What are tax breaks? How do they prove advantageous for business?
Small businesses must pay several taxes to operate legally in the country. Your tax amount depends on the business industry, nature, and government laws. However, a business cannot get away with it. You must pay the bill in full and timely to the HMRC. Alternatively, you must write or inform the authorities if you can’t pay the taxes.
However, you can reduce this burden by claiming tax breaks. It helps reduce the overall amount that one otherwise pays to the authority.
The blog discusses tax breaks and the eligibility for a business to claim these legally.
What does a tax break imply?
Also known as tax relief, it is a way to reduce your liabilities towards business taxes by analysing your contributions. It’s the government’s way of helping businesses to save money and invest in business. It also encourages businesses to donate to charities and invest in innovative technologies.
However, tax breaks do not imply avoiding or skipping tax. You still must pay the amount you qualify for after tax deductions. Apart from tax benefits, you may rationalise government schemes to reduce your overall payments.
Some tax breaks depend on your industry-specific and business structure. It is regardless of whether you are a sole trader or a limited company. Moreover, each tax break has its eligibility criteria.
Am I eligible to claim tax relief?
A business may qualify for multiple tax relief options. The criteria may differ accordingly. Here are the general criteria to qualify:
- You use the money you want to claim only for business purposes.
- You can also claim tax benefits if you work from home during the pandemic 2020/2021 tax year
- You must own at least 5% of the ordinary share capital
- Selling assets as a trustee
- Total asset value is higher than £25000
How much time does it take to claim tax relief?
It takes around 12 weeks for the HMRC to process a tax refund claim. It takes 8-10 weeks to ensure everything before releasing the claimant’s amount. The authority will re-send the final amount for the business to confirm. After that, you get the money within 3 days.
It is generally better to file for tax relief individually than to hire experts. It quickens the process. You may get your money quickly in that case. However, if you don’t want to engage in time-consuming paperwork and other terms, professional assistance may help. Whichever cause you choose may impact your initial operations. The claim may take longer.
What if you must finance or update inventory quickly?
Lacking sufficient funds to finance the purchase may delay inventory updates. Eventually, it may impact your sales. This is especially true when the product shares high demand. Thus, other facilities should be checked to finance it urgently. Some options grant you the opportunity to use the debt-locked cash.
You can merge all your debts to save a few pounds. You can do this even with a bad credit history. Just check affordable quotes for poor credit consolidation loans online. Choose the one that suits your finances and payment potential. You the amount you save to finance inventory update quickly.
What types of tax breaks can you claim?
If under PAYE, you can claim different types of tax relief against income tax. You may be eligible for:
a) Mileage tax relief
You can claim mileage tax relief if you use your car only for work-related purposes. The rebate you claim depends on the type of vehicle
b) Business travel expenses
You can claim accommodation and travel costs if travelling for business-related purposes
c) Bank credit card and other travelling charges
Some bank charge types qualify for tax rebates. These may include- business credit cards, interest on business loans, Hire purchase interest, lease payments
d) Business insurance policies
You can claim on insurance policies like- indemnity insurance, public liability insurance, and other small business insurance.
e) Charitable donations
Your liabilities towards corporation tax are reduced if you donate the following items as charity:
- Money
- Equipment or trading stock
- Land and property shares in other companies
- Sponsorship payments
You can claim tax relief by deducting the donation value from total business profits. You must do so before paying tax.
Can you claim a tax rebate on old expenses?
You can claim tax relief for previous business expenses for up to 4 years. To claim, you must have a clear record of your business expenses. HMRC either make adjustments or give you a tax rebate on older business expenses.
How does a tax break prove advantageous for business?
Claiming a tax rebate benefits a business in multiple ways. Apart from reducing tax liabilities, tax rebate helps a business in:
1) Increasing employment
You can use the money you claim to improve your workforce. You can either hire the best experts to assist you with tax filing and rebates. Alternatively, invest in hiring some experts for your business.
2) High capital transfers
Having sufficient cash flexibility grants businesses an opportunity to finance big-ticket purchase like- equipment, pay suppliers, or invest in business expansion. It helps you fulfil existing business needs without requirements.
3) Invest more in research and development
Research is important for any business type to gain a competitive advantage in the industry. However, small business with limited funds struggles to utilise the best technologies for the same. With the tax rebate, you can utilise some money in modifying the research and development structure.
Meanwhile, if you encounter any emergency, do not panic. You may not have sufficient capital after investment. However, you can surely get a quick 3000-pound loan for emergencies. You can finance any instant business need using the loan. Whether you must stock up or pay suppliers immediately, the loans may help.
4) Expand business operations internationally
Limited capital is the primary cause behind snail-pace business growth. It restricts one to adjust with what’s available. However, financial flexibility helps you achieve international business expansion dreams. It reveals the potential to create an entirely new identity in the world.
Bottom line
Tax breaks help a business accomplish goals without saving enough. It instead helps utilise the cash from contributions and taxation itself. It is the reason tax breaks are better than tax deductions. The latter one only offers a relaxation percentage. With tax relief, you get the value of what you spend. However, analyse the eligibility before claiming a rebate. It helps you analyse the facilities you can claim relief on. Eventually, it increases your savings.
Ailsa Adam is the Editor-in-Chief and former content head at Hugeloanlender. She has been a valuable member of the content strategy team since 2017 due to her abundant experience in the finance sector. Passionate about helping individuals navigate the world of loans and personal finance, she has dedicated herself to acquiring extensive knowledge on various financial products. Before her role at Hugeloanlender,
Ailsa worked as a seasoned journalist and writer, specialising in creating informative blogs and articles on diverse loan types. She is known for her meticulous research and commitment to delivering accurate and engaging content. She holds a degree in MBA Finance and has a keen interest in creative writing and art.
