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25 November 2020: The eligibility criteria for the third SEISS grant have been further tightened. ICAEW’s Tax Faculty warns that the rules have changed, and claimants need to consider them carefully before claiming from 30 November.The guidance for the third Self-employment Income Support Scheme (SEISS) grant has been published, less than one week before the portal opens for claims from 30 November 2020.Earlier government policy announcements indicated that to qualify for the third grant, the business needs to not only be adversely affected due to coronavirus but also to:be currently trading…

20 November 2020: HMRC confirms that annual party exemption applies to virtual festivities, including gifts consumed at the party. In the Insights story explaining how the staff party exemption might apply this festive season, the Tax Faculty highlighted factors to consider when planning virtual parties. ICAEW is pleased to report the taxman is not a grinch at all and is ready to spread some virtual cheer. HMRC will soon update its guidance, but has confirmed that virtual parties for employees are exempt from tax where the cost does not…

1 December 2020: HMRC has temporarily suspended the requirement for an activation code to be sent in the post before taxpayers can access the self assessment online filing service. The normal process for taxpayers who want to sign up to file a self assessment (SA) tax return online involves HMRC sending an activation code through the post. This can take up to 10 days to arrive and the code expires after 28 days. Overseas taxpayers often receive the code after it has expired. Taxpayers waiting for their code frequently…