Avalon Accountancy

13/04/2026

Many small businesses do not understand requirements for electronic invoicing and overwhelming majority had never seen HMRC communications about the move to compulsory e-invoices

10/04/2026

In a sweeping consultation, HMRC plans draconian reporting requirements on director’s loan accounts and participator loans to connected companies

18/09/2025

18/09/2025

https://www.accountancydaily.co/hmrc-contracting-out-its-job-over-mtd-warns-peer

Members of the House of Lords criticise the speed of Making Tax Digital (MTD) for Income Tax rollout, saying it will increase costs for taxpayers

15/09/2025

https://www.accountancydaily.co/surprise-amnesty-covid-loan-debtors

Treasury launches a three month Covid repayment window, giving directors an amnesty to settle unpaid pandemic related debts

28/08/2025

https://www.accountancydaily.co/hmrc-ramps-mtd-income-tax-communications

With seven months to go until over 800,000 landlords and self employed will have to file quarterly updates with HMRC for Making Tax Digital (MTD) for Income Tax, Craig Ogilvie, director of MTD at HMRC, explains how to comply with the new rules

28/08/2025

https://www.accountancydaily.co/rodents-ate-my-expenses-receipts-rejected-tax-tribunal

A bus driver ‘grasping at straws’ has lost a £28,000 appeal at the tax tribunal against HMRC discovery assessments as he had no evidence of expenses as rodents ate all his receipts

14/08/2025

Crew cab vans, also known as crew vans, are generally still considered commercial vehicles for tax purposes, specifically for Benefit-in-Kind (BIK) calculations, even after the changes affecting double cab pickup trucks. While double cab pickup trucks are now treated as cars for BIK and Capital Allowance purposes, crew vans typically retain their van classification, meaning BIK is calculated based on a flat rate tied to private use, rather than being based on CO2 emissions and list price like cars.
Here's a more detailed breakdown:
• Crew Vans vs. Double Cab Pickups:
Crew vans, with their specific design and purpose, are generally viewed as having a primary function of carrying goods or equipment, unlike double cab pickups which can be seen as more versatile and suitable for both personal and business use.
• BIK Tax for Crew Vans:
If a crew van is used for private journeys outside of work, the employee will be liable for BIK tax. However, this tax is usually calculated at a flat rate for vans, rather than the more complex car tax calculations that consider CO2 emissions and list price.
• Private Use:
Private use, such as using the van for personal errands or holidays, triggers the BIK tax. HMRC allows for some leeway with "insignificant private use".
• Important Considerations:
• HMRC Definition: HMRC regards a commercial vehicle as one used for business purposes, such as transporting goods or providing a service.
• Case-by-Case Basis: Taxation of commercial vehicles, including crew vans, is often assessed on a case-by-case basis, and it's wise to consult with a professional for specific guidance.
• Payload: Crew vans typically have a payload capacity of 1,000+ kg and a gross vehicle weight of no more than 3.5 tonnes, which contributes to their classification as commercial vehicles.

13/08/2025

https://www.accountancydaily.co/hmrc-warns-companies-miscalculating-tax-marginal-relief

HMRC is running a one-to-many letter campaign targeting companies that have miscalculated corporation tax marginal relief in their company tax returns

18/07/2025

A video game music producer has been jailed for fraudulently applying for two Covid loans during the pandemic

Peter Connolly, 52, has been jailed for 16 months at Durham Crown Court on 17 July after inflating the turnover of his personal service company, Peter Connollrliery Limited, to claim bounce back loans, one of which he was not eligible for.

Connelly is a well know music composer in the video game industry and has worked on the Tomb Raider series as well as award-winning video games, such as Watch Dogs where he was the audio lead, Driver: San Francisco, and the South Park video game.

At first the music composer applied for a legitimate bounce back loan worth £22,000 but then applied again at a different bank for a higher loan after inflating his company’s turnover.

In this loan he claimed £37,500, inflating the turnover of the company to £150,000 when in reality the company’s turnover was £58,000. Connelly also declared this was the first and only bounce back loan he had applied for.

When the Insolvency Service interviewed him, he said he had been offered the chance to work on Tomb Raider again and reimagine the soundtrack from the late 90s and early 00s, saying the contract ‘had the potential to be very lucrative’.

The original Tomb Raider games were remastered for current generation consoles that released last year.

Connelly said he had taken out personal loans and sold his car to finance himself during the Tomb Raider contract but then the pandemic hit, stalling production.

The company went into liquidation in August 2021 with neither of the loans being repaid. Connelly himself entered into an individual voluntary arrangement (IVA) in June 2022 where he agreed to make regular payments to the insolvency practitioner. The IVA is still running.

David Snasdell, chief investigator at the Insolvency Service, said: ‘Peter Connelly blatantly disregarded the rules of the bounce back loan scheme.

‘Connelly not only secured two loans when businesses were only allowed one, but deliberately inflated his company’s turnover to receive more money than he was entitled to.

‘The Insolvency Service is the lead agency for tackling bounce back loan misconduct and we remain committed to ensuring fraudsters who stole from the public purse during a national emergency are brought to justice.’