Author: Glenn

A trade mark is a vital tool for protecting the identity and reputation of your business. It can take the form of a name, logo, slogan, shape, or even a sound, and once registered, gives you exclusive rights to use that mark in connection with specific goods or services. In the UK, trademarks are registered through the Intellectual Property Office (IPO), providing legal protection across the country.

The main value of a trade mark lies in safeguarding your brand. A registered trade mark prevents others from using the same or a similar mark in ways that could confuse customers or damage your reputation. Without a trade mark, your business is more vulnerable to imitation or misuse, which can lead to costly disputes or the need to rebrand entirely.

Brand recognition is another key benefit. When customers see a trade mark, they associate it with certain standards of quality and service. This builds loyalty and trust, helping to secure repeat business. A strong trade mark becomes a shorthand for everything your business represents, giving you a competitive edge.

From a commercial perspective, trademarks are valuable assets. They can be sold, licensed, or used to attract investors. As your business grows, a trade mark can open up opportunities for franchising or partnerships. For businesses looking to scale, having brand protection in place adds credibility and can enhance the overall value of the company.

A registered trade mark also helps you avoid legal issues. Before registration, the IPO checks for conflicting marks, reducing the risk of infringement. And if someone does attempt to copy your brand, having a trade mark gives you strong legal grounds to enforce your rights and prevent further misuse.

In summary, applying for a trade mark is a practical and often overlooked step that can offer long-term protection and commercial benefits. It gives peace of mind, legal clarity, and helps to build a stronger, more trusted business. Whether you are starting out or looking to secure an existing brand, registering a trade mark is a sound investment in your business’s future.

When someone agrees to become a director of a UK limited company, they take on a set of legal responsibilities defined under the Companies Act 2006 and other relevant legislation. These duties are not just symbolic – directors have a legal obligation to act in the best interests of the company, its shareholders, and, in certain cases, its creditors.

Statutory duties under the Companies Act

The core legal duties are set out in sections 171 to 177 of the Companies Act 2006. These include:

• Duty to act within powers – Directors must follow the rules set out in the company’s Articles of Association and only use their powers for proper purposes.
• Duty to promote the success of the company – Directors must act in good faith to promote the company’s success for the benefit of its members. This includes considering long-term consequences, employees' interests, the company’s reputation, and its impact on the environment.
• Duty to exercise independent judgement – Directors must make their own decisions and not be unduly influenced by others.
• Duty to exercise reasonable care, skill and diligence – This duty combines objective and subjective standards. A director must show the care, skill and diligence that would be expected from a reasonably diligent person with their knowledge and experience.
• Duty to avoid conflicts of interest – Directors must avoid situations where they have or could have a conflict of interest with the company’s affairs.
• Duty not to accept benefits from third parties – They must not accept benefits that arise from their role as director if it could lead to a conflict of interest.
• Duty to declare interest in a proposed transaction – Directors must declare any personal interest in a transaction or arrangement the company is considering.

Other legal obligations

In addition to the Companies Act duties, directors must ensure that the company complies with its legal responsibilities. This includes filing annual accounts and confirmation statements with Companies House, ensuring tax compliance with HMRC, operating PAYE schemes where appropriate, and observing health and safety laws.

Personal risk and accountability

Directors can be held personally liable for breaches of their duties, particularly if the company becomes insolvent and they have failed to act properly. Disqualification, fines, or even criminal penalties can follow in serious cases.

Accepting a directorship is a serious commitment. Directors must understand their obligations and, if unsure, seek professional advice to avoid legal pitfalls.

Tax perks for Furnished Holiday Lets have ended. From April 2025, lettings fall under standard rental rules. Check the transition rules to avoid surprises.

The tax advantages that were previously available to property owners letting their properties as short-term holiday lets, known as Furnished Holiday Lets (FHL), has now ended. The changes took effect on 6 April 2025 for Income Tax and Capital Gains Tax, and on 1 April 2025 for Corporation Tax and Corporation Tax on chargeable gains.

The following is a summary of the key transitional rules that apply as FHL status is phased out and properties are brought under the standard property rental business regime:

• FHLs will no longer qualify for capital allowances but can claim "replacement of domestic items relief." Existing capital allowance pools can still use writing-down allowances, but new any expenditure will follow standard property business rules.
• FHL losses, which could only be offset against future FHL profits, will now be absorbed into the wider UK or overseas property business and offset accordingly.
• Carried-forward FHL losses can still be set against future profits of either the UK or overseas property business as appropriate.
• Eligibility for reliefs like roll-over relief, business asset disposal relief, and gift relief have now ended, however, where criteria for relief includes conditions that apply in a future year these specific rules will not be disturbed where the FHL conditions were satisfied before repeal.
• Business asset disposal relief may still apply if the FHL business ceased before the changes and disposal occurs within the normal three-year period following cessation.
• An anti-forestalling rule, effective from 6 March 2024, blocked the use of unconditional contracts to secure capital gains relief under old FHL rules.

Employers must pay Class 1A NICs on 2024–25 benefits by 19 July (22 July if paying electronically). Avoid penalties by meeting deadlines and using correct references.

Employers are reminded of the upcoming Class 1A National Insurance contributions (NICs) deadline, which applies to most benefits in kind provided to employees during the 2024–25 tax year. These contributions must be paid by 19 July 2025 (or 22 July 2025 if paying electronically) to avoid penalties.

Class 1A NICs are payable by employers on the value of most taxable benefits provided to employees and directors, such as company cars and private medical insurance. They are also due on the portion of termination payments exceeding £30,000, where Class 1 NICs haven’t already been applied.

To ensure payment is correctly allocated, employers must use their Accounts Office reference number as the payment reference and indicate clearly which tax year and month the payment relates to. Note that Class 1A NICs paid in July will always relate to the previous tax year.

There are three key dates to keep in mind for 2024–25 Class 1A NICs:

• 6 July 2025 – Submission deadline for forms P11D and P11D(b) (‘Return of Class 1A National Insurance contributions due’)
• 19 July 2025 – Deadline for postal cheque payments to be received by HMRC
• 22 July 2025 – Deadline for electronic payments to clear into HMRC’s bank account

These contributions are typically due on benefits provided to:

• Company directors and those in controlling positions
• Employees
• Family members or household members of the above

Following a Bank Rate cut to 4.25%, HMRC late payment and repayment interest rates will drop from 19 and 28 May 2025. Check which taxes this affects.

The Bank of England’s Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) met on 8 May and, in a narrow 5–4 vote, decided to reduce the interest rate by 25 basis points, bringing it down to 4.25%. Of the four dissenting members, two supported a larger cut to 4%, while the other two preferred to keep the rate at 4.5%. This marks the fourth interest rate reduction since August 2024.

This means that the late payment interest rate applied to the main taxes and duties on which HMRC charges interest will decrease from 8.5% to 8.25%. This change takes effect on 19 May 2025 for quarterly instalment payments, and on 28 May 2025 for non-quarterly instalment payments.

Additionally, the repayment interest rate HMRC pays on main taxes and duties will also drop by 0.25%, from 3.5% to 3.25%, from 28 May 2025. The repayment rate is calculated as the Bank Rate minus 1%, subject to a minimum of 0.5%.