BudgetOct 27 2021

Sunak's Halloween tricks and treats: Budget tax changes at-a-glance

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Sunak's Halloween tricks and treats: Budget tax changes at-a-glance
Photo: Cottonbro via Pexels

Echoing the "levelling up" mantra of the prime minister, Sunak spoke at length about near-term spending plans, while simultaneously reining in longer-term fiscal objectives.

He claimed the government's forthcoming investments would amount to an "infrastructure revolution" focused on the well-being of the nation as a whole. He said: "The simple truth - [is] we are bound together by more than transactional benefit. We are, and always will be, one family, one United Kingdom."

The chancellor promised to increase research and development expenditure, but acknowledge the government would miss its previous target of spending £22bn a year by 2024. He said the government will spend £20bn a year by that date, with the £22bn goal being reached by 2025-27.

With the government having unveiled some notable tax changes only last month, Sunak made relatively few taxation announcements this time around. But there were, as ever, points of note.

New measures

An 8 percentage point drop in Universal Credit taper rate to 55p was announced as a means to help pay more to working households, allowing them to take home more money for every £1 earned.

"Universal Credit is a tax on work", said the chancellor, who also pledged to raise the national living wage to £9.50 an hour.

But, at a time when the temporary £20 Covid enhancements to UC is being ended, and the economy is still vulnerable, this was still seen as a tax on those who cannot work.

Rachel Reeves MP, shadow chancellor, said: "Sunak took £6bn from Universal Credit claimants and now expects them to cheer £2bn back."

I do not like the idea of good businesses paying higher taxes to fund remedial work on leaseholds by bad businesses.Hosker

Much of the commentary in the lead-up to the Budget this year has centered around the new Health and Social Care tax. 

On September 7, prime minister Boris Johnson told the House of Commons that dividend rates would increase by the same amount as National Insurance - 1.25 percentage points - to fund the cost of care.

As Sunak said in his speech: "Healthcare spending will increase by £44bn by the end of the parliament... The new Social Care Tax will go towards the NHS and social care services."

Inheritance tax had also been viewed as a possible pot for the chancellor to draw on, given that latest data from HM Revenue & Customs revealed that tax receipts collected in the half-year from April to September this year was £3.1bn, compared with £2.4bn for the same period in 2020. But no changes were made - again.

Pension and property

From 2024-25, the government will allow low-paid workers in ‘net pay’ schemes to claim a top up to make up for lack of pension tax relief. 

But a lack of support for pensioners was noted. Rachael Griffin, pensions specialist for Quilter, said: "Today’s Budget will have left many pensioners feeling forgotten about at a time when their finances continue to be squeezed.

"The government’s refusal to increase any of the social security payments for pensioners such as the winter fuel payment, cold weather payment, or the warm homes discount will come as a huge blow to millions across the UK."

This has been a long standing injustice.Steve Cameron

She said this would add to pensioners' anger at the government after its changes to the triple lock caused them to miss out on a potential 8 per cent increase in state pension payments.

There was also the addition of a new residential property developers tax of 4 per cent for all developers reporting profits over £25m. However, there was no tax relief for those who have already replaced cladding on the buildings they have built. 

Mortgage adviser Adam Hosker said: "I do not like the idea of good businesses paying higher taxes to fund remedial work on leaseholds by bad businesses", though he acknowledged something needed to be done.

While small builders are exempt, which he approved, Hosker said such a tax could push-up a business's break-even point and reduce construction opportunities. 

Below is the latest FTAdviser Tax Table, detailing at-a-glance all the changes in today's Budget.

 2020 BudgetChanges in 2021 March statement

Budget announcements October 2021

Income tax and personal allowancesGov't pledges to meet commitment to raising income tax personal allowance to £12,500 and the higher threshold to £50,000 by end of this parliament. Once it reaches £12,500, it will rise in line with CPI.

Personal Allowance tax threshold frozen. Basic rate income tax threshold will increase in 2021 to £12,570 and remain at this level until 2026. (£50,270 for higher rate).

 
Dividend taxNo changes mentioned.Allowance remained at £2,000As previously announced, legislation will be introduced in the Finance Bill 2021-22 to increase the rates of income tax applicable to dividend income by 1.25%. The dividend ordinary rate will be set at 8.75%, the dividend upper rate will be set at 33.75% and the dividend additional rate will be set at 39.35%.
Pension allowancesIncrease to earnings threshold of £90,000 for the tapered pensions annual allowance, meaning the threshold will now kick in at £200,000. However, individuals who continue to be affected by the TAA will see their minimum TAA reduced from £10,000 to £4,000. LTA rising in line with CPI as previous Budgets stated.

Pensions Lifetime Allowance frozen at £1.073m.

No changes to the PLA or MPAA.
Capital gains taxOnly a change to entrepreneurs' relief. Company founders can pay a discounted CGT rate of 10% when they sell their businesses, compared with the 20% rate typically applied, but their lifetime rate is being slashed by 90%.

No CGT hike, despite pre-Budget speculation to the contrary. Annual exemptions frozen until 2026.

From 27 October 2021, the deadline for residents to report and pay CGT after selling UK residential property will increase from 30 days after the completion date to 60 days.
Bank levyNew Economic Crime Levy introduced to combat white-collar fraud.

Reviewing the surcharge to make sure banks will not be hit by higher corporation tax as well as the levy.

Bank corporation tax rate of 25% confirmed. The rate of the surcharge to be set at 3% from April 2023. 
Inheritance taxNo changes mentioned

Nil-rate bands frozen until 2026.

Nothing mentioned.
Corporation taxPlanned cut in corporation tax rate will not happen this year, but will remain at 19%

To rise after 2023 to 25 per cent. Will not affect the smallest companies; existing rate will apply to those with profits of less than £50,000 a year.

Confirmation of rise to 25%
Tax on savings interestJunior Isa and Child Trust Fund subscriptions will double to £9,000.

No new subscription hikes

No changes to subscription rates.
National Insurance contributionGovernment is increasing the threshold for when NI becomes payable to £9,500. Changes to NIC allowances will save employees £104 a year, and self-employed individuals £78 a year.No changesAs previously announced, a 1.25 percentage point hike on all workers to help pay for a new health and social care tax (see below)
VATSupporting businesses with VAT cut as part of Covid response.

VAT relief - still halved at 12.5 per cent to help retail and tourism industry in particular. Will not revert to standard 20 per cent until next year. This should reduce VAT receipts this year by almost £5bn.

No major changes.
Stamp Duty Land TaxAn additional 2 per cent SDLT announced for foreign buyers from April 2021.

July 2020 stamp duty holiday, raising threshold from £125,000 to £500,000, now extended to the end of June 2021. A £250,000 limit will continue until the end of September; thereafter will revert to £125,000. A new Mortgage Guarantee for 95 per cent loans.

No further SDLT reliefs
Environmental taxesClimate Change Levy ongoing 
Business rates and Restart Business rates multiplier frozen for a second year, from 1 April 2022 until 31 March 2023. A new temporary business rates relief for eligible retail, hospitality and leisure buildings for 2022-23. Eligible properties will receive 50% relief. 
A new 100% improvement relief for business rates, to take effect in 2023 and be reviewed in 2028. From 1 April 2023 until 31 March 2035 targeted business rate exemptions for
