeeping organisations from each state within the EU...

If you live in an area with a thriving business community looking to grow and become a real force both here and abroad, then you could be living in the most enterprising place in the UK. Communities are being encouraged to come forward and take part in a nationwide competition that will see a town, city or area crowned as the country's most enterprising place....

Clifford Henry Ian Attewell-Hughes, a director of one of Brighton's largest security companies, has been disqualified from acting as a company director for eight years, following an investigation by the Company Investigations Team of The Insolvency Service.The disqualification, which starts on 18 May 2012, also prevents Mr Attewell-Hughes from directly or indirectly becoming involved in the promotion, formation or management of a company for the duration of the term...

Charities will be able to claim top-up payments on up to £5,000 of small donations without needing Gift Aid declarations, under changes announced in The Queen's Speech. The Gift Aid Small Donations Scheme will boost the income of charities and reduce their administrative burdens as they will not have to collect Gift Aid declarations on all small donations....

Creating the right conditions for businesses to grow and succeed is at the centre of new business legislation announced in the Queen's Speech. The main elements include measures to set the purpose of the UK Green Investment Bank and ensure its independence, implement the competition landscape reforms, overhaul the employment tribunal system, cut unnecessary red tape for businesses and reform directors' pay...

Business and Enterprise Minister Mark Prisk is today leading the call for more organisations to sign up to the Mentorsme portal and join the national mentoring network. Over 100 mentoring organisations are already part of the initiative - more than double the number available when the service was first launched in July 2011.The Minister will today be holding a workshop with up to 60 of the mentoring organisations currently available through the portal...

People trading on the internet who haven't paid all the tax they owe have just one month left to take part in an opportunity offered by HMRC to get their tax affairs in order on the best terms available. Under the time-limited opportunity, known as the e-Markets Disclosure Facility, online marketplace traders who come forward at any time between now and 14 June and pay the tax, duties and interest they owe can benefit from lower penalties than those who wait for HMRC to catch up with...

RTI pilot forges on

HMRC has confirmed that a further 310 employer schemes will join the Real Time Information (RTI) pilot following its launch last month. Over 100,000 employee records have been successfully received by HMRC since 10 volunteer employers joined the RTI pilot on 11 April. The additional employers will join the pilot between 8 May and the end of June. RTI will make it easier for employers, pension providers and HMRC to administer PAYE...

People who have suffered bereavement and who need to contact HMRC will now find improved and streamlined processes from this month. Because bereavement can be a very difficult time, the department has created a dedicated telephone helpline and address box for people who need to contact HMRC about PAYE and Self Assessment matters relating to bereavement. Family members or personal representatives who phone HMRC about tax and bereavement will also be able to speak to a dedicated team...

A warning has been issued by HMRC about possible fake or "phishing" emails sent out by fraudsters. The period in the run-up to the tax credits renewal deadline often sees an increase in such attacks. Customers have to renew their claims by 31 July - or their payments may stop.The phishing emails often promise a rebate and, if taxpayers click on the link, they are taken to a cloned replica of the HMRC website. The recipient is asked to provide credit or debit card details...

Decision Making and The Limiting Factor

The latest Case Study by Dr Philip Dunn, Head of Education at ICB, covering vital information to help you and your business

Luca Award Winners - 6 months On...

Interview with winners from Practice of the Year and Tutor of the Year Luca Awards

Yorkshire and the Humber

Interview with the Yorkshire and the Humber Regional chair about their current meetings and visions for the future

Worcester Branch Meeting
Thursday 24 May 2012

London Branch Meeting
Wednesday 30 May 2012

Birmingham City Branch Meeting
Thursday 31 May 2012

London Day Group Meeting
Tuesday 12 June 2012

Cardiff Branch Meeting
Tuesday 12 June 2012

Lancashire Branch Meeting
Thursday 14 June 2012

Warwickshire Branch Meeting
Thursday 14 June 2012

Suffolk Branch Meeting
Thursday 14 June 2012

The Bookkeepers Summit 2012
Wednesday 07 November 2012

Members Dinner
Wednesday 07 November 2012

European Federation established to represent bookkeepers across the EU

Following a series of meetings in the EU parliament, I am delighted to report that the ICB, in conjunction with a number of bookkeeping organisations from across Europe, has established the European Federation of Bookkeepers (EFoB). EFoB will be admit into membership the leading bookkeeping organisations from each state within the EU. In addition to ICB from the UK, organisations from Brussels, Austria, Germany, Hungary, Poland and Switzerland are already signed up. ICB Ireland will represent Southern Ireland in the new body. Over the coming months we shall meet to discuss the setting up of a common level of qualifications and properly define the job role of a bookkeeper in each country. This will ultimately protect and strengthen the role of the bookkeeper and ensure that across Europe the importance of what we do is recognised and appreciated. The ultimate goal is to achieve cross border recognition.

COBCOE

I recently hosted a parliamentary business breakfast at the House of Commons, at which one of the speakers was Howard Rosen CBE, chairman of COBCOE (Council of Chambers of Commerce of Europe). COBCOE represents all the Chambers of Commerce across Europe, many of which are very active and to which, in some countries, it is almost obligatory to be a member if a company wants to export. Afterwards Howard and I discussed the need for bookkeepers across Europe and the need for cooperation between our respective organisations. As part of these on-going discussions, COBCOE has added ICB to the distribution list of its quarterly e-magazine, Links. This can now be viewed by ICB members from the following link: www.cobcoe.eu/files/cobcoe-links-magazine-spring-2012-eDtM3s.pdf

It is a very interesting read and on page 32 of the current magazine you will see a photograph of participants in the visit to Denmark of ICB Royal Patron, His Royal Highness Prince Michael of Kent. ICB EU Policy Advisor, Dr David Doyle, is pictured second from right. His Royal Highness and the small group of businessmen met with Danish businesses to discuss trade and cooperation between Denmark and the UK. The visit was organised by the Genesis Initiative, of which I am chairman of the Policy Senate. The Senate monitors and debates government policy that affects small businesses and lobbies MPs and others to achieve a more favourable trading environment. Genesis is comprised of more than one-hundred-and-fifty small business organisations, which between them represent in excess of one million UK small businesses - from engineers to master saddlers and from exhibition designers to bookkeepers. I am pleased that many of you have taken on clients that have come to the ICB as a direct result of our links with the Genesis member organisations. But I think more can be done to increase this number and the discussions with COBCOE are part of this.

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