Let our clients tell you about us

Testimonials

The greatest compliment we receive is a client recommendation. Below are just a few of the kind words our clients have shared about working with Shipleys Tax.

The value of a close relationship

“We value the close working relationship we have with Shabeer and the specialist teams at Shipleys Tax and have found them very knowledgeable, friendly and quick to respond to our queries. Shabeer has attended several of our practice meetings and his advice regarding partnership succession issues has been invaluable. I would highly recommend Shipleys to other GP practices.”

Dr Khan, GP Surgery — Yorkshire

Dubai expat return — saved from a £1.2m UK tax bill

“After selling my business in Dubai I was planning to return to the UK the following year. A friend suggested I speak to Shipleys Tax before booking flights and it turned out to be the best decision I made. Shabeer quickly identified that I was about to walk into the temporary non-residence rules and face a UK tax bill in excess of £1 million on gains I had assumed were safely outside the UK net. With their guidance we restructured the timing of my return and my affairs completely legitimately — the tax saving was life changing. I cannot thank them enough.”

Imran — UK Entrepreneur, returning from Dubai

Fixed fee promise and no surprise bills

“One of the most frequent issues we had with our previous accountants was not being made aware, in advance, of the fees to be charged. Shipleys Tax were a breath of fresh air, always completely transparent — and no charges for any phone calls or meetings.”

FM Medical Practice — Manchester

CGT planning for dental practice sale

“Selling the dental practice I had built over 25 years was always going to be emotional, but I wasn’t prepared for the tax complexity. Abdul and the team at Shipleys Tax walked me through every option, explained the capital gains tax implications in plain English, and structured the sale in a way that saved me a significant amount of tax. Their attention to detail and proactive planning made all the difference — I only wish I had spoken to them sooner.”

Kevin — Derby, Dental Practice Owner

Property portfolio incorporation

“After Section 24 mortgage interest changes my buy-to-let portfolio had become a nightmare. I was paying tax on income I was never actually seeing. Shipleys Tax took the time to properly assess whether incorporation made sense for my specific situation — no hard sell, just honest advice. They modelled out ten years of projections, handled the entire restructuring including the SDLT planning, and now my portfolio is fit for the future. Genuine property tax specialists, not just accountants who dabble.”

Rashid — Leeds, Property Investor

Partner-led client service promise

“Accountants seem to promise the earth but don’t deliver do they? Well we found the opposite. Abdul made himself available on so many occasions and even on weekends when we had a really major panic with a sale. Really grateful to him for his advice and foresight. If we needed to talk, they listen. It really is that simple.”

Sabina — JL Healthcare

Inheritance tax mitigation and estate planning

“After losing my husband I was concerned about the inheritance tax exposure on our family estate. Shabeer took the time to properly understand our family situation before recommending anything. The advice I received on IHT mitigation was clear, practical and completely tailored to us — not an off-the-shelf solution. My children and grandchildren are now in a much better position and I have genuine peace of mind. I cannot recommend Shipleys highly enough.”

Louise — Leeds

Family Investment Company succession planning

“My family business had reached a point where I wanted to start bringing my children into ownership without giving up control or triggering a huge tax bill. Shipleys Tax designed and implemented a Family Investment Company structure that achieved everything I needed — I retain voting control, future growth passes to the next generation, and the inheritance tax position is now properly protected. Shabeer took the time to understand our family dynamics as well as the numbers, which was invaluable.”

James — Sheffield, Family Business Owner

GP practice incorporation

“Our GP partnership had been considering incorporation for years but no one could give us a straight answer on whether it was right for us. Shipleys Tax produced a detailed review of our specific circumstances, modelled out the tax savings over five years, and handled the entire incorporation process end to end. The transition was seamless and the tax savings have already exceeded their projections. A genuinely specialist firm that understands GPs.”

Gill — Manchester, GP Practice

HMRC tax investigation defence

“When HMRC opened an enquiry into my company, my existing accountants were completely out of their depth. A colleague recommended Shipleys Tax and within a week they had taken over the correspondence, identified the technical issues HMRC had got wrong, and put together a robust response. The case was closed within months with a fraction of the adjustment HMRC originally proposed. Their calm, experienced handling of what was a genuinely stressful time made all the difference. Having ex-HMRC Inspectors on their team was clearly a huge advantage.”

