A Leamington Spa restaurant has been officially named the Best Restaurant of the Year 2026 by the Bangladesh Caterers Association UK. Paprika Club, in Regent Street, was crowned national winner in the biggest category of the night at the 19th annual awards at Park Plaza Westminster Bridge Hotel in London. A spokesman for the restaurant said: “Paprika Club is beyond honoured to receive this year’s Bangladesh Caterers Association UK “Best Restaurant of the Year 2026” Award for Outstanding Service and Cuisine. To be recognised among the restaurants shaping this industry is an achievement we’ll treasure." “Since opening in Leamington in 1994, we’ve built Paprika Club around generous hospitality, memorable food and the people who return to our tables year after year. This award joins a proud history of recognition, including three consecutive Asian Curry Awards wins from 2023 to 2025." “To our team, whose care and hard work make every service special, and to our customers: your loyalty, encouragement and recognition have helped bring us to this moment. Every visit, celebration shared with us and kind word has mattered. This award belongs to you too. Thank you for renowned support and love which has allowed us to be recognised by this outstanding award.” Tipu Rahman, Secretary General, said: “The BCA Awards recognise the restaurants whose commitment to quality, service and consistency keeps our industry moving forward. By celebrating outstanding businesses, we set a benchmark for excellence and encourage the next generation to build careers in hospitality.” The BCA Awards Committee Convener is celebrity chef Atik Rahman BEM. The Bangladesh Caterers Association was set up in 1960 and represents 12,000 restaurateurs across the UK. Its Restaurant of the Year awards recognise excellence across food, service, hospitality, presentation, consistency and the overall customer experience.

After 55 years of helping businesses across Scotland find the right people, family-run recruitment agency Stafffinders has released its first-ever Christmas film, bringing a festive twist to the challenges of recruitment during the busiest time of year. The film follows a familiar Christmas challenge: even Santa needs a reliable team behind him to make sure everything runs smoothly. With the festive season placing additional pressure on businesses across Scotland, the film highlights the importance of having the right people in place, whether that's covering unexpected absences, managing increased demand or bringing in extra support during particularly busy periods. Founded in Paisley in 1971, Stafffinders has spent more than five decades supporting Scottish businesses with temporary and permanent recruitment across a wide range of sectors, including Hospitality, Industrial, Warehouse and Office Support. The Christmas film is a light-hearted celebration of the people working behind the scenes to keep businesses operating throughout the festive period, from chefs and waiting staff managing busy Christmas services to warehouse teams handling increased deliveries and office professionals keeping operations organised. It also carries a simple message for employers: having a trusted recruitment partner available when staffing challenges arise can make all the difference. With Christmas traditionally bringing increased demand for temporary workers, Stafffinders is encouraging businesses to plan their festive recruitment requirements early, helping them secure the staff they need before the busiest weeks arrive. The film marks a first for the long-established Scottish recruitment agency, combining its recruitment expertise with a little Christmas storytelling. Businesses looking for temporary or permanent recruitment support can contact Stafffinders through its website at www.stafffinders.co.uk, call the Paisley office on 0141 887 1155 or the Edinburgh office on 0131 225 6898. Established in Paisley in 1971, Stafffinders is Scotland's longest-established family-run recruitment agency. With offices in Paisley and Edinburgh, the company provides temporary and permanent recruitment solutions across a wide range of industries, supporting businesses and jobseekers throughout Scotland and beyond.

The Gebrüder Weiss site in Wels became a testing ground for the AMADEE-27 Mars analog mission at the end of October. On October 30 and 31, the Austrian Space Forum (ÖWF), the University of Applied Sciences Upper Austria (FH Oberösterreich), and other research partners tested scientific experiments and technical systems for the mission, which will take place in Portugal in April 2027. As the official logistics partner, Gebrüder Weiss is responsible for transporting the sensitive research equipment to and from the mission site. Jürgen Bauer, Member of the Management Board of Gebrüder Weiss, said: “The future of mobility is an important topic for Gebrüder Weiss. That is why we are supporting the Austrian Space Forum in a Mars analog mission for the third time. For us, this also includes giving our employees insights into innovative research projects. The tests at our Wels location provide a unique opportunity for this,” During the two test days, Gebrüder Weiss employees had the opportunity to experience the research activities first hand. They met the analog astronauts and observed various experiments in action. Among them was a rover developed by the University of Applied Sciences Upper Austria, designed to support the crew during the mission by transporting tools and scientific samples and assisting with navigation in the field. From Austria to Portugal In February 2027, Gebrüder Weiss will manage the logistics for the mission itself, transporting the sensitive research equipment to the Monsaraz Analog Research Station in Portugal. Handling the valuable equipment requires special care and precise planning. The project logistics team in Wels will contribute its expertise in managing complex transport projects. After the mission is completed, the company will return the equipment to the Austrian Space Forum’s headquarters in Innsbruck. Dr. Gernot Grömer, Director of the Austrian Space Forum, said: “Gebrüder Weiss has been a long-standing and reliable partner of the Austrian Space Forum in our Mars analog missions. Especially when transporting our valuable research equipment, the expertise of an experienced logistics provider is indispensable. The precise planning, professional execution, and know-how of Gebrüder Weiss are of tremendous value to us,” Following AMADEE-20 in Israel and AMADEE-24 in Armenia, AMADEE-27 is the third joint mission of Gebrüder Weiss and the Austrian Space Forum. From April 5 to 18, 2027, six analog astronauts will carry out 17 experiments in Portugal, developed by more than 20 research institutions and universities from Austria, other European countries, and the United States. Further information about Gebrüder Weiss’ commitment to the future of mobility visit here.

A new art exhibition celebrating the works of a Cumbrian ceramicist and a North Yorkshire based painter has opened at a spa hotel on the Windermere shoreline. The latest Art in the Atrium gallery display at Low Wood Bay Resort & Spa features the ceramics of William Plumptre, who works from his own South Lakes studio at Witherslack. His exhibition is running in tandem with an exhibit of distinctive Lake District landscapes, flower paintings and other prominent works by the artist Tony Roberts. The exhibition, which runs until early in the new year, has been organised by English Lakes Hotels in partnership with Gavagan Art. The aim is to bring fine art to a wider audience and especially to celebrate the talents of Northern artists. William Plumptre established his first pottery studio in Hartsop near Patterdale, where he built his own oil-fired kiln in the outbuildings of a traditional stone-built Lakeland house. He moved to his current base in a seventeenth century farmhouse at Witherslack over 30 years ago from where he now creates his pottery. William’s ceramics feature in a number of public collections including one at Blackwell Arts & Crafts House in Bowness-on-Windermere. “I specialise in throwing with robust stoneware clay, creating a variety of press moulded bottles and dishes,” he explains. “I also use rope and material for creative additions and variations, allowing for each piece to be inlaid with different coloured slips.” Willam’s glazes are made largely of local materials including wood ash and granite, and all of his work is reduction fired in a 65 cubic foot gas-fired kiln which he designed himself. “I knew about the Art in the Atrium gallery displays at Low Wood Bay and was thrilled to be asked to exhibit,” he adds. “It’s always a joy to get the opportunity to display my work in my home county and just up the road from the studio.” Tony Roberts trained in Fine Art Painting at Hornsey College of Arts London and at the Royal Academy Schools. He works in oils, watercolours, pastels, gouache and acrylic paints, exploring three main themes: landscapes, still-life paintings with flowers, and paintings based on Buddhist and Hindu imagery and shrines. His paintings have been shown nationally and internationally including at The Royal Academy Summer Exhibition, London, as well as in galleries in New York, Switzerland and Germany. The distinctive landscape of the Yorkshire Dales and the Lake District are enduring themes in his work, and his exhibition at Low Wood Bay includes both large oil paintings on canvas and a series of watercolour works. “This display at Low Wood Bay has offered me a rare opportunity to exhibit some of my much larger paintings in a location where they can be seen by people who may not be familiar with my work,” says Tony. “It’s also a chance for friends and family to visit the resort and see my paintings in such a beautiful setting on Windermere.” Having studied ceramic design at Chelsea College of Art, William Plumptre travelled to Japan to continue his training in the workshops of three different potters, including one year with the Japanese master, Tatsuzo Shimaoka. The training regime was rigorous and he returned to England with greater knowledge and understanding of the Japanese way of producing and firing pottery in a traditional climbing kiln. Tony Roberts has made the North of England his home since taking up teaching positions at Bolton College of Art and then at the Manchester Regional College of Art. For further information with Low Wood Bay Resort & Spa visit here.

