The Budget: Pains or gains for businesses?
On 30 October 2024, the Chancellor, Rachel Reeves, delivered the Autumn Budget (‘the Budget’). This outlined the Government’s intention to increase spending on public services by an estimated £70 billion, with more than 50% of this investment being funded through taxation. This has created a degree of uncertainty for small business owners across the UK, who […]
Employee ownership trusts: Tax-free succession explained
Introduced in an effort to promote employee ownership of businesses, Employee Ownership Trusts (EOTs) allow business owners to sell their shares to an employee-owned trust free from CGT and grant tax relief on bonuses of up to £3,600. Indeed, even before the increases to CGT in the Autumn 2024 Budget, EOTs had become an ever […]
Tax changes in autumn budget 2024: Making employee ownership trusts (EOTs) more appealing?
Capital Gains Tax (CGT) and relief changes: How do these relate to EOTs? The Autumn Budget 2024 saw CGT rates rise to 18% and 24% with effect from 30 October 2024, up from 10% and 20% for lower and higher rate taxpayers, respectively. There are also phased changes to Business Asset Disposal Relief (BADR), it […]
How to sell a property in France
Selling property in France is a different experience compared to the UK, so it’s crucial to seek expert legal advice before making any commitments. At Tees, our bilingual legal specialists offer comprehensive support to ensure a smooth, stress-free transaction. Understanding the French property market The French real estate market often leans towards a buyer’s market, […]
Employers expected to take reasonable steps to prevent sexual harassment
Recent media coverage of allegations involving Gregg Wallace, underscore the challenges employers may face in managing third-party behaviour. While the specifics of the case remain unconfirmed and allegations are denied, the complaints shine a light on the importance of putting in place and enforcing robust preventative measures to mitigate such issues and risks. Employers should […]
The get Britain working again white paper
Britain’s labour market has faced numerous challenges in the last few years, with 2.8 million people reportedly unable to work due to long-term sickness[1], one in eight young people not being in education or employment[2] and having been most impacted by covid lockdowns in comparison to similar countries[3]. It is further reported that health benefits in […]
Budget uncertainty sparks market shifts and opportunities
There was some uncertainty within the housing market ahead of the Autumn Budget at the end of October, which was reflected in muted consumer activity. House price growth slowed ahead of the first Labour Budget in 14 years according to Savills. Mortgage rates rose slightly at the end of October as lenders repriced their fixed […]
Managing the managers: Lessons from NHS accountability reforms
A new era of NHS accountability The recent announcement by Health Secretary Wes Streeting, proposing stringent measures to overhaul NHS management, highlights a gear shift in how the Government expects healthcare performance to be scrutinised in England. NHS hospitals will soon be subject to league tables, measuring indicators like care delivery and financial performance, with […]
Health and Safety in the workplace
Whilst it is never a pleasant thing to think about accidents at work, they do occur. In order to avoid enforcement action corporate entities, directors and individuals need to ensure they comply with all relevant health and safety legislation or run the risk of large penalties and sanctions, convictions and reputational harm. As a result, […]
CIL liability and pre-commencement conditions: What developers need to know
Development in breach of pre-commencement conditions cannot attract CIL. There have been a series of Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) appeal decisions which suggest that CIL can be levied on development carried out in breach of pre-commencement conditions and therefore without planning permission (appeal references 3346994, 3330866, 3319897, 12001570). Such an approach is clearly unlawful and open to […]
Landlord rights: How to deal with difficult tenants
Dealing with problem tenants can feel like a nightmare for landlords. When problems occur during a tenancy, there are steps landlords can take to protect their rights. Here, our property dispute specialists give their top tips to avoid problems. Preventing disputes with tenants Of course, we’d all rather prevent disputes from happening in the first […]
Boundaries: The hedge and ditch rule
Do you know about the hedge and ditch principle? It’s an ancient rule that can be a shaft of sunlight through the fog of a rural boundary dispute. The hedge and ditch rule In a case in 1810, a few years before the Battle of Waterloo, Mr Justice Laurence said: “The rule about ditching is […]