Dr Ahmed — Manchester, Private Practice Consultant

VAT reclaim for locum doctor agency

“We had been charging VAT on locum doctor supplies for years, assuming HMRC’s position was settled. When Shipleys Tax flagged the Isle of Wight tribunal decision to us, they didn’t just send a generic update — they actually reviewed our contracts, ran the numbers on partial exemption, and built a properly evidenced reclaim. The recovery was substantial and the process was completely painless on our side. The fact they understand both the VAT technical side and the commercial reality of running an agency made all the difference.”

Medical Staffing Agency — Yorkshire

Employee Ownership Trust exit

“I had built my company over 20 years and wanted an exit that looked after my staff rather than selling to a trade buyer who would strip it down. Shipleys Tax walked me through the Employee Ownership Trust route in detail — the pros, the cons, and honestly the complications too. They didn’t just sell me a product. When we went ahead they handled the entire transaction, including the HMRC clearance, and the result was exactly what I had hoped for. The team continues to thrive and my legacy is intact.”

David — Leeds, Business Founder

Going above and beyond

“I came to Shipleys Tax through a personal recommendation, at the time I was in a transitional period. I had already taken some steps towards self-employment, however I had no idea what I was doing and the information I received from others was inaccurate for what I needed. I needed someone to understand and help me resolve all the mess I was creating.

Abdul stepped in just at the right time. He dealt with all the paperwork, as well as giving me valuable advice on how to save tax, which was brilliant. I felt I was looked after, my needs taken care of without me feeling like being a burden.

I would recommend Shipleys to anyone that wants an experienced professional team. They are always eager to help and support your company and offer advice when needed, but above all they are always willing to go over and beyond expectation every time.”

Bella

Latest news & blogs…

Beware of unscrupulous R&D tax relief claim companies

TO PREVENT the abuse of Research & Development tax credit relief claims, HMRC are looking to step up their crackdown on unscrupulous companies promoting exaggerated claims.

At Shipleys Tax, we are aware of the many pitfalls of an ill-prepared claim and the issues to avoid and how you can maximise the the tax relief claim.

This was borne out by the recent case of AHK Recruitment v The Commissioners for HMRC in the First Tier tax tribunal where a claim for Research & Development (R&D) was denied due to lack of credible evidence. In particular, the R&D report which was submitted did not give clear evidence as to how the research and development took place. The Tribunal was amazed that no competent professional gave evidence, not even a witness statement. Nor was there any professional representation.

What is R&D?

Research & Development is a significant driver of innovation, economic growth and employment across all regions of the UK.

The R&D tax relief is a very valuable relief. Under the SME scheme, where expenditure incurred by a SME qualifies for relief, the company can claim an extra deduction in calculating its taxable profits. That extra deduction is 130% of the qualifying expenditure, which means that the company obtains a total deduction of 230% (that is the original spend plus the additional deduction) of the original qualifying expenses.

If the company makes a loss for corporation tax purposes, the loss from the R&D deduction can (with some restrictions) be ‘surrendered’ in return for a payment of R&D tax credit. The payable tax credit is then 14.5% of the loss surrendered.

Abuse of R&D claims

Unfortunately, R&D is not a regulated industry and there are no real barriers to entry which has resulted in a tsunami of new overly enthusiastic entrants who exaggerate what should be considered as true R&D within the rules of the scheme. They may have incorrect suggestions as to what might qualify to encourage potential clients to sign up to their commission-based fee engagements.

The consequences of incorrect claims can be significant on the business. Not only will the business need to repay tax and interest, it may have significant tax penalties which may hit cash flow hard.

One underlying issue is that taxpayers are still failing to understand that the UK tax system is inherently “process now” and “check later”. Therefore whilst the business may receive a tax repayment from HMRC, HMRC have a window to enquire into the affairs of the business and this can be extended in some cases to 20 years.

Therefore, it is imperative to ensure that you instruct experienced and credible R&D firms who are real professionals and technically competent, as well as having high ethical standards, as this is a complicated area of tax law.

Key learnings

The importance of the competent professional and their experience and qualifications.
With software claims, the advance and uncertainties have to be in the field of software, not the industry it is being used in.
Concentrating too much on functionality as opposed to advancement in the field of research, and uncertainty in the report.
Lack of detailed evidence of costs.

At Shipleys Tax we expect to see a significant rise in cases such as AHK Recruitment above. HMRC are stepping up their crackdown on fraudulent R&D claims and have increased resources to tackle tax abuse due to a significant increase in incorrect and fraudulent R&D claims.

HMRC’s consultation on preventing abuse of R&D tax relief for SMEs closed Friday, 28 August 2020.

To talk through your potential R&D claim and how our team of experts might be able to help, please call 0114 272 4984 or email info@shipleystax.com.