Fifty six years after Harry Garlick was told he could not afford a fish and chip shop, his grandchildren run a precision sheet metal business supplying telecoms, pharma and food production. Joint managing director Emma Gilligan explains how Constant Group has scaled up without becoming somebody else. In 1969, Harry Garlick was told he did not have enough money to buy a fish and chip shop, let alone an aluminium trading company. A year later he had one. Constant Aluminium Supplies Ltd opened on Greenhalgh Street, off Oldham Road, in June 1970, funded by savings his eldest son Richard had earmarked for a newsagent's kiosk in central Manchester. Harry's wife Vera kept the books as company secretary. Deliveries went out by hand or on the bus until orders justified the firm's first truck, bought for £75. The first set of accounts still hangs on the wall. It shows a profit of £4,434. Turnover today sits at £9.9 million, and the business runs from an 80,000 sq ft site at Meadowbank Business Park in Oldham, close to junction 22 of the M60. Its customer list takes in BT, Openreach, Network Rail, Transport for London, M&S Food and Boots. The interesting question is not how Constant got bigger. Plenty of firms do that. It is how it got bigger while still feeling, to the people inside it, like a family business. From Kick Plates To Telecoms Cabinets The company began as an aluminium stockholder, buying and selling metal to local businesses. Richard, who describes his early role as labouring, or "goffering", soon spotted a way to add value to the material. Around a year in, he began turning leftover aluminium sheet into fingerplates and kick plates, and moved the firm into architectural ironmongery. It became the largest manufacturer of kick plates in the UK, built on a 24 hour turnaround that few rivals could match. "It involved working all hours to make it happen," says Gilligan, "but that speed and willingness to respond to what customers needed really helped put the business at the forefront of the industry." Richard's wife Maggie left a career in teaching to join him, initially as "the sales girl", taking calls at home in the evening and passing orders to Richard to make and deliver the next day. When Vera retired, Maggie became company secretary. Over the decades the fabrication side outgrew the ironmongery. Constant is now a full service sheet metal business with design, engineering, manufacturing and assembly under one roof: Design: engineers working in SolidWorks, Creo and Radan Cutting and forming: a Bystronic fibre laser and a Trumpf punching machine, both automated, plus eight Bystronic press brakes Fabrication and finishing: 18 welding bays, automated powder coating lines, a stainless only bead blast line and wet spray and polyurea coating Assembly and logistics: isolated assembly areas for mechanical and electromechanical integration, and three 7.5 tonne wagons for national delivery Today it specialises in telecoms cabinets and enclosures, food preparation units, medical and pharmaceutical cabinets, and industrial and infrastructure parts, and holds ISO 9001 certification. The family has grown with it. Richard and Maggie's children, Matt Garlick and Emma Gilligan, bought the business from their parents on 10 April 2021, Richard's birthday, and now run it as joint managing directors. Matt's wife Jayne and Emma's husband David work in the business as business development manager and CTO, respectively. The name later changed to Constant Group, which Gilligan says "better reflected the breadth of what the business had become and where we wanted to take it next." Earning A Place, Not Inheriting One Gilligan grew up in the business. She worked in it as a child for pocket money and watched her parents steer it through recessions, wars and political upheaval. "It's in my blood," she says. "I genuinely don't know what it would be like not to have Constant Group in my life." Yet joining was never assumed. Her parents pushed both children to go away, study and see life outside the firm. Matt asked to join on the afternoon he graduated from Manchester Metropolitan. For Emma, the moment came in the second year of a business and marketing degree at De Montfort. "I suddenly got the buzz for business and development," she recalls. "I phoned my dad and said, 'Good news, I want to come and work for the business.'" Richard was pleased, but set terms. She would have to justify her own salary, create her own role and build a career on merit rather than being handed a job because of her surname. She had to forge her own path. That condition did more than motivate her. It sent a signal to every non family employee that position in the business follows contribution. "That gave me a huge amount of drive to prove to everyone around me that I could do it," she says. "Being a woman in what was, and still is in many ways, a male dominated industry gave me even more determination to be the best I could be and earn my place." For family firms worried about culture, this is the first lesson. Entitlement in the next generation is often the earliest crack, and the wider team notices long before the family does. Culture Does Not Scale By Accident The usual story of a growing family firm is that the personal touch thins out as headcount rises. Somewhere past the point where the founder can walk the floor and greet everyone, the business becomes an organisation, and the people in it become a payroll. Gilligan's answer is to refuse that trade. Constant employs 87 people and she knows every one of them by name. "I know about their families and I make a conscious effort to ask about more than just work: how they are, what's happening in their personal lives and how they're feeling," she says. "It's important that people know they are valued as individuals, not just as employees or numbers on a spreadsheet. Without the team, we are nothing." That sense of belonging was never reserved for the Garlicks. The firm has a core of long serving staff who joined as young men, built careers there and went on to raise families of their own. "We're not only growing Constant Group to support our own family," Gilligan says. "The business provides livelihoods and opportunities for lots of other families too." The values she names are deliberately plain: teamwork, adaptability, trustworthiness and care, for the team and for customers. They have carried across three generations, and they shape a commercial habit as much as an internal one. "We've never wanted to simply manufacture something and make a profit," she says. "We've always tried to give the customer that little bit more, whether that's extra service, care and attention, bringing ideas to the table or helping them find a better way of doing something." In other words, the culture is not a perk bolted onto the business model. It is the business model. Keeping Good People In A Tight Labour Market UK manufacturers routinely cite skills shortages as one of their biggest constraints. Gilligan's view is that the hiring problem is partly a keeping problem. "Retaining good people is just as important as attracting new ones," she says. Her approach rests on three things. 1 - Openness. "We want there to be no conversation that can't be had," she says. Owners and managers have to be people employees can trust, with respect flowing both ways. That covers problems at work and problems at home. 2 - Visibility. The family and senior managers are on the shop floor every day, hands on and involved in the manufacturing. "That creates a two way respect and shows that we all care about the products we make and the work that goes into them. 3 - Thinking about people's lives, not just their shifts. Constant runs a four day working week, structured to give staff a better balance between work and home, alongside an in house apprentice scheme that grows skills from within. "If you want people to feel valued, you have to show them that you're thinking about their lives as well as the needs of the business," Gilligan says. The aim, she adds, is to develop and grow together, accepting that people's circumstances change over a working life. None of this is expensive in the way a new press brake is. But it requires leaders to spend their scarcest resource, time, on the floor rather than in the office. Investing So As Not To Stand Still Fifty six years of trading would be enough for some firms to rest on. Constant is spending instead. It has recently put £3 million into new machinery and a new building to improve the flow and capacity of its manufacturing, on top of earlier expansion into neighbouring units. It has also picked up a North West collaboration award with CommScope, which Gilligan sees as proof of something the team has long known. "Constant Group isn't a small, traditional manufacturer sitting quietly in the background," she says. "We're a technologically advanced manufacturing business based in Greater Manchester, working with major organisations and exporting products around the world." The next goal is recognition. She wants Constant to be known for what it contributes to UK manufacturing, to Greater Manchester and the North West, and to Oldham, where the family's roots go back more than five decades. That ambition has a recruitment edge. Gilligan wants young people to see that firms like hers still exist and still offer real careers. "There can sometimes be a perception that a long established family business is traditional or standing still, but that really isn't the case," she says. "Generational businesses have to evolve, expand and adapt." It is the same balance the firm has struck since the first kick plate left Greenhalgh Street: change what you make and how you make it, and keep hold of how you treat people. The Bottom Line Constant Group's growth from a £75 truck to a £9.9 million precision manufacturer shows that culture can survive scale, but only if leaders treat it as work rather than heritage. The next generation earned their roles, the owners stay visible on the shop floor, and the firm invests as hard in its people's lives as in its machinery. The products have changed completely since 1970. The way the business treats people has not.

