Author: Glenn

HMRC has launched a campaign targeting informal money transfer networks like Hawala, aiming to combat money laundering and protect communities. Businesses must register for AML supervision or risk fines, prosecution, or closure.

It is estimated that some £2 billion is laundered annually through these networks in the UK. This is a practice that is exploited by criminals to conceal the proceeds of serious organised crime.

These networks, often used by diaspora communities to send money abroad, rely on informal, trust-based systems like Hawala. These systems allow money to be transferred without crossing borders physically, relying instead on local trust networks between operators, or Hawaladars, to ensure the funds reach recipients in countries with limited banking access.

HMRC urges businesses offering these services to register for anti-money laundering supervision to protect themselves from criminal exploitation. Registration ensures that businesses implement proper controls to prevent money laundering. Failure to register can result in civil penalties, criminal prosecution, or business closure.

The campaign aims to educate Hawaladars about their legal responsibilities through community radio broadcasts, digital advertising, and local outreach. The initiative follows recent joint visits by HMRC and the National Crime Agency (NCA) to over 40 businesses to help operators understand their obligations.

HMRC’s Deputy Director for Economic Crime said:

“Informal money transfer networks, like Hawala, enable people to support family members in parts of the world where conventional banking is limited. These are vital services that we want to protect from criminal exploitation.

When criminals launder money through these networks, it funds serious organised crime that directly harms the very communities these services support.

By registering with HMRC, businesses can safeguard their services, protect their communities and operate within the law.”

Following the Spring Statement, HMRC is inviting feedback on the idea of expanding the use of advance clearances for R&D tax reliefs, aiming to reduce errors and fraud, provide businesses with more certainty, and make the overall process smoother for taxpayers.

This R & D clearance consultation will explore whether an advance clearance system could achieve these objectives and how it might be structured. The consultation is open for comments until 26 May 2025, and responses are welcomed from businesses that currently claim or plan to claim Research and Development reliefs, as well as industry groups and agents.

The consultation focuses on three main goals:

• Reducing errors and fraud
• Improving the customer experience
• Providing certainty to businesses

HMRC is clear that R&D tax reliefs should be simple to access, predictable, and provide clear assurance to legitimate claimants. This clarity is crucial for businesses to plan effectively and increase their R&D investments. While these goals are separate, they are closely connected.

HMRC acknowledges that the current voluntary R&D 'advance assurance' process hasn’t been as widely adopted as anticipated. The consultation will also look into whether voluntary or mandatory assurances would be more beneficial and outlines the various options under consideration.

In addition, a separate consultation has been launched to explore a new process that would offer increased tax certainty upfront for large-scale projects. This consultation will close on 17 June 2025.

​As of 31 March 2025, new regulations have come into effect in England, requiring workplaces to adopt simplified recycling practices. These measures aim to eliminate confusion over waste sorting, enhance recycling rates, and reduce waste sent to landfills or incineration. ​

Key Requirements for Workplaces:

• Separation of Waste Streams: Workplaces with 10 or more employees must arrange for the collection of:
  • Dry recyclable materials, including plastic, metal, glass, paper, and card.​
  • Food waste.​
  • Residual (non-recyclable) waste.​

Paper and card should be separated from other dry recyclables unless the waste collector permits combined collection. ​

• Flexibility in Collection: Businesses can determine the size of containers, and the frequency of collections based on their waste production volume. ​

These regulations apply to various non-domestic premises, including offices, educational institutions, healthcare facilities, care homes, charities, places of worship, and public meeting venues. ​

Support and Compliance:

The Environment Agency now oversees the regulation of Simpler Recycling, offering guidance to businesses and waste collectors to ensure compliance. Non-compliance may result in enforcement actions, including compliance notices. ​

By streamlining recycling practices, these new rules aim to increase the quality and quantity of recycled materials, supporting the transition to a more sustainable, circular economy in England.

In March 2025, the Pubs Code Adjudicator (PCA) wrote to all pub-owning businesses to reinforce the importance of complying with Regulation 46 of the Pubs Code. This regulation focuses on how premises insurance is handled and, crucially, the tied tenant’s right to seek a price match on insurance premiums.

Under Regulation 46, pub companies must give tenants full information about the premises insurance arrangements when the tenant is expected to pay the cost. This includes explaining how premiums are calculated and giving tenants the chance to shop around for a policy that offers similar cover at a lower price. If a tenant finds such a policy and it meets the standard of being “suitable and comparable,” the pub company must either take out that policy or agree in writing not to charge the tenant the difference.

The PCA’s action follows a compliance review in 2024 involving Star Pubs & Bars, which led to improvements in how Star explains insurance charges to tenants. Building on that, the PCA contacted all pub companies in October 2024 to encourage similar improvements, especially where self-insurance schemes are in place.

More recently, the PCA expressed concern that many pub companies may not be properly honouring the price match right. A key issue is clarity. Some companies appear to reject tenant-proposed policies on the basis that they aren’t “equivalent” or “better” than the company’s own. The PCA has reminded businesses that this isn’t the correct test. The law only requires a policy to be “suitable and comparable,” not identical.

Worryingly, the PCA’s 2024 Annual Tied Tenant Survey revealed that just 56% of tenants knew they had the right to challenge insurance costs through price matching. This lack of awareness could mean many tenants are paying more than they need to.

In its latest communication, the PCA has urged all pub companies to double-check their compliance with Regulation 46 and ensure that communications with tenants clearly explain the price match right. Businesses should avoid technical or vague language and give tenants confidence to use their rights without hassle or delay.

The PCA is also encouraging tied tenants and other stakeholders to share their experiences. Feedback helps the regulator assess whether the rules are being followed fairly and consistently across the industry.

By promoting awareness and pushing for fair treatment, the PCA is aiming to create a more transparent and balanced environment for tied pubs across England and Wales.

Student Loans help cover the cost of university or college in the UK. Whether you're full-time, part-time, or heading into postgrad study, here’s what you need to know about applying for 2025–26 funding—even if your plans aren’t final yet.

Student Loans are an essential part of the government’s financial support system for individuals pursuing higher education in the UK. These loans are designed to assist students in covering their living and educational costs during their time at university or college.

If you usually reside in England, you can apply for student finance for the academic year 2025-26. You can submit your application for student finance even if you are unsure about your living or studying arrangements. Applications for postgraduate students will be open at the end of April, while part-time applications will be available starting in May.

You can apply for several types of funding, including Tuition Fee Loans and Maintenance Loans. Applications can be made up to nine months after the start of your course’s academic year. If you are eligible for tuition fee-only funding, you will need to submit your application by post. However, for most applicants, the best way to apply is online through the Student Finance England website.

For those requiring financial assistance for further education courses at a college or training provider, it may be possible to apply for an Advanced Learner Loan instead.

The application procedures differ for students who are from Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland, and they should be aware of the specific requirements they need to meet.