Communities and town centres across the UK are about to get a serious boost. The Government has unveiled sweeping reforms aimed at slashing red tape so new cafés, bars, music venues and outdoor dining spaces can spring up in former shops and quickly bring life back to high streets.

At the heart of the plans is a new National Licensing Policy Framework designed to replace outdated and inconsistent local rules with something streamlined, standardised and modern. That means fewer forms, faster decisions, lower costs and, hopefully, a lot more neighbourhood hangouts for locals to enjoy.

One of the flagship changes will be the introduction of dedicated hospitality zones. In these areas, planning and licensing permissions for things like alfresco dining, extended hours, street parties and general outdoor engagement will be fast-tracked to cut delays and encourage footfall and buzz on the high street.

Crucially, the reforms also embed the Agent of Change principle into national policy. That means developers building next to pubs, clubs or music venues must take responsibility for soundproofing. So long-standing venues are protected from noise complaints arising from new residential neighbours, and the local entertainment scene can continue without interruption.

These changes form part of the Government’s wider Small Business Plan and Plan for Change strategy, aimed at supporting the UK’s 5.5 million SMEs, which account for a substantial proportion of private sector jobs and turnover.

The Business Secretary explained that the goal is to turn vacant, shuttered shops into vibrant cafés or bars that support local jobs and give small entrepreneurs room to flourish. The Chancellor added that pubs and bars are at the heart of British life. The Government is scrapping outdated rules to protect al fresco dining, pavement pints and street parties, not just for summer but all year round.

Trade bodies welcomed the announcement but reminded ministers this needs to be the start of a bold, long-term approach. Industry representatives in particular urged that faster licensing must go hand in hand with meaningful business rate and operating cost reform to prevent businesses being taxed out of existence.

All measures are expected to follow an initial call for evidence, with a clear commitment to reduce administrative regulation costs by at least 25% as part of efforts to revitalise local economies.

You now need to set up a verified GOV.UK One Login to confirm your identity with Companies House.

To verify your identity at Companies House, you can use the GOV.UK online verification service if you have one of several accepted photo identification documents. These include a biometric passport from any country, a full or provisional UK photo driving licence, a UK biometric residence permit or card or a UK Frontier Worker permit.

You will also need to provide your current address along with the year you moved in, and you must sign into or create a GOV.UK One Login account to complete the process. Your verified identity will then be linked to your GOV.UK One Login account.

A recent update to the guidance published by Companies House makes it clear that each email address can only be used once for identity verification. If other individuals use the same email address to access GOV.UK One Login, they will need to register a separate account with a different email address.

If you do not have any of the accepted forms of photo ID but live in the UK, there are alternative ways to verify your identity. These include verifying your identity in-person at a Post Office or using details from your bank or building society account together with your National Insurance number.

If you are unable to verify your identity using any of the available online or in-person methods, you can appoint an Authorised Corporate Service Provider (ACSP), such as an accountant or solicitor to verify your identity on your behalf.

Married couples can pass on up to £1 million tax-free if they plan their estates carefully.

The Inheritance Tax  (IHT) nil-rate band is currently £325,000. This means there is normally no IHT to pay if an estate is valued below this threshold. This amount can be higher if you leave everything above the £325,000 threshold to your spouse, civil partner, a charity or a community amateur sports club.

In addition, there is an IHT residence nil rate band (RNRB) of £175,000. This is a transferable allowance for married couples and civil partners (per person) when their main residence is passed down to a direct descendent such as children or grandchildren after their death. The allowance is available to the deceased person’s children or grandchildren.

Any unused portion of the RNRB can be transferred to a surviving spouse or partner. The RNRB is in addition to the £325,000 nil-rate band. The allowance is available to the deceased person's children or grandchildren. Taken together with the current IHT limit of £325,000 this means that married couples and civil partners can pass on property worth up to £1 million (£325,000 x 2 plus £175,000 x 2) free of IHT to their direct descendants. 

The transfer does not happen automatically and must be claimed from HMRC when the second spouse or civil partner dies. This is usually done by the executor making a claim to transfer the unused RNRB from the estate of the spouse or civil partner that died first.

There is a tapering of the RNRB for estates worth more than £2 million even where the family home is left to direct descendants. The additional threshold will be reduced by £1 for every £2 that the estate is worth more than the £2 million taper threshold. This can result in the full amount of the RNRB being tapered away. 

VAT relief is available on goods and services for people with long-term illnesses or disabilities. 

There are special VAT reliefs available for certain people living with disabilities or long-term illnesses. These reliefs are generally available on certain products and services designed specifically for their personal or domestic use. This VAT relief covers not only the product itself but also installation, repairs, maintenance as well as related spare parts and accessories.

Eligible items typically include adjustable beds, stair lifts, wheelchairs, medical aids, low vision aids (excluding glasses or contact lenses) and home building works such as ramps, widened doorways or lifts. Motor vehicles purchased or leased through the Motability scheme may also qualify.

To benefit from this relief, the individual must meet HMRC’s criteria which usually covers those with a long-term physical or mental condition affecting daily life, chronic illnesses such as diabetes or terminal conditions. Age criteria alone, or temporary disabilities, do not qualify.

Buyers must provide a written declaration confirming their eligibility. Most suppliers will provide a standard form for this purpose.

For imported items, qualifying goods for personal use can benefit from VAT relief if they are properly declared.

Local councils may also offer support or funding for necessary home adaptations, helping ensure greater independence and quality of life for disabled individuals.

Who values goodwill when a business is sold? HMRC's Shares and Assets Valuation team takes the lead.

Whether the goodwill belongs to a sole trader, partnership or limited company, HMRC’s SAV team will either accept the submitted valuation, give their own open market estimate, or state they need more information.

For non-corporate goodwill, the SAV team have the following options for valuing goodwill:

• Accepting the valuation
• Providing an opinion of Open Market Value if the claim appears under or overvalued
• Stating that insufficient information is available to form a view

Corporate goodwill valuations are usually submitted directly to SAV as informal or formal requests. When Trade Related Property is involved, the SAV team will liaise with the Valuation Office Agency.

These are the key issues the SAV team will look at when valuing goodwill:

• the full sale and purchase documentation relating to the transfer of both tangible and intangible assets;
• succession arrangements;
• the valuation approach used – e.g. capitalisation of profits, super profits or a trade specific method;
• the activities of the business and role of the owners within it;
• the financial statements/accounts (including the detailed trading and profit and loss account) for the 3 years before valuation;
• any other relevant financial information;
• appropriate yield and multiples of comparable companies and sectors;
• the commercial and economic background at valuation date;
• how the personal goodwill of the owner has been reflected in the valuation; and
• any other relevant factors.

Open market value must exclude any assumptions about a "special purchaser" unless industry norms support synergy-based premiums.