Family Business United is once again bringing the family business community together through its Family Business Festive Food Parcel campaign, with two special events in Leeds and London helping to make a difference to families facing hardship this Christmas. Family Business United is delighted to announce the return of its Family Business Festive Food Parcel campaign, a national initiative with local impact that encourages family businesses, their employees and the wider business community to come together and support families in need over the festive season. Following the success of last year's campaign, which saw the family business community rally together to provide food parcels for families facing difficult circumstances, the initiative is returning with renewed ambition and two in-person events designed to bring people together, collect donations and make a tangible difference in local communities. Working in partnership with The Pantry UK, the campaign will once again use the organisation's network of school headteachers to identify families who would benefit from additional support. Food parcels will then be distributed directly to those families, ensuring that help reaches the people who need it most. The feedback received from recipients following last year's campaign was incredibly moving and demonstrated just how much of a difference a relatively small act of kindness can make. For Family Business United, the campaign is a wonderful opportunity to harness the collective generosity of the family business community and turn it into something genuinely meaningful. Paul Andrews, Founder & CEO of Family Business United, commented: "Family businesses are at the heart of communities across the UK. They employ millions of people, support local initiatives and make a difference in countless ways throughout the year. The Festive Food Parcel campaign provides another opportunity for the family business community to come together and demonstrate the positive impact it can have." "We were overwhelmed by the generosity and support shown last year and, more importantly, by the feedback from the families who received the parcels. Knowing that we have helped make Christmas a little easier for families who might otherwise be struggling is incredibly rewarding." "This is a national campaign with local impact. Every donation matters, whether it is a financial contribution, a tin of soup, a packet of biscuits or a larger donation of food from a producer or distributor. If we all do a little, together we can achieve a lot. We would love to see even more family businesses getting involved this year." Two Events, One Shared Purpose This year's campaign will be supported by two special gatherings, providing opportunities for members of the family business community to meet, network and contribute to the food parcels. The events will take place at: Sound Leisure, Leeds 8 December 2026 | 9.30am Hayman's Gin, London 9 December 2026 | 6.00pm Both events are complimentary to attend, with guests encouraged to bring along a selection of food items to add to the parcels. There will also be opportunities for attendees to help with the packing process and play a direct part in preparing the donations for distribution. Getting Involved Is Easy Family Business United is encouraging family firms, food producers, distributors, professional advisers and supporters to get behind the campaign. There are several ways to contribute, and every donation, however big or small, will make a difference. Businesses and individuals can purchase one or more food parcels, with the campaign team using the funds raised to buy the food needed to complete them. Alternatively, cash donations of any amount are welcome and will be converted into food parcels. Businesses can also organise their own workplace food collections and arrange for donations to be delivered to either the Leeds or London event, or contribute food products that they manufacture or distribute. Those attending the events are encouraged to bring food donations with them. Family Business United will coordinate all donations centrally to ensure that everything is organised and distributed effectively. Campaign logos and promotional banners are also available for businesses wishing to raise awareness and encourage colleagues, customers and suppliers to get involved. To find out more, make a donation or book a complimentary place at one of the events, visit the Family Business United website here Making A Difference Together The Family Business Festive Food Parcel campaign is a reminder that the collective power of family businesses can achieve wonderful things. While many family firms already support their local communities in numerous ways, this initiative offers a simple and practical opportunity to do something extra at a time of year when the pressure on household budgets can be particularly challenging. Family Business United will be sharing updates across its social media channels throughout the campaign, celebrating the generosity of those involved and showcasing the contributions being made by businesses and individuals. The ambition is simple: to reach even more families this Christmas and demonstrate what can be achieved when a community comes together with a shared purpose. To find out more about last year's campaign and see the difference the family business community made, visit the Family Business United website here Every donation counts. Every parcel matters. Together, we can make a difference this Christmas.

The Westcombe Group, a leading top 25 UK property development and hospitality group, has secured planning approval for the major regeneration of Kingston Bridge House in Hampton Wick, paving the way for a mixed-use scheme including a new five-star Hotel Indigo, part of IHG Hotels & Resorts, alongside 22 new homes. The approval marks a major milestone in Westcombe’s expansion into hospitality through its Acre Hotels collection and the start of a long-term relationship in the UK and overseas with leading international hotel group and partner IHG. The scheme will transform the former student accommodation building on Church Grove into a luxury boutique five-star hotel with full facilities including a bar, upscale restaurant, and conference spaces alongside 22 luxury one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments, including 4 affordable homes. The landmark development is expected to bring significant benefits to Hampton Wick and the greater Kingston and Richmond area. An independent economic impact assessment estimates it will unlock £20 million of construction investment, support around 50 high-quality jobs on-site once completed, attract approximately 9,000 hotel visitors a year and generate around £4.3 million of annual retail and leisure spending in the local economy. It is also projected to generate approximately £195,000 a year in Council Tax and business rates to support the delivery of local public services. Kamal Pankhania, Chief Executive Officer of Westcombe Group, said: “This is a very exciting moment for Westcombe and for Hampton Wick as our proposals receive planning approval. We are transforming a formerly vacant building into new homes, affordable housing and a five-star luxury hotel that will bring jobs, prosperity and thousands of visitors into the local area each year." “I am particularly proud that the hotel will be branded as Hotel Indigo, as the latest addition to IHG Hotels & Resorts’ impressive global portfolio of high value hospitality assets. IHG is one of the most respected names in global hospitality and we see this project as marking the start of a long and successful relationship between our two businesses, here in the UK and overseas.” Willemijn Geels, Vice President, Development, Europe at IHG Hotels & Resorts, said: “We are delighted to welcome Westcombe Group to IHG and bring Hotel Indigo to the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames in the UK. Hampton Wick’s rich history, riverside setting and strong local identity make it a natural fit for a brand that celebrates neighbourhood stories and authentic local experiences." “This signing reflects strong owner demand for Hotel Indigo in the UK&I and comes as we recently celebrated 200 open Hotel Indigo properties around the world. Together with Westcombe Group, we look forward to creating a distinctive hotel for guests and the local community, supported by IHG’s global scale and powerful enterprise.”

