December
Key Dates
04
Dec 2011
19/22 - PAYE/NIC and CIS deductions due for month to 5/12/2011
31
- Deadline for 2010/11 self assessment online returns to be filed
if you are an employee and want tax underpaid to be collected
by adjustment to your 2012/13 PAYE code (for underpayments of
up to £3000 only). VAT reclaim deadline for submission of
all claims for non EU traders wanting to reclaim VAT in the UK
Summary
of Autumn Statement
01 Dec 2011
There
were few surprises in the announcements made on 29 November. We
have listed below a few of the more topical issues:
•
Small Business Rate Relief to be extended for a further six months
from 1 October 2011.
• Public transport in London and regulated rail fares will
benefit from a reduction in fare increases next year. From 1 January
2012 fares will increase by 6.2% not the expected 8.2%.
• The expected increase of 3.02p per litre in the cost of
fuel due 1 January 2012 is deferred to 1 August 2012. The further
rise due in August is scrapped.
• Bank Levy to be increased.
• A new relief announced that will extend the Enterprise
Investment Scheme to small, new business start-ups. To be called
the Seed Enterprise Investment Scheme. 50% tax relief for individuals
investing and the offer of a capital gains tax holiday.
• Capital gains tax annual exemption frozen for 2012-13 at
£10,600.
• New 100% Capital Allowance for firms trading in six assisted
areas: the Black Country, Humber, Liverpool, North East, Sheffield
and Tees Valley.
• State Pension increases confirmed from April 2012: the
full basic pension will rise by £5.30 to £107.45 per
week; the full couple rate where entitlement is based on their
spouse’s or civil partner’s pension will rise by £8.50
to £171.85 per week.
• State Pension age to rise to age 67 in 2026.
• From the end of the current pay freeze, average public
sector pay increases will be limited to 1% for a further two years.
Working
in the USA
29 Nov 2011
Read
our advice here
BECTU
and TMA agree 2% pay deal
15
Nov 2011
Backstage
staff working in regional theatres will receive a 2% pay rise
under a new deal between BECTU and the Theatrical Management Association.
The
agreement will be backdated to April 4, 2011, while trainee staff
will also receive an additional 1% from October 3, 2011.
BECTU
said that the negotiations for the increase had taken a year “due
to controversial proposals to change key conditions of employment”.
After the TMA agreed to drop some of those proposals, BECTU members
voted narrowly in September to accept the pay review.
Meanwhile,
the house agreement for backstage staff working on the West End
production of The Lion King will see pay increase by 4.75% in
2011/12, 4.5% in 2012/13 and 4% in 2013/14.
Intracom
VAT Scam
10
Nov 2011
Company
Registrations have today made us aware of a new scam after numerous
suspicious letters have been sent to clients. These letters originate
from a firm called Intracom VAT Registry in Belgium, and are requesting
registration for EU VAT for the princely sum of £320.
This scam is actually rather sophisticated - the target receives
a very official-looking letter with tear-off edges (similar to
tamper-proof pay packets large companies issue to employees) sporting
their company number and registered address, which directs them
to a website where they must enter their "Confidential access
code".
Once
the code is entered the user is taken to a payment page that is
similarly official-looking, but of course lacks all the usual
bells and whistles you would expect from a legitimate website
(Verisign certification, contact information etc.).
It is important to remember that all company numbers and registered
addresses are publicly available from Companies House - these
letters could be coming from literally anywhere.
Minimum
Wage
01 Oct 2011
From 1st October 2011 there will be an increase in the minimum
wage rates as follows:-
16
to 17 year olds - increase to £3.68 per hour
(workers above school leaving age but under 18)
18
to 20 year olds - increase to £4.98 per hour
21
years and over - increase to £6.08 per hour
The
minimum wage for apprentices will increase to £2.60 per
hour. This will apply to:-
1. Apprentices under 19
2. Apprentices aged 19 and over, but in their first year of the
apprenticeship
Cuts & The Arts
28 Mar 2011
For
the latest news regarding cuts to the arts, see the Equity
website
The
Budget & Tax Breaks for Arts Philanthropy
28 Mar 2011
George Osborne has announced a raft of measures to encourage cultural
philanthropy in the budget. But will they work? more>
Budget
24 Mar 2011
For all the key points from George Osborne's budget click
here
Pinewood
To Back Low-Budget Movie-Makers
17 Mar 2011
Welcome news for the film industry this week as Pinewood Shepperton
revealed that it will be providing facilities and co-investment
to support low-budget British movies.
The
company will target films with production budgets of around £2m
each and will invest equity up to 20% per film. In addition to
generating return from this investment, Pinewood says it will
also benefit from these films using latent studio capacity and
ancillary services at its sites. more>
Sky
Media Joins The Product Placement Gold Rush
17 Mar 2011
For the next six months, expect more product integration into
TV shows as brands and broadcasters test the limits of new product
placement rules. This week, for example, the Alberto Culver hair
care brand TRESemmé signed a deal with Sky Media to sponsor
Britain's Next Top Model. Part of the deals involves product integration
within the show. more>
BBC
Starts Plotting Ways To Achieve Huge Savings...
17
Mar 2011
The
BBC has started to outline a few areas that might have to be cut
as a result of its recent licence fee settlement. Unfortunately,
it's not clear as yet whether as these are genuine proposals,
or a PR initiative designed to elicit sympathy for its plight
from the TV-watching public. more>
Twitter
15
Mar 2011
For
daily news, comments, advice & updates from Centre Stage 
(User name on Twitter is @CentreStageAcc). Ask us questions, DM
us, get in touch; we'd like to here from you.
Join
leading performers and SIGN THE PETITION TO SAVE THE ARTS
Mar 2011
Forty-six of the UK’s leading performers such as Kenneth
Branagh, Jo Brand, Helen Mirren and Martin Sheen have written
to the Observer warning that the arts in the United Kingdom are
facing the biggest threat in decades from funding cuts at national
and local level.
Please add your voice to theirs and sign the perition to save
the arts from these devasting cuts sign
the petition
Media
Industry Set For Changes In 2011
19 Jan 2011
For companies and individuals in the media industry, the year
2011 looks like it will be as conflicted and confused as its predecessor.
On the one hand, the UK government’s policy interventions
are forcing organisations to reassess how they do business. On
the other, changes in technology continue to impact on how companies
and customers relate. more>
