Publications

The UK and Switzerland signed a tax agreement on 6 October 2011 (the "Agreement") to promote cooperation between the two countries in relation to taxation and cross border financial services. We have provided a short summary of the main provisions of the Agreement.

A briefing note on the Enterpreneur Visa, which provides a route into the UK for non-European migrants who want to set up or take over a business in the UK.

This short guide summarises the various tax reliefs that are available through EIS together with the criteria that must be satisfied by the investor and the company recovering the investment in order to ensure that the investment will qualify for the various tax reliefs.

The Enterprise Investment Scheme offers a range of tax reliefs (for income tax and capital gains tax) to investors who purchase new shares in smaller companies.

This short guide summarises the various tax reliefs that are available through EIS together with the criteria that must be satisfied by the investor and the company recovering the investment in order to ensure that the investment will qualify for the various tax reliefs.

On 29 November 2012, the Chancellor gave his Autumn Statement, which included plans to set up a new Seed Enterprise Investment Scheme. The aim is to provide a tax incentive for investment in start-up companies that is based on the existing Enterprise Investment Scheme tax reliefs.

The Government introduced new visa rules in March 2011 with the aim of attracting foreign investors. As a result the current Tier 1 UK Investor Visa is a relatively straightforward route for high net worth individuals coming to live in the UK.

We have seen from today's Autumn Statement that the Chancellor's back is against the wall. In light of the gloomy economic forecast, few specific changes have been proposed to our tax system and the relatively limited "tinkering" is probably welcome.

A recent ruling by HM Revenue and Customs ("HMRC") is a cautionary tale for those engaging staff on a self-employed basis.

HMRC has recently established its "Affluence Team". This two hundred member team will be tasked with looking into the tax affairs of the estimated 350,000 individuals whose personal wealth exceeds £2.5 million.

Dhana Sabanathan discusses how to preserve wealth for generations to come.

Whether an individual is UK resident or not can have a significant impact in relation to the taxation of their worldwide income and gains. Glen Atchison and Dhana Sabanathan look at the Government's recent issue of a consultation paper as a step towards introducing a Statutory Residence Test.

In this article, the Tax Group focus on the implications that the Coalition Government's First Budget will have for UK resident and non-UK domiciled individuals.

It has been another unusual year, and although many clients continued to face difficult markets, an increasingly large proportion have been thriving. Has a corner been turned? We don't think so yet - but the signs are encouraging, and we have begun 2011 with great optimism.

Read the Annual Review of our work and achievements from 2010.

The Chancellor's Budget announced a number of welcome changes clearly designed to rejuvenate investment in the UK. Entrepreneurs in particular are set to benefit, with significant positive changes in relation to Enterprise Investment Scheme (EIS) and entrepreneurs' relief. Furthermore the reduction of the rates of corporation tax should make the UK more competitive.

Harbottle & Lewis lawyers Tony Littner and David Scott contemplate George Osbourne's second Budget, due tomorrow, and what it will have in store for venture capital.

Untangling the legal affairs of married foreign nationals can make interpreting Resolution 1441 look like child's play, say Dhana Sabanathan and Katie Longmate from Harbottle & Lewis.

For many individuals who engage in even relatively straight forward tax planning, arranging their financial affairs may involve both lawyers and accountants. However, in light of the issue of privilege, the consequences of being advised by either a lawyer or an accountant can be far reaching.

You may think you've divorced yourself from the UK, but the taxman sees it differently. Glen Atchison and Dhana Sabanathan explain.

The UK's tough economic climate can make moving abroad look attractive but there are serious implications on paying tax

The coalition government recently announced its intention to generate an additional £7 billion a year in tax revenues by 2015 through targeting wealthy individuals. To achieve this, HMRC will rely upon far reaching (and increasingly extensive) information powers.

In the wake of increases to the top rate of tax, changes to the pension rules and the taxation of non-UK domiciled individuals, the question of whether to leave the UK has been on the minds of many wealthy residents.

The UK law on residence is notoriously convoluted and complex, largely due to the lack of one definitive statutory test. Furthermore, from 6 April 2009, the taxpayer cannot rely on the official guidance issued by HMRC (now known as "HMRC6") in court.

George Osborne delivered the new Coalition Government's eagerly awaited Emergency Budget this afternoon. No doubt more detail and reaction will emerge over the days and weeks ahead but this bulletin summarises the initial headline implications of the Emergency Budget for businesses and high net worth individuals.

Glen Atchison and David Scott summarise what they expect to be the most likely changes resulting from the Emergency Budget in 2010.

Since the introduction of the Finance Act 1986, HMRC has sought to tax non-resident, non-domiciled athletes competing in the UK both on the earnings they make while they are in the UK as well as on a proportion of their global endorsement income. The theory behind this decision is that a proportion of athletes' endorsement income can be directly linked to their performance in competitions held in the UK.