Family Business United ('FBU') has reiterated its commitment to campaigning for a full reversal of the changes to Agricultural Property Relief (APR) and Business Property Relief (BPR), highlighting the continued uncertainty facing family businesses and the need for a long-term policy framework that supports generational thinking, investment and sustainable business ownership. The 2026 Autumn Budget has done little to provide the reassurance or certainty that family businesses have been seeking, with the Government choosing not to revisit the changes to APR and BPR originally announced by Rachel Reeves in the Autumn Budget of October 2024. Despite widespread concerns from across the family business community, and continued calls for the reforms to be reconsidered, the fundamental issues remain. The changes, which came into effect in April 2026, continue to create uncertainty for family business owners as they consider the future of their businesses, plan succession and make decisions about investment and growth. FBU believes that the case for a full reversal remains as important as ever and that the Government needs to recognise the distinctive contribution that family businesses make to the UK economy and the communities in which they operate. Paul Andrews, Founder & CEO of Family Business United, commented: "Family businesses think differently. They invest for the long term, make decisions with the next generation in mind and often measure success not simply in terms of the next financial quarter, but in terms of what they can build and pass on to those who follow." "That long-term perspective is one of the great strengths of the family business model, but it requires an environment in which business owners have confidence to invest, grow, employ people and plan for the future." "The changes to APR and BPR have undermined that confidence. The subsequent adjustments to the original proposals have not addressed the fundamental concerns, and the 2026 Autumn Budget has done very little to provide comfort to the family business community. There remains a real need for clarity, consistency and a policy framework that supports the long-term sustainability of family-owned enterprises." "Furthermore, there was very little recognition of the multigenerational family firms that make a difference across the UK on a daily basis, and too much support for technology businesses and start-ups. We need to offer more support to the businesses that are already established and want to invest and continue to grow, passing the business on to subsequent generations as they do so." "Our position remains clear. We believe that a full reversal of the APR and BPR changes is necessary. This is not simply about inheritance tax; it is about the future of businesses that provide employment, create wealth, invest in their communities and contribute so much to the economic and social fabric of the UK." "Family firms are built over generations, not overnight. Government policy needs to recognise that reality and provide the stability and certainty that allows these businesses to continue making a difference for generations to come." Family businesses are significant contributors to the UK economy, supporting millions of jobs, generating wealth and providing opportunities across every region and sector of the country. Many have been built over decades, sometimes centuries, with successive generations investing their time, energy and resources to create businesses that are intended to endure. For these businesses, succession is about much more than the transfer of ownership. It is about preserving employment, maintaining investment, protecting relationships with customers and suppliers, supporting local communities and ensuring that the business remains sustainable for the next generation. FBU believes that tax policy should recognise the importance of responsible long-term ownership and avoid creating unnecessary barriers to business continuity. A lack of certainty around the future tax environment can influence decisions being made today, with consequences that extend well beyond the immediate family or business concerned. Family firms need to know if the Chancellor plans to back them or tax them and whilst this remains unclear decision making on investments and longer term projects is likely to be questioned. FBU will continue to make the case for a full reversal of the APR and BPR changes, engaging with policymakers and representing the interests of the family business community. A recent letter to the new Prime Minister captured the feelings of the community but the voice of family firms needs to continue in order to ensure that these businesses are not forgotten. FBU is calling for the Government to recognise that family businesses need more than short-term adjustments and incremental changes. They need a stable, predictable and supportive policy environment that encourages investment, rewards responsible ownership and enables businesses to plan with confidence. Paul Andrews added: "We will continue to champion the family business community and make the case for policies that support businesses with a genuine commitment to the long term." "These are businesses that are rooted in their communities, employ people, develop skills, support supply chains and reinvest in the future. They are often the businesses that make a real and lasting difference to the places in which they operate." "If we want successful family businesses to remain in the UK, continue to invest and pass their legacy on to future generations, we need policies that support that ambition. The need for a full reversal of the APR and BPR changes has not gone away, and neither has our determination to keep making that case." FBU will continue to campaign for a policy environment that recognises, supports and protects the long-term contribution of family businesses across the UK. In the meantime, family firms are encouraged to continue to engage with their local MP's and to demonstrate the significant contribution family firms make to the national economy and to wherever possible explain the impact that the changes introduced to APR and BPR are having. Keep up to date with all the latest news and developments associated with the APR and BPR campaign here

The Chancellor used today’s Budget to offer “breathing space” for households and businesses, while setting out what the Government described as “fresh hope for the future.” The Budget avoided broad-based tax rises, instead focusing on more targeted measures. As ever, the announcements created a mix of winners and losers. Here are some of the measures likely to have the greatest impact. Winners Households – Up to 20 million households in Council Tax bands A–D will receive a £100 energy payment, alongside further energy bill support. First-time buyers – Support for those looking to get onto the property ladder was a notable feature of the Budget, including £4.7bn of government lending through the new Your First Home scheme. Retail, hospitality and leisure – Further business rates support should provide some relief for small businesses continuing to face rising employment and operating costs. Businesses investing for growth – The Budget continues to encourage business investment, including increasing the First Year Allowance from 40% to 50% for qualifying expenditure. Pensioners and savers – The decision to retain the £20,000 cash ISA allowance, alongside measures affecting pensioners, provides some additional certainty for savers. Losers Landlords – From April 2027, Income Tax rates on property income will increase by a further 2 percentage points, taking the basic rate to 24%, the higher rate to 44% and the additional rate to 49%. Business owners considering a sale – Decrease in Business Asset Disposal Relief to £500,000 could increase the tax cost for some entrepreneurs looking to exit their business, putting greater emphasis on planning ahead. Employers – The 3.9% increase in the National Living Wage and National Minimum Wage will mean further employment cost pressures, particularly for labour-intensive businesses. Banks – The Bank Surcharge will increase by three percentage points, making the sector one of the clearer losers from the Budget. Gambling businesses – Higher duties and changes to business rates relief will increase costs for parts of the gambling sector. Our Initial View The Chancellor repeatedly spoke about offering “breathing space” now and “hope for the future.” There were some clear areas of support, particularly for households, first-time buyers and certain businesses, but relatively few sweeping changes to the wider tax landscape. The key question will be whether this Budget provides the breathing space needed to support stronger growth and improve confidence, or whether some of the bigger decisions have simply been left for another day. James Cowper Kreston’s tax and business advisers will be looking closely at the detail behind the announcements and what they mean for businesses and individuals. Download the Autumn Budget 2026 summary here:

At nine in the morning, an owner can see the value of the liquid investment portfolio, how it has moved and what risks it carries. The family company, often representing most of the wealth, is followed through quarterly reports, board presentations and management's explanations. The asset the owner knows best may be the one measured least in terms of what it means to own it. The problem is not a lack of information. Lenders have financial statements, management has operating reports, boards have their packs, lawyers have the documents and investment managers have portfolio statements. Each serves a legitimate purpose. Yet the owner often makes decisions using information designed for somebody else's questions. The distinction matters because ownership is not the same discipline as leadership. A well-run company may be a poor fit for what its owner needs from the total wealth. A sound investment inside one business may reduce the family's ability to act elsewhere. Seeing this requires a view from ownership, not another report on the company's operations. Ownership Has Functions, Not Personalities Ownership can be understood through three functions: Compliance, Relational and Perspective. They describe work that ownership must perform, rather than the people, offices or committees around it. They apply to one owner as much as to a family with several generations. The functions are common; what fills them is particular to each ownership. Compliance concerns what the law requires. It establishes rights, duties and limits, and protects parties whose claims do not depend on the owners' preferences. Company law, reporting obligations, tax and inheritance rules shape what can be done. Owners must respect this framework, but cannot simply redesign it to suit their intentions. Relational concerns what owners agree. Shareholder agreements, voting arrangements, transfer provisions and family commitments establish how ownership rights are exercised and the boundaries owners place on themselves. The owner agreement fixes the enduring direction and commitments, the limits on authority, and who may act for the owners. Even a sole owner's choices benefit from being made explicit, since the decision right will eventually pass. Perspective is the function that carries that agreed direction into ownership decisions and follow-through. Within that agreement, it gives each significant holding a mandate, assesses the strategy proposed to meet it, takes ownership decisions and follows what is delivered against what was intended. It also considers each holding as part of the owner's total position, rather than as an isolated company or investment. Return, risk, liquidity, timing and optionality provide its working language. The language is necessary, but the function is what the owner does with it. A Decision That Looks Different From Ownership Consider a family with a manufacturing company, commercial property and a liquid portfolio. The manufacturing company's board proposes an expansion. Forecast returns are attractive, the funding is available and the project is consistent with its operating strategy. Judged inside the company, the proposal is sound. From the ownership's position, the picture may differ. The property assets depend on the same economic cycle as the manufacturer. The expansion would tie up capital just as the family expects to need liquidity for another commitment. The liquid portfolio might then have to remain more defensive, reducing flexibility elsewhere. Nothing in the company's investment case need be wrong for the combined exposure to become undesirable. Compliance determines what approvals, duties and legal limits apply. Relational provides the family's agreed direction, including its appetite for concentrated risk and its commitment to preserve liquidity. Perspective tests the proposed expansion against the company's mandate and the wealth as a whole. With those consequences visible, the owners' representative decides through Perspective whether the expansion serves the whole. The decision may still be to invest, but it is now made from the position of ownership. From Agreement To Execution And Back The chain begins with the owners' agreement. It sets the enduring direction and the decision rights. An owner, acting as the owners' authorised representative where there are several, then performs Perspective: translating that direction into a mandate for each holding, considering the strategy presented in response and deciding whether it serves the whole. A cash-generating company, for example, might be mandated to release a defined amount annually within agreed risk limits. The board and management execute the approved strategy within an agreed room for action, retaining their legal duties and operational responsibilities. Reporting then returns to the owner against the mandate, alongside the consequences for the entire wealth. Matters within the agreed limits remain with those entrusted to execute. A breached limit, a failed assumption or a reserved decision brings the question back to ownership. Only a change to the overarching owner agreement requires the owners to reset the Relational boundary. This is not an argument for more advisers or another committee. Existing professionals may provide the analysis and reporting, using much of the information already available. What changes is the reference point: their work serves decisions defined by ownership, rather than asking the owner to translate each profession's answers into a decision alone. The owner who steps back The distinction becomes particularly important in succession. Families devote considerable effort to determining who will own, vote and inherit. These are essential Compliance and Relational questions. A different question is whether the wealth can continue to be directed and assessed when the ownership role passes to another person. If mandates, decision boundaries and ownership-level information are explicit, the organisation can continue within its authority while the next person assumes the ownership role. Perspective does not determine who that person is. It helps ensure that changing the person need not interrupt the work of ownership. Professionalising management, governance and family arrangements has real value. But it is not the same as professionalising ownership. Can the owner see the whole, understand the consequences and decide from that position?

Here the team from Saffery look at the key tax changes for businesses announced by Chancellor John Healey in the 2026 Autumn Budget. The Budget delivered a broad package of targeted changes affecting business investment, corporate transactions and tax administration, rather than fundamental reform of the business tax system. Changes to capital allowances include an increase in the first year allowance for qualifying expenditure from 40% to 50%, alongside a further reduction in the main writing down allowance rate from 14% to 12%. Other significant measures include making the foreign branch exemption mandatory, reforming the taxation of company distributions and repayments of capital, and introducing a new digital securities transfer tax. There were also a number of measures aimed at simplifying the tax system and reducing administrative burdens. These include removing the R&D claim notification requirement, simplifying the Additional Information Form and making technical improvements to the venture capital schemes. At the same time, businesses will need to prepare for wider changes to VAT and tax administration, including expanded VAT obligations for online marketplaces and overseas suppliers, mandatory VAT e-invoicing and the increasing use of technology and AI across HMRC. You can view the detail behind each of the announcements below: Capital Allowances The Chancellor remained focused on his commitment to back British businesses by maintaining the full expensing regime, along with some additional changes from April 2027: A reduction in the main rate of writing down allowances from 14% to 12% from April 2027 (note the rate changed from 18% to 14% from April 2026 following the Autumn 2025 Budget). An increase in the main rate first year allowance (FYA) from 40% to 50% for qualifying expenditure incurred on or after 1 January 2027 (which is also available for unincorporated businesses). Following the consultation on the tax treatment of pre-development costs, which considered the implications of the Supreme Court’s decision in Orsted West of Duddon Sands (UK) Ltd and others v HMRC [2026], the government also published its response. The government has confirmed that it will not make immediate changes to the capital allowances legislation. Instead, it will work with stakeholders to consider improvements to HMRC guidance, with the aim of providing greater clarity and certainty on how the existing capital allowances rules apply to pre-development expenditure. Key Takeaway The government is continuing to steer investors towards making capital allowances claims with the benefit of first year allowances. While investors with large main pool balances will feel the impact of the reduction of the main pool writing down allowance, investors should plan to optimise the investment incentives that are available to be claimed from year one. Corporate Tax - Larger Corporates While the main rate of corporation tax remains unchanged at 25%, the Budget included a range of announcements affecting companies. Permanent Establishment Exemption For accounting periods beginning on or after 1 January 2027, the foreign branch exemption will become mandatory for UK resident companies with overseas branches (previously optional). This means that profits and losses of foreign branches will be excluded from UK corporate tax. Key Takeaway Companies with overseas branches should review their existing structures, loss utilisation, cash-tax forecasts and related deferred tax assets, particularly as loss relief from branches will no longer be available. Investment Life Insurance Contracts For accounting periods beginning on or after 1 January 2027, the corporation tax exemption for payouts from investment life insurance contracts will be restricted to contracts that are not held for the purposes of a trade. Company Payments To Participators Following a consultation on the proposed reporting framework for transactions between close companies and their participators, the government has decided not to proceed with the new reporting requirements at this stage. HMRC will continue to engage with stakeholders to address the concerns raised and ensure taxpayers have the information needed to meet their obligations. Government seeks views on simplifying corporation tax for business investment The government has published Corporate Tax Simplification for Business Investment, a consultation on how the UK corporation tax system could be simplified to provide greater certainty and support business investment, growth and competitiveness. The consultation focuses on three main areas: financing and international activity, investment and innovation, and the wider corporation tax experience. It forms part of the government’s wider programme to create a more stable and predictable corporation tax environment. The consultation closes on 21 November 2026, giving businesses and advisers a relatively short period in which to respond. Pillar 2: Side-by-Side Package and further amendments The government has confirmed that Finance Bill 2026-27 will amend the UK’s Multinational Top-up Tax (MTT) and Domestic Top-up Tax (DTT) rules to implement the OECD’s Side-by-Side package, alongside further technical changes to the existing Pillar 2 legislation. The package introduces a number of simplifications and safe harbours, including the Side-by-Side and Ultimate Parent Entity Safe Harbours, a Simplified Effective Tax Rate Safe Harbour, a safe harbour for certain substance-based tax incentives, and an extension of the Transitional Safe Harbour. The Side-by-Side Safe Harbour can remove UK MTT exposure for qualifying groups and is expected to be particularly relevant to US-parented multinational groups. Importantly, the Side-by-Side Safe Harbour does not switch off the UK’s Domestic Top-up Tax. Qualifying groups, including US-parented groups, will therefore still need to consider whether UK entities have a DTT liability. The Side-by-Side package will apply for accounting periods beginning on or after 1 January 2026, while the further technical amendments will mainly apply for accounting periods beginning on or after 31 December 2026. Key Takeaway Groups within Pillar 2 should revisit their 2026 calculations and compliance processes. The new safe harbours could materially simplify Pillar 2 compliance and reduce MTT exposure, particularly for qualifying US-parented groups, but they do not remove the need to consider UK DTT. Advance Tax Certainty Service: Threshold Reduction The government has announced a package of changes to the Advance Tax Certainty Service (ATCS), designed to broaden access to the service and refine its operation following its launch in July 2026. The key change is a significant reduction in the minimum investment required for a project to qualify, from £1 billion to £300 million. This should materially increase the number of major investment projects able to obtain advance certainty from HMRC on their tax treatment. The government will also: Change the procedure for future amendments to the definition of a ‘qualifying investment project’, so that changes can be made using the negative statutory instrument procedure, rather than the draft affirmative procedure, and Ensure penalties for failure to provide information will apply only where the failure relates to a clearance that has actually been issued. The other existing penalty provisions remain unchanged. The £300 million threshold and penalty changes will take effect from 4 November 2026, while the change to the statutory power will take effect from 1 April 2027. Key Takeaway The reduction in the threshold from £1 billion to £300 million is the most commercially significant change. It substantially widens access to advance tax certainty for large UK investment projects, potentially making the service relevant to a much broader range of infrastructure, real estate and other capital-intensive developments. The government has also indicated that the service will remain under review, suggesting there may be scope for further expansion in future. Corporation Tax - OMB And Venture Capital Schemes The Budget included proposals to reform the taxation of company distributions and repayments of capital, alongside technical changes intended to make venture capital tax relief schemes easier to use. Modernising The Distributions Framework Following consultation earlier this year, the government intends to proceed with a number of changes to reform the taxation of company distributions and repayments of capital. The key headline is that the government intends to proceed with all seven proposals as a package, with a technical consultation and draft legislation in 2027, and implementation intended from April 2028. The government’s intention for these reforms is to reduce inconsistency between economically similar transactions and to counter avoidance where income is otherwise extracted as capital. The most significant points include: Capital reductions: the amount capable of being treated as a repayment of capital following a share reorganisation will broadly be limited to the capital originally subscribed by shareholders. The change will be prospective, and companies will not be required to reconstruct historical share capital/share premium. Listed companies are intended to be excluded. Capital reduction demergers: the proposals could significantly constrain the existing capital reduction demerger route. In response, the government intends to make the statutory demerger regime substantially more flexible (see below), but it appears that this may not go far enough, and older Section 110 liquidation demergers may need to be used in many cases. Statutory demergers: the government says the relief will apply in a much broader range of circumstances, including potentially permitting qualifying demergers ahead of an onward third-party sale after 5 years. The Section 455 anti-avoidance rule, which gives rise to a dividend tax charge on a loan to a shareholder of a close company, will be extended to offshore companies. In this case the recipient of the loan will need to pay the tax. Non-UK companies: the government intends to align the income tax treatment of distributions from non-UK resident companies more closely with UK company distributions, despite significant concerns from the funds/private-capital sector. This is likely to mean that certain offshore distributions will cease to be taxed as capital gains but instead will be subject to income tax. Changes will be made to the rule which allows company share buy backs to be taxed as capital gains – specifically the subjective ‘benefit of the trade’ test will be replaced with objective tests. These may involve a minimum shareholding requirement, a requirement to have been an employee, and a requirement to fully exit within two years. Key Takeaway These changes could impact on a wide range of corporate and shareholder transactions, including group restructuring, demergers, purchases of own shares and structures involving overseas holding companies. Changes To Venture Capital Schemes The government has announced it will make a number of technical changes to make the Venture Capital Trust (VCT), Enterprise Investment Scheme (EIS) and Seed Enterprise Investment Scheme (SEIS) easier to use. These include allowing EIS relief to remain available where an investment only partly exceeds the annual or lifetime investment limits, permitting SEIS and EIS or VCT investments on the same day and ensuring one investor’s late payment does not prejudice relief for other investors. There will also be a discretionary power for HMRC to treat shares as fully paid up where the payment is received after the share issue due to exceptional and unavoidable circumstances. The government will also engage with investors and companies on improvements to the Advance Assurance service. Key Takeaway The venture capital scheme reliefs can provide significant benefits, but the legislation and guidance can be complex and difficult to navigate. The proposed technical changes should give investors greater certainty that tax relief will not be disproportionately lost because of minor technical or administrative issues, and make it easier for investors to access the available reliefs. All shares issued on a given day are treated as the same ‘share issue’, and there are cases where a partial failure of that issue taints every other share issued that same day. These changes reduce the need for, for example, planning SEIS and EIS fund raises on consecutive days. Stamp Taxes The announcements below cover changes to Stamp Duty Land Tax Group Relief and the planned introduction of a new Securities Transfer Tax. Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT) Group Relief: Winding Up The Vendor Where a UK land asset is transferred between group companies, SDLT Group Relief can apply to prevent an SDLT charge. This relief is clawed back if the transferee company leaves the group within three years while retaining the asset. HMRC was recently defeated in the case of HC-One, which found that where the transferee company leaves the group following the winding up of a parent, it is the winding up, rather than the subsequent sale of the transferee, that severs the group relationship. As a result, no clawback arises. From 29 October 2026, the rules will be amended so that winding up a parent company will not prevent Group Relief clawback if the purchaser subsequently leaves the group within the normal three-year period. Key Takeaway This significant change immediately affects corporate reorganisations. For transactions from 29 October 2026, the liquidation or dissolution of the transferor, or a company above it, will not necessarily end the exposure to Group Relief clawback. If the purchaser subsequently leaves the group within three years, the relief may still be clawed back. Stamp Duty On Shares The UK currently has two overlapping taxes on transfers of securities: Stamp Duty, which principally applies to paper instruments, and Stamp Duty Reserve Tax (SDRT), which principally applies to electronic transactions settled through the CREST system (a computerised register of shares and shareholders). This dual system is being replaced by a new Securities Transfer Tax (STT) in late 2027. STT will be self-assessed and administered digitally, with the aim of simplifying the administration and payment of tax and removing the need for non-electronic instruments and paper-based reporting and payment processes. Draft legislation was published on 13 July 2026. In addition to changing how the tax is assessed and collected, the new regime will change how the liability is calculated in certain circumstances. This includes transactions where consideration is contingent or unascertainable – for the first time it should be possible to defer payment of the stamp duty until the future date of payment. Key Takeaway The introduction of STT represents a wholesale modernisation of the stamp taxes on shares framework. Businesses undertaking transactions will need to consider the new digital reporting, payment and evidencing requirements ahead of the introduction of the new regime. Real Estate Foreign Sovereign Investment In UK Real Estate The government has launched a consultation on a statutory sovereign tax status regime, intended to take effect from 1 January 2029, with legislation to follow in a future Finance Bill. The proposals are particularly relevant to sovereign investors holding UK real estate directly and may also affect the structuring of investments with joint venture partners. The proposed regime would replace the existing, non-statutory sovereign immunity exemption from UK direct taxes. Its principal effect would be to bring income and gains from directly held UK real estate into charge. Returns arising within UK companies are already subject to corporation tax, so the impact will depend on the existing investment structure. The consultation proposes exemptions for investment management activities undertaken by sovereign investment offices and for gains arising to state-operated overseas pension funds. Foreign sovereigns would retain qualifying institutional investor status for the real estate investment trust (REIT), qualifying asset holding company, Long-Term Asset Fund and most collective investment vehicle regimes. Bespoke rules would also allow a foreign sovereign to hold a controlling interest in a REIT through a UK company, with property income distributions taxed at 15%. The proposed transitional measures include market value rebasing for certain assets on 1 January 2029 and time-limited Stamp Duty Land Tax relief for restructuring certain existing property holdings before commencement. The scope and conditions of these measures will be important when assessing the impact on existing investments. Draft legislation will be published for technical consultation. Annual Tax On Enveloped Dwellings Annual tax on enveloped dwellings (ATED) charges will increase by 3.5% from 1 April 2027, in line with the September 2026 Consumer Prices Index. Zero Rate Of VAT On Land Sold To Social Housing Providers Following a consultation earlier in 2026, the government has announced that a new VAT zero rate will apply to qualifying sales of land to registered providers of social housing from 1 April 2027. Secondary legislation is expected in early 2027 and we await the detail of that with much anticipation. While the measure is intended to simplify land transactions and remove VAT-related barriers to social housing delivery, the effectiveness will depend in part on the final definition of a registered provider of social housing. Key Takeaway This is a welcome VAT relief that should reduce reliance on golden brick arrangements, allowing qualifying land transfers to take place earlier and be better aligned with commercial objectives and funding requirements, rather than being driven by a VAT-led structure which often created inefficiencies and delays in the delivery of social housing. Land Remediation Relief Following the consultation into Land Remediation Relief (LRR) and its potential reforms, the government has decided to not proceed with any changes at this time. While the relief itself will remain unchanged, HMRC will review its guidance so that it better meets the needs of businesses and advisers