Double tax on estates can still hit families hard, even with treaties in place. When someone dies with ties to more than one country, their estate may face inheritance tax in both jurisdictions. Fortunately, the UK has Double Taxation Conventions with several countries to help reduce or eliminate this burden. Understanding how these treaties work, and what happens when no agreement exists, can make a big difference when dealing with international assets and long-term UK residents treated as UK domiciled.

Under these agreements, the country where the deceased was domiciled (or treated as domiciled) has primary taxing rights over all assets. The other country may only tax specific assets located in its own territory, such as land or buildings. Since 6 April 2025, long-term UK residents are treated as deemed UK domiciled for Inheritance Tax (IHT) purposes.

If double taxation still occurs, the DTC determines which country gives credit for the tax paid to the other. Relief is generally given in the UK through a credit for the overseas tax paid against the IHT due in the UK on the same assets already taxed.

The UK has current double taxation agreements that apply to IHT with countries including the USA, Ireland, South Africa, Sweden, Switzerland and the Netherlands. Older treaties exist with France, Italy, India and Pakistan but follow different rules and don’t have a provision for deemed domicile.

If no DTC exists, Unilateral Relief may be available. HMRC may still give credit for foreign tax on overseas assets, using a set formula to calculate proportional relief.

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) are not just numbers on a dashboard; they are tools to help business owners make better decisions. But with so many metrics available, how do you know which ones matter most for your business?

The answer is simple: start with your goal. KPIs should always support what you are trying to achieve, whether that is growth, efficiency, stability or profitability.

If your goal is overall financial health, net profit margin is a great place to begin. It tells you what percentage of each pound earned is actually kept after all costs. It cuts through the noise and helps business owners see whether they are making money in a sustainable way.

Focusing on cash flow? Track operating cash flow or free cash flow. Profit does not always equal cash in the bank, and many profitable businesses have come unstuck by running out of working capital. Cash flow KPIs show whether your business model is viable on a day-to-day basis.

Want to improve marketing results? Look at customer acquisition cost and customer lifetime value. These two KPIs help you measure whether your marketing spend is delivering a return and how valuable your average client really is.

If your focus is customer loyalty, then client retention rate is key. High retention usually points to satisfied clients, a strong service offering, and predictable revenue. Low retention can indicate pricing issues, poor communication or service problems.

Looking to grow your team or expand services? Keep an eye on revenue per employee or gross profit per fee earner. These metrics highlight how productive your people are, and whether adding more staff will drive profit or just increase overheads.

There is no universal KPI that works for everyone. The best approach is to pick a small set of KPIs (three to five), review them regularly, and use them to shape decisions.

KPIs turn a report into a roadmap, which provides informed and actionable to-do’s.

Starting your own business can be an exciting and liberating decision. But passion and ambition alone are rarely enough. One of the most overlooked factors in business failure is a lack of direct experience or knowledge in the chosen industry. Put simply, someone who has spent their working life as a plumber is unlikely to make a success of running a restaurant without serious planning, training or help.

Every industry has its own rhythm, customer expectations, regulations and operational quirks. When you know the business from the inside out, you already understand what a typical day looks like, where the risks lie, what customers value most and which details really matter. That type of knowledge can be priceless when problems arise, and it often helps keep costs under control too.

Trying to run a business in a sector you are unfamiliar with often means learning everything at once: pricing, supply chains, compliance and customer service, all while managing staff and watching the cashflow. That is a tough ask for anyone, especially when you have your own money on the line. You may find yourself relying too heavily on advisers or hiring experienced staff who quickly realise they know more about the business than the owner.

Of course, there are exceptions. People sometimes succeed in completely new industries, especially if they partner with someone who brings the missing expertise. But the risks are higher, and the margin for error is smaller. Without lived experience in the sector, even simple decisions can go wrong — choosing the wrong location, targeting the wrong customers or misunderstanding seasonal demand patterns.

If you are thinking about starting a business in an unfamiliar sector, consider ways to build your knowledge first. This might include shadowing someone in the trade, taking relevant training courses or working part-time in the industry. Alternatively, collaborate with a business partner who knows the ropes and shares your goals.

Ultimately, your chances of success rise sharply when you understand both the day-to-day realities and long-term dynamics of the business into which you are getting. Passion is a great driver but pairing it with experience makes it far more likely that your new venture will thrive.

Employers must act now to meet the deadline for paying Class 1A NICs for 2024–25 to avoid HMRC penalties. These contributions are due by 19 July 2025 if paying by post, or by 22 July 2025 for electronic payments. Class 1A NICs apply to most taxable benefits given to employees and directors, including company cars and private medical cover. Employers should ensure payments are correctly referenced using their Accounts Office reference number and clearly mark the relevant tax year. Importantly, July payments always relate to the previous tax year, even if made in the new tax year.

Class 1A NICs are payable by employers on the value of most taxable benefits offered to employees and directors, such as company cars and private medical insurance. They also apply to any portion of termination payments exceeding £30,000, provided Class 1 NICs have not already been deducted.

To ensure payments are correctly allocated, employers should use their Accounts Office reference number as the payment reference and clearly indicate the relevant tax year and month. Note that Class 1A NICs paid in July always relate to the previous tax year.

These contributions typically apply to benefits provided to company directors, employees, individuals in controlling positions, and their family or household members.

As of April 2025, more employers can claim the increased £10,500 Employment Allowance thanks to relaxed eligibility rules. This increase will help employers reduce some of the impact of the recent increases in employers' NIC.

The Employment Allowance allows eligible employers to reduce their National Insurance liability. The current allowance that applies from April 2025 is £10,500. Previously, the allowance was £5,000 per year. You can claim less than the maximum if this covers your total Class 1 NIC bill. 

A claim for the Employment Allowance is usually made when filing your Employer Payment Summary (EPS) as part of the Real Time Information (RTI) submissions to HMRC.

The previous eligibility restriction, which limited the allowance to businesses with less than £100,000 in annual employer NIC liabilities, was removed with effect from April 2025. This change means that more employers can now qualify for the allowance.

Connected employers or those with multiple PAYE schemes will have their contributions aggregated to assess eligibility for the allowance. The Employment Allowance can be used against employer Class 1 NICs liability. It cannot be used against Class 1A or Class 1B NICs liabilities. The allowance can only be claimed once across all employer’s PAYE schemes or connected companies. De minimis state aid rules may also apply in restricting the use of the allowance.

Employment Allowance claims need to be re-submitted each tax year. There are a number of excluded categories where employers cannot claim the employment allowance. This includes limited companies with a single director and no other employees, employees whose earnings are within IR35 ‘off-payroll working rules’ and someone you employ for personal, household or domestic work (unless they are a carer or support worker).