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We've scoured the web to get you the most up-to-date advice which includes the most useful tools on offer from the officials themselves.

Effective tax planning is essential if you are to minimise your tax bills. Simple tax planning can significantly reduce your tax liabilities.

The self-assessment tax return is an unavoidable burden if you are liable for self-employed tax or have complicated income tax affairs.

Corporation tax is charged on a company's profits. If you trade as a limited company, ensure that paying this tax is as painless as possible.

National Insurance Contributions (NICs) are payable whether you are self-employed or employed by your own company, although different rates apply.

As well as your legal obligations, you’ll want to ensure that payroll is painless and that you use any opportunities to improve your tax-efficiency.

VAT

Effective VAT planning aims to ensure that VAT is relatively painless, and that you are reclaiming as much as possible of the VAT you pay.

Capital gains are made when you sell something for more money than you paid for it. As a result, you can be subject to tax. Take professional advice.

Business property taxes apply to businesses with commercial premises.There are two commercial property taxes: business rates and stamp duty land tax.

If you have tax problems or face a tax investigation, it pays to seek professional advice and you must act rather than just hoping for the best.

One in four firms doing nothing to improve boardroom diversity

20 October 2020

A quarter of employers (24%) make no effort to attract and recruit more diverse candidates for top-level jobs, according to a new report.

The Resourcing and Talent Planning Survey 2020, published by recruitment specialists Omni RMS and the Chartered Institute of Personnel Development (CIPD), has found that recent improvements in diversity in the workplace have happened "by accident rather than design".

The survey findings show that while 41% of employers have recruited a more diverse workforce in the past year, only 23% go beyond basic legislative requirements with regards to their recruitment and selection processes.

The poll of 660 employers also found that:

  • Only 37% monitor their recruitment to obtain data on protected characteristics;
  • 27% remove certain biographical details from initial selection process;
  • One third (33%) ensure they have a diverse interview panel or hiring team;
  • Just 23% check that recruitment tests used are valid, reliable and objective.

The use of technology during the recruitment and selection process - from chatbots to video CVs - is also explored in the report. The findings show that 28% of employers say it has helped to reduce unconscious bias to a large or moderate extent - and they are also more likely to report that technology has increased the diversity of their hires.

Claire McCartney, senior resourcing and inclusion adviser at the CIPD, said: "The findings of this report suggest that improvements in workforce diversity have happened by accident rather than design. We could be making quicker and considerable progress with a more strategic approach.

"It's particularly disappointing to find that a quarter of organisations are not doing anything to improve boardroom diversity. Not only is this where the problem is most acute … but achieving change here would have maximum impact. We need to have a broad range of diverse people in decision-making roles and be role models for future talent.

"Employers can't expect to make meaningful change through a leave-it-and-see policy. Improving diversity needs to be actively worked on and we'd encourage all employers to add much more rigour, consistency and challenge into their recruitment and selection processes."

Louise Shaw, director of resourcing transformation at Omni RMS, said: "Despite some positive findings, it's disappointing that little progress has been made since 2017. The #BlackLivesMatter protests brought the racial inequalities within our societies and workplaces into sharp focus, and we believe organisations must be held accountable for ensuring greater racial and, of course, broader diversity at the very top."

Written by Rachel Miller.

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