and will work with stakeholders to identify ways in which it can be improved. Research & Development - R&D The government has announced plans to simplify some of the administrative requirements associated with claiming R&D tax relief. For claims made on or after 1 April 2027, the requirement for an R&D claim notification form will be removed, meaning companies will no longer need to separately notify HMRC in advance of their intention to make an R&D claim. The change is expected to reduce the administrative burden on businesses, particularly those making their first R&D claim or returning to the regime after a period without claiming. The government has also confirmed plans to simplify the Additional Information Form (AIF) from Autumn 2027. While further detail on the revised requirements is expected, the change is intended to streamline the information businesses must provide when submitting an R&D claim. The removal of the claim notification form will be legislated through Finance Bill 2026-27, while the changes to the AIF will be introduced through secondary legislation. Key Takeaway R&D tax relief continues to be a very beneficial relief with benefit of between 15% and 27% of qualifying expenditure received either through a corporation tax deduction or repayable credit. These changes represent a welcome step towards simplifying the R&D tax relief regime. However, businesses will still need to ensure that their claims are technically robust, appropriately evidenced and supported by a clear assessment of the qualifying R&D activities and associated expenditure. Creative Sector From 1 January 2027, taxable earnings for Corporate Interest Restriction (CIR) purposes will exclude audio-visual expenditure credits (AVEC) and video games expenditure credits (VGEC). This brings the treatment of these expenditure credits into line with other tax reliefs, including R&D credits. The change will affect companies receiving expenditure credits that are within the CIR regime, including larger studios and groups that are heavily geared. Key Takeaway Groups claiming AVEC or VGEC may be subject to greater restrictions on interest deductions once the change takes effect, so companies claiming these credits should consider the potential impact on their CIR position. VAT & Indirect Taxes The Budget included a range of VAT and indirect tax measures affecting property, online marketplaces, cross-border services, transport and energy, as well as electronic invoicing (see the tax technology and transformation section). Online Marketplaces From October 2027, the VAT online marketplace liability rules, which aim to tackle VAT non-compliance in the e-commerce sector, will be extended to cover sales by UK businesses. Online marketplaces will become responsible for collecting VAT on sales made through their platforms by: UK VAT-registered businesses, and Other UK businesses with annual sales through that platform of at least £90,000. The rules will not apply to personal sales, second-hand goods or business-to-business transactions. HMRC will publish detailed guidance ahead of implementation in October 2027, including information on any accounting changes businesses may need to make. The measure follows the consultation launched in June 2026. Key Takeaway This is a significant shift in VAT accounting responsibility towards online marketplaces, aimed at tackling non-compliance by UK online sellers and creating a more level playing field for high street retailers. Platforms and affected businesses will need to review their systems and accounting processes ahead of October 2027 to ensure VAT is collected and reported correctly. Services Supplied By Overseas Businesses From April 2027, the VAT reverse charge for services supplied by overseas businesses will apply only where the UK business customer receiving the service is VAT registered. Where the UK business customer is not VAT registered, responsibility for accounting for UK VAT on affected taxable services will instead fall on the overseas supplier. This is expected to require more overseas businesses to register for UK VAT. Further detail is awaited on how the changes will operate. Key Takeaway This is a significant shift in VAT accounting responsibility towards overseas suppliers and will bring additional registration and compliance obligations. Affected businesses will need to review their customers’ VAT status, pricing and invoicing ahead of April 2027, while UK customers unable to recover VAT could face higher costs. Relying on non-resident service suppliers registering for VAT is perhaps a surprising move by government. The effectiveness of the measure will depend in part on compliance by overseas suppliers and HMRC’s ability to enforce the new rules. Private Hire Vehicle Operators From 2 January 2028, passenger transport services arranged by operators acting as agents for drivers will be treated as being supplied by the private hire vehicle operator rather than the driver. Operators within scope will therefore account for VAT on the full fare. The measure will be limited to operators whose annual fare turnover exceeds a specified threshold. The government will consult on the final threshold and implementation, with £50 million of annual fare turnover identified as the lead option. Separately, following the removal of private hire vehicle and taxi services from the scope of the Tour Operators’ Margin Scheme (TOMS) in January 2026, the government has launched a call for evidence on the VAT treatment of travel services. This considers whether TOMS should be retained, reformed, simplified, made optional, partly withdrawn or removed. It also covers travel services enjoyed in the UK but supplied by tour operators established outside the UK. The call for evidence is a review rather than an announcement of further changes to TOMS. Key Takeaway This is a further move towards VAT being accounted for on the full fare by larger private hire operators, regardless of agency arrangements. Affected operators should consider the implications for pricing, margins and accounting systems ahead of January 2028 and monitor the consultation on the turnover threshold. The separate TOMS review signals potential wider changes for the travel sector, rather than immediate reform. Energy-Related Matters The temporary zero rate for domestic and other qualifying electricity supplies will be extended until 30 June 2027. Supplies that would otherwise return to the reduced rate of 5% from 1 April 2027 will therefore remain zero-rated for a further three months. Heat batteries installed in residential accommodation or charity buildings will be brought within the VAT relief for energy-saving materials from 1 April 2027. The general temporary zero rate for the supply and installation of qualifying energy-saving materials will end as previously scheduled, with the rate reverting to 5% from that date. From 1 November 2026, electricity supplied through publicly accessible electric vehicle (EV) charging points will be standard-rated for VAT and will not be treated as domestic use for climate change levy purposes. This change is HMRC’s response to the First-Tier Tribunal’s decision in Charge My Street Limited v HMRC (UKFTT 318 TC), which held that qualifying small supplies of electricity through public EV charging points could benefit from the 5% reduced VAT rate. Key Takeaway This is a mixed package of measures, providing a short extension of relief for domestic electricity and bringing heat batteries within the energy-saving materials relief, but confirming the return to 5% VAT for qualifying installations. Suppliers, installers and public EV charging operators should consider the impact of the changes on pricing and billing. Tax, Technology & Transformation The Budget includes a range of measures reflecting the continued digitalisation of tax administration, from mandatory e-invoicing and changes to corporation tax administration to greater use of technology and AI across government. Mandatory VAT E-Invoicing: Roadmap To April 2029 VAT invoices will be required to be issued in a specified electronic format from 1 April 2029. The government has now published an implementation roadmap, setting out the key milestones and when further details will be available, and intends to provide full policy and technical design details by April 2028. The government has also launched a consultation on whether the structured data created through e-invoicing could be used for digital reporting to support tax administration. No decisions have yet been taken on whether such reporting will be introduced. Key Takeaway While the technical detail is still to be confirmed, the roadmap gives organisations more information to begin planning for implementation. Businesses should consider e-invoicing as part of their wider ERP, finance, tax data and digital transformation plans, rather than solely as a tax compliance change. The consultation on the future use of e-invoicing data also signals that HMRC is considering how structured invoice data could be used beyond the core e-invoicing requirement, such as pre-populated returns and finance submissions. Businesses should monitor these developments, particularly where future uses could affect tax reporting processes, data requirements and controls. Corporation Tax Administration: Further Digitalisation On The Horizon The Government will launch a targeted programme to simplify specific areas of corporation tax and has published a call for evidence on modernising corporation tax administration. This includes considering how software, AI and automation technology could simplify administration and reduce burdens for businesses. Key Takeaway The direction of travel for digital submission now extends beyond VAT. Businesses should expect that technology and digital interaction with HMRC will play a growing role across tax regimes, making the quality and accessibility of underlying tax data increasingly important. Greater Stewardship Expectations For Tax Software And Intermediaries HMRC will publish a roadmap in Spring 2027, setting out its long-term approach to tax advisers, software providers and others supporting taxpayer interactions with the tax and customs system. This will include measures intended to strengthen standards for tax software providers. Key Takeaway Greater focus on standards for tax software providers should give businesses further information to consider when selecting and governing tax technology. The detail of those standards will be important for organisations making longer-term decisions about tax technology platforms and providers. Further AI And Automation Investment In HMRC Services The Budget provides £35 million to establish GovAI and a further £50 million Civil Service AI transformation fund across 2027-28 and 2028-29. The funding is intended to support greater use of AI, automation and simpler processes across the Civil Service. Key Takeaway AI and automation are moving from experimentation towards a more established component of government service delivery. For tax functions, Ask HMRC provides an early example of this shift within tax administration. Businesses should monitor how HMRC’s adoption of AI and automation changes taxpayer interactions and administrative processes.

