Latest News
NI pensioners 'missing out' on benefits
16th May 2012
Pensioners in Northern Ireland may be missing out on up to £200m of unclaimed benefits, the assembly's Public Accounts Committee reports. Read more...
Welfare reform beginning to take effect in Great Britain
10th May 2012
Letters explaining a benefits cap are arriving with claimants in Great Britain from today. Read more...
Tax and Benefits advice
3rd May 2012
Tax and Benefits advice was provided to women in Northern Ireland at a recent event organised by the Women's Information Group. Read more...
'Longer wait' for HMRC tax advisers
2nd May 2012
Waiting times for callers to the HMRC helpline have increased. Read more...
HMRC forecasts that the highest rates of tax will be paid by 4.1 million people during this financial year.
2nd May 2012
HMRC forecasts that 3.8 million people will be taxed at the 40% higher tax rate and a further 307,000 will be taxed at the 50% additional rate. Read more...
Late (2010/11) tax returns should be sent online to HMRC before the end of April, as penalties rise from 1 May.
24th April 2012
HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) is urging anyone who has still not done their 2010/11 tax return to send it online before the end of April, or be charged daily penalties from 1 May. Read More...
Labour bids to block 'granny tax' in House of Commons
19th April 2012
Labour will attempt to block attempt to remove age-related tax allowances for pensioners in the Commons later. Read more...
Calls for Child Benefit to be cut for children who skip school
17th April 2012
There are calls for Child Benefit cuts to be made to parents in England whose children skip school. Read more...
Tax and benefit changes take effect tomorrow
5th April 2012
Millions affected by tax and benefit changes from tomorrow. Read more...
Couples: Contact HMRC or your tax credit award may end
30th March 2012
Couples with children should contact HMRC before 6th April 2012 if they work between 16 and 24 hours per week and one of the couple:
• is aged 60 or over, or
• qualifies for the disability element of Working Tax Credit, or
• is incapacitated (in receipt of sickness benefits), or
• is an inpatient in hospital, or
• is in prison, or
• is entitled to Carers Allowance
Until 5th April 2012, lone parents and couples with children have been required to work at least 16 hours per week in order to be eligible to receive Working Tax Credit. From 6th April 2012, lone parents will still be required to work at least 16 hours per week but couples with children will be required to work at least 24 hours per week unless they meet one of the criteria above.
Unfortunately, HMRC have failed to make it clear to claimants that it is their responsibility to inform them before 6th April 2012 if they meet one of the criteria above. If the claimant does not inform HMRC of their exemption to the new rule, their tax credit award may stop and they will be required to make a fresh claim.
For more information call our freephone Tax and Benefits helpline on 0800 988 2377 or email tax@adviceni.net
Tax Credits helpline closure
28th March 2012
The tax credits helpline will be closed for system upgrades relating to the new tax year for four consecutive days from Friday 6th to Monday 9th April inclusive. The helpline will reopen on Tuesday 10th April 2012.
New National Minimum Wage rates approved
22nd March 2012
The Government has approved the new National Minimum Wage (NMW) rates from 1st October 2012.
The adult rate will increase from £6.08 to £6.19 per hour
The rate for 18-20 year olds will remain unchanged at £4.98 per hour
The rate for 16-17 year olds will remain at £3.68 per hour
The rate for apprentices will increase by 5p to £2.65 per hour
The freezes and the below-inflation rises mean that all groups will see a reduction in earnings in real terms. Read more...
Budget 2012: Additional income tax applied to higher earners in receipt of Child Benefit
21st March 2012
Taxpayers whose income exceeds £50,000 and who are in receipt of Child Benefit or whose income exceeds £50,000 and whose partner is in receipt of Child Benefit will face an additional income tax charge from 7th January 2013. This will replace the government's original proposal to remove Child Benefit from higher rate taxpayers. [PDF] Read more...
Budget 2012: Chancellor George Osborne has delivered his Budget today
21st March 2012
For further information about the main announcements affecting HMRC customers, click here.
Budget 2012: Charity appeals to chancellor to deliver a 'family friendly' budget
21st March 2012
The Family and Parenting Institute (FPI) urges chancellor to protect families in today's budget. The charity believes that families with children have been hit hardest with recent tax and benefit changes. Read more...
Budget 2012: Tax allowances set to rise further
21st March 2012
The chancellor is expected to announce an increase in the amount people can earn before they start paying tax in his Budget later. Read more...
U-turn over Working Tax Credit increased hours requirement for carers
19th March 2012
The Government has agreed to introduce an exemption to the increased hours requirement for Working Tax Credit for couples where one partner is a carer. Where one of the couple is entitled to carer’s allowance, they will continue to receive Working Tax Credit (WTC) by working 16 hours a week. Without this change, they would have been required to work 24 hours a week, with one partner working at least 16 hours, or face losing Working Tax Credit.
In our social policy briefing paper, issued last month, we state: "Advice NI would ask HMRC to consider introducing a further exception to the increased hours requirement for those who are entitled to Carers’ Allowance (either payable or with an underlying entitlement). This would give recognition to the fact that working hours are likely to be limited where one member of a couple spends at least 35 hours per week caring for someone who is in receipt of Disability Living Allowance care component at the middle or highest rate, or Attendance Allowance at the higher rate. Carers’ Allowance by its very nature is an earnings replacement benefit, indicating that those in receipt of this benefit will have limited ability to work." Advice NI welcomes this policy change.
Read our full policy paper [PDF] here.
Misleading letter sent to over one million tax credits claimants
12th March 2012
A misleading statement in a HMRC letter sent to over a million tax credits claimants may persuade people to leave the tax credits system which could result in them missing out on tax credit payments. Read more...
Osborne pressed to reverse tax credit cuts
12th March 2012
Concerns grow for children of parents on low incomes if chancellor pushes changes through in March Budget. Read more...
Child Poverty Action Group campaign to Save Child Benefit
8th March 2012
CPAG highlight the importance of Child Benefit as a universal benefit for children. Read more...
Child Benefit cut 'will see parents cut necessities'
7th March 2012
Changes to child benefit payments will leave many parents cutting back on vital necessities. Read more...
Welform Reform Live event
6th March 2012
A major conference on Welfare Reform in Northern Ireland is taking place today in Belfast. This event is fully booked but will be streamed live. Follow the event on Twitter using the tag #wrni
Budget 2012: "Perverse anomalies" in Child Benefit changes
5th March 2012
Perverse anomalies in planned Child Benefit cuts. Read more...
New HMRC Tax Credit helpline number
13th February 2012
HMRC have a new Tax Credit helpline number - 0345 300 3900. Read more...
No penalties for late returns of Self Assessment submitted by midnight on 2nd February 2012
27th January 2012
Due to a planned strike and to prevent customers being disadvantaged, HMRC will not apply penalties to late returns of online Self Assessment submitted by midnight on 2nd February 2012. Read more...
Self Assessment day 'leniency' vow from HMRC
26th January 2012
Taxpayers who face fines should be dealt with leniently, due to a planned strike on deadline day. Read more...
Welfare Reform: Lords bid for benefits cap concessions
23rd January 2012
Peers will press for changes to plans for a £26,000 cap on benefits when the measure is debated in the House of Lords later. Read more...
Benefits cap not about punishing people - Duncan Smith
20th January 2012
Iain Duncan Smith talks about the planned capping of benefits. Read more...
Self Assessment - Deadline Approaching
20th January 2012
Do it online by 31st January or face a penalty. Read more...
Migrants on work-related benefits study published
20th January 2012
The government has published its first ever estimates for the proportion of foreign-born people who are claiming working-age benefits in the UK. Read more...
Child Benefit cut will go ahead
13th January 2012
Chancellor George Osborne has said that the planned Child Benefit cuts for higher rate taxpayers will go ahead, despite earlier hints that fairness would be considered. Read more...
