BRave Business and The Tax Factor

This week on The Tax Factor , Heather and Sarah (celebrate!?) 20 years of HMRC with a look at its latest performance woes, from phone line chaos and missing repayments to the absurdity of pursuing a taxpayer for £600. Also, this week, Holly Willoughby’s agency gets a stern reminder that HMRC doesn’t do celebrity favours, a fake Greggs manager pockets pandemic cash, and a warning...

This week on The Tax Factor, Heather Self and Rehana Earle look at HMRC scaling back phonelines and webchat services to tackle fraud. They discuss a recent SDLT case where timing could cost a taxpayer their refund, the tribunal sided with the taxpayer, but the battle may not be over yet. Making Tax Digital is expanding to the self-employed and landlords, but a new survey reveals worrying gaps in p...

In this week's episode of The Tax Factor, Roger Holman and Neil Insull look at the quiet storm that is April's new tax landscape - changes may have been light in the Spring Statement, but the devil, as ever, is in the (Autumn Budget) detail. In Guernsey, the government has done the unthinkable: opened a tax drop-in centre where people can actually talk to someone. A bold move that feels very diffe...

As it’s the end of the tax year John Bull and Robert Salter suggest that it’s time to move the tax year having been stuck on April 5th since 1752. Whilst Trump’s “Liberation Day” dominates international headlines there is further turmoil in the US as DOGE makes sweeping cuts to the US social security system. And here in the UK, the VAT battle on private school fees re...

This week on The Tax Factor, Blick Rothenberg CEO Nimesh Shah and Heather Self break down the Chancellor’s very uneventful Spring Statement. No surprises, no fiscal fireworks - but don’t be fooled. With major tax changes hitting in April, your wallet will feel it. And as for the Autumn? Nimesh and Heather predict another ‘black hole’ in the public finances, so could Labour...

This week John Bull and Malli Kini look at the latest tax stories making headlines and it’s clearly not been a great week for some. Former Liverpool star and Sky Sports pundit Phil Thompson has more to worry about than his Club’s recent cup exits, as he’s just lost his IR35 appeal, leaving him with a hefty £300,000 tax bill. Across the pond, the US tax scene is heating up,...

In today’s episode we take a look at the topic of rapid scale up businesses. What are some of the drivers to quickly grow a business and the key challenges to doing so? And what part do investment, cash flow, talent, customer service and brand have to play in that rapid growth story? Joining Declan to debate all of this are Blick Rothenberg Partner Stephanie Levin, with our guests Aidan Rush...

In this week’s Tax Factor, Ele Theohari and Tomm Adams look at a recent VAT tribunal case - are hair transplants a medical necessity or just cosmetic? Meanwhile, HMRC is under fire again. While they’ve launched a dedicated service to clear long-standing PAYE and Self-Assessment queries, MPs are questioning their leadership structure and fairness in customer service. Plus, we break down...

This week on The Tax Factor, Ele Theochari and Rehana Earle discuss the latest consultation on Agricultural and Business Property Relief and look at potential implications for farm businesses. They also review proposed changes to cash ISAs and consider whether the Chancellor will align with the needs of everyday savers. And with HMRC testing AI voice authentication, could this be the end of passwo...

This week Roger Holman and Neil Insull look at the record tax receipts in January. Looking forward to the Spring Budget Statement there are some big decisions about where to find more money. Perhaps controversially, Roger and Neil think Rachel Reeves should look at Fuel Duty and the late filing penalties. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on The Tax Factor, Nimesh Shah is joined by US tax expert Michael Holland to break down Trump’s latest blunder on VAT; has someone got the wrong end of the tax stick? Meanwhile, Elon Musk is diving into IRS tax data, but Michael warns it might not be the goldmine he expects. And with the cost of running the UK tax system soaring, will HMRC find those elusive efficiencies or are we...

This week on The Tax Factor, Nimesh Shah and Ola Adigun dive into the latest tax twists and surprises. Stats released by HMRC show year-end Self-Assessment filings have dropped unexpectedly, despite more people being expected to file. Meanwhile a High-Income Child Benefit Charge case saw HMRC send in the bailiffs over £1,000, Trump’s tariff flip-flopping raises questions, and Ola unpac...

This week on  The Tax Factor , Nimesh Shah and Heather Self explore potential updates to non-dom tax rules, the fluctuating figures in wealth tax discussions, and a new loan charge review aimed at resolving the long-running controversy. They also examine a recent High Court case in which American actor Mercer Boffey unsuccessfully argued that his Richmond home was exempt from Council Tax. Wit...

In this week’s episode, Robert Salter and Gabby Donald look at the major tax developments making headlines. They discuss the Trump administration’s executive order to withdraw the US from the OECD’s Global Minimum Tax (GMT) deal and ask: does this signal the demise of the GMT initiative? While closer to home, the Public Accounts Committee has accused HMRC of providing subpar serv...

In this episode we take a look at the topic of the Founder’s Mindset. How can founders become effective leaders, no matter what stage they are at on their business journey? How can leaders develop a founder’s mindset to scale or evolve their business? And what challenges might they face, and lessons might they learn, along the way? Joining Declan to debate all of this are Blick Rothenb...

Rehana Earle and Melissa Thomas look at the tax stories making headlines including the impact of HMRC staff strikes during the self-assessment filing season, and a Russian financier’s unusual claim that his bacon-smoking factory (complete with a wine cellar, pool room, and 40-foot bar) qualifies as a commercial space. They also discuss the curious case of a taxpayer hit with late filing pena...

In the first  Tax Factor  episode of 2025, Robert Salter and Neil Insull look at the latest tax topics for the new year. What are Rachel Reeves’ potential New Year resolutions and what are the implications of the recent NIC changes announced in the last Budget? Other highlights include tips and holiday pay, R&D tax relief, and HMRC’s reporting requirements for trading on...

In this Tax Factor Christmas Special, Nimesh Shah and Heather Self look back at some of the biggest tax stories of 2024. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on the Tax Factor, Heather Self and Neil Insull discuss two sports stars caught up in tax wrangles with HMRC. They also chat about how Ann Kaplan Mulholland, the owner of Lympne Castle in Kent, wants the King to grant independence to her estate so she can sit outside of the UK after the Government abolished the non-dom tax status and how ahead of the Budget many people took tax free lump...

This week on The Tax Factor, Nimesh Shah and Malli Kini discuss how the 'Beatles tax clause' has put a block on the tax 'wizardry' of Harry Potter actor Rupert Grint, landing him a £1.8m tax bill, and how a notorious VAT fraudster who had evaded HMRC for several years was tracked and caught after buying a kebab in Wales. They also discuss how HMRC have published their latest list of tax defaulters...

This week on the Tax Factor, Ele Theochari and Gabby Donald look at the latest tax stories in the news. These include a challenge surrounding VAT on school fees in relation to Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCP) from local authorities and a heads-up on the implementation of HMRC’s ‘Making Tax Digital’ initiative for Income Tax self-assessment. They also look at why the clock is ticking on a hi...

In this episode we take a look at the topic of Neurodiversity in Business. What are the realities and the truths behind the myths? What do neurodiverse people bring to an organisation? Is there a competitive advantage in employing them? And how can businesses attract and get the best out of their neurodiverse people? Joining Declan to debate all of this are Blick Rothenberg Partner Gail Cobley, wi...

This week, Rehana Earle and Ele Theochari look at how Inheritance Tax changes could hit farmers hard, depending on timing. They also discuss rising tax burdens worrying retailers, key updates and changes for 2023/24 returns, and the hot debate: should accountants charge for ad-hoc advice? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week, Head of Private Client John Bull joins Rob Goodley to talk about what a Trump presidency is likely to mean for the UK. They also look at rogue tax advisors and a tax ‘magic trick’ that HMRC took exception to, as well as a little talked about point in the Autumn Budget which they think is a good move. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Following the Autumn Budget, Nimesh Shah and Roger Holman take a look at some of the areas that have angered farmers, small businesses and parents. But was the Budget quite restrained? Nimesh suspects the story on Capital Gains Taxes is not over and there might there be more dramatic reform and change to come. And with the appointment of Donald Trump as President, what does this mean for US Govern...