The Budget includes several significant changes for employers, including a substantial expansion of tax-advantaged employee share options, simplification of EMI reporting, changes to the taxation of image rights and increased approved mileage rates. Alongside changes to company-car taxation, electric vehicle costs and the introduction of mandatory payrolling of benefits in kind, employers should consider both the opportunities created by the new measures and the changes required to existing payroll, reward and benefit arrangements. You can read the detail behind each of the key announcements below. Enterprise Management Incentives The UK has two tax advantaged share option schemes – the very popular Enterprise Management Incentive (EMI) scheme and much less popular Company Share Option Plan (CSOP). Where available EMI options are generally the preferred choice, as CSOP schemes are subject to more restrictive rules particularly around qualifying shares and scheme documentation. Although these restrictions have been relaxed over time, EMI remains much more widely used than CSOP. One of the potential drawbacks to CSOP is the relatively low limit on the value of shares that can be awarded. As announced in the 2026 Budget, from 28 October 2026 CSOP arrangements will be rebranded as EMI2. From 6 April 2027, the individual EMI2 option limit will double from £60,000 to £120,000 and the maximum period for exercising options while retaining the tax advantages will increase from 10 years to 15 years. A particularly important change is the removal of the existing interaction between EMI and EMI2 from 6 April 2027. This will allow the two schemes to operate independently, meaning companies will be able to use EMI and EMI2 alongside one another. HMRC’s guidance expressly confirms that EMI2 may be used alongside EMI, after a company has grown beyond the EMI eligibility limits or where the activities undertaken by the business mean it does not qualify for EMI. Key Takeaway EMI schemes will likely still be the preferred scheme as it will retain access to Business Asset Disposal Relief, which is rarely available under CSOP (newly EMI2). Nevertheless the EMI legislation does contain eligibility criteria not present in EMI2 and so in certain circumstances EMI2 may prove the most tax efficient method of rewarding staff with equity. These changes significantly increase the relevance of EMI2 as both an alternative and a complement to EMI. Companies that have previously dismissed tax-advantaged options because they were too large for EMI, undertook an excluded activity or the staff member in question did not qualify, should revisit their share-plan arrangements. EMI Grant Notifications For EMI options granted on or after 6 April 2027, companies will no longer be required to make a separate notification to HMRC following the grant. Instead, the grant information will be reported through the general EMI scheme end-of-year return. This removes an important compliance risk for employers. Under the current rules applying to options granted on or after 6 April 2024, an EMI grant must be notified to HMRC by 6 July following the end of the tax year in which the option is granted. Failure to meet the notification requirement could put the availability of the EMI tax advantages at risk. It is not yet clear whether a late EMI notification which would normally invalidate the tax advantages of the option will be extended to the general EMI return. If so, then a late EMI return will have serious consequences for the individual concerned. Key Takeaway This is a welcome simplification for employers. Missing what may appear to be an administrative filing deadline could have significant consequences for the company and affected option holders. Including grant information in the annual return should reduce the risk of employers inadvertently missing a separate notification requirement. Companies will still need to maintain complete and accurate records of grants, valuations and supporting documentation so that the required information can be included in the annual return. Image Rights As announced at Budget 2025, payments for image rights connected with an employment will be treated as employment income. The Chancellor has now confirmed that the measure will take effect from 6 April 2028, one year later than previously announced. The change is particularly relevant to sectors such as professional sport and entertainment, where separate arrangements may be entered into for the commercial use of an individual’s name, likeness, appearances and other associated rights. Key Takeaway Where the new rules apply, the payment will be taxed as employment income. The measure could therefore materially increase the income tax and National Insurance cost of image rights arrangements connected with an individual’s employment. Businesses using such arrangements should identify the relevant contracts and payment flows and assess which payments could fall within the new rules. This will be particularly important where payments are currently made separately from remuneration, including where payments are made under an image rights agreement or to another entity. Mandatory Payrolling Of Benefits In Kind The Chancellor confirmed that legislation will be brought in to provide a phased introduction to the mandatory payrolling of benefits in kind. Company cars, vans, fuel and medical benefits will be brought within mandatory payrolling from 6 April 2027. Most remaining benefits in kind and taxable expenses will follow from 6 April 2028. Beneficial loans and living accommodation will remain outside mandatory payrolling and will continue to be reported separately. Key Takeaway Employers should use the additional time before the phased introduction to review their benefits data and test the flow of information between HR, benefits providers, fleet teams and payroll. Cars, fuel and medical benefits can involve changes during the tax year, so employers will need reliable processes for capturing information, processing adjustments and reporting the correct taxable value through payroll. Company Car Tax Rates The government will introduce legislation to set company car tax rates for the tax year 2030-31. Appropriate percentage for zero-emission company cars will increase by 1% in this tax year. The percentages applying to all other company-car bands will also increase by 1%, subject to the maximum appropriate percentage of 40%. Key Takeaway Although the change does not take effect until April 2030, the confirmed rates give employers greater certainty when modelling longer-term fleet and electric-vehicle arrangements. Employers operating company car or salary sacrifice arrangements should incorporate the future rates when assessing employee income tax and Employer Class 1A National Insurance costs. Electric Vehicle Excise Duty (eVED) A further consideration for employers operating electric car arrangements is Electric Vehicle Excise Duty, or eVED. From 1 April 2028, the mileage-based charge will apply to battery-electric, plug-in hybrid and hydrogen fuel-cell cars. The initial charge will be: 3p per mile for battery-electric and hydrogen fuel-cell cars, and 1.5p per mile for plug-in hybrid cars. The rates will subsequently be uprated in line with CPI. Key Takeaway Employers operating company car and EV salary-sacrifice schemes should review their scheme rules to establish who will bear the eVED cost from April 2028. The mileage-based charge will represent an additional running cost for electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles. Employers should reflect this in future scheme-cost projections and ensure that the position is explained clearly to participating employees. Approved Mileage Allowance Payments The Chancellor announced an increase to the tax-free and tax-deductible mileage rates applying where employees use their own cars and vans for qualifying business journeys. The rate for business mileage above 10,000 miles will increase from 25p to 35p per mile from 6 April 2027. The approved rate for the first 10,000 business miles increased from 45p to 55p per mile from 6 April 2026. Key Takeaway Employers should review their mileage reimbursement policies and decide whether to adopt the increased approved rates. Employers are not required to reimburse employees at the statutory approved rate. Where an employer reimburses at a lower rate, employees may be entitled to claim tax relief on the qualifying shortfall. Expense systems and employee communications should be updated to reflect the applicable rates and implementation dates.