Covid-19 Support Payments – Tax treatment

IN STRIFE AS IN DEATH, tax is never far away it seems. The government has made various support payments available to individuals and businesses to help mitigate the profound effects of the Covid-19 pandemic but there is a sting in the tail. What is the tax position of these payments?

Those self-employed people and business owners who have received a grant during the coronavirus pandemic, do they need to take these into account when preparing their tax returns for 2020/21. Shipleys Tax looks at the lesser known tax impact of these payments here.

Payments under the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme?

Grants payments made under the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS) for fully furloughed and flexibly furloughed employees are included in the calculation of the employer’s profits. However, they can deduct payments made to employees and associated employer’s National Insurance and pension contributions.

Those self-employed people and business owners who have received a grant during the coronavirus pandemic, do they need to take these into account when preparing their tax returns for 2020/21. Shipleys Tax looks at the lesser known tax impact of these payments here.

As far as the employee is concerned, grant payments paid over to them are treated in the same way as normal payments of wages and salary. They are taxable under PAYE and liable to Class 1 National Insurance contributions.

Grants under the Self-employment Income Support Scheme

The self-employed, can, if eligible, claim grants under the Self-employment Income Support Scheme if their business has been adversely affected by the Covid-19 pandemic. The first grant could be claimed in May and the second can be claimed in August.

The grants should be taken into account in computing profits for 2020/21, returned on the self-assessment tax return due by 31 January 2022. As they are included in profits, where these exceed £9,500 for 2020/21, Class 4 National Insurance contributions are payable. If profits exceed £6,475, the trader must also pay Class 2 contributions.

Where profits are below £6,475 for 2020/21, there is no obligation to pay Class 2 contributions. However, it can be beneficial to pay them voluntarily to ensure that 2020/21 remains a qualifying year for state pension and contributory benefit purposes.

Other grants

Various other grants were also paid to particular types of business, such as those eligible for small business rate relief and grants to those in specific sectors, such as those payable to businesses in the hospitality, retail and leisure sectors and to Ofsted registered nurseries.

Where the business operates as a company, the grants should be taken into account in calculating the profits chargeable to corporation tax.

If the grants were payable to a sole trader or unincorporated business, they should be taken into account in computing the profits chargeable to income tax.

If you need assistance regarding the tax treatment of government support grants, please call us on 0114 272 4984 or email info@shipleystax.com.

COVID-19: Confused about what government support you can get? Use this free handy support tool.

AT SHIPLEYS TAX, we like to make life easier for everyone. In today’s tax note we highlight a nifty tool which can help you identify which support is available to you. Even with the plethora of support announced by the government, there are those who have unfortunately been left out and the tool does not cover all circumstances.

For the lucky few, Coronavirus (COVID‑19) support is available to employers and the self-employed, including sole traders and limited company directors. You may be eligible for loans, tax relief and cash grants, whether your business is open or closed.

Support finder tool

The government has developed this business support finder to see what support is available for you and your business. The ‘support finder’ tool will help businesses and self-employed people across the UK to quickly and easily determine what financial support is available to them during the coronavirus pandemic.

https://www.gov.uk/business-coronavirus-support-finder

The ‘support finder’ tool will help businesses and self-employed people across the UK to quickly and easily determine what financial support is available to them during the coronavirus pandemic.

Government support in a nutshell

To support business, workers and the self-employed during the coronavirus outbreak, government has:

• made up to £330 billion of loans and guarantees for businesses

• offered to pay 80 per cent of the wages of furloughed workers, up to £2,500

• deferred the next quarter of VAT payments for firms, until the end of June – representing a £30 billion injection into the economy

• introduced £20 billion in tax relief and cash grants to help businesses with cash flow

• introduced the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Schemes for both SMEs and larger businesses to make it easier to access vital financial support • offered to cover the cost of statutory sick pay

• entirely removed all eligible properties in the retail, hospitality and leisure sector from business rates temporarily

• introduced the Self-employment Income Support Scheme, offering a taxable grant worth 80% of trading profits up to a maximum of £2,500 a month • deferred Self Assessment payments due in July 2020 until 31 January 2021

• allowed companies required to hold AGMs to do so flexibly, which may include postponing them or holding them online

• suspended wrongful trading provisions for company directors to remove the threat of personal liability during the pandemic; and

• offered a 3 month extension for filing accounts to businesses hit by coronavirus.

Access the new business support finder tool on the link below, to see what support is available to you in your business or as a self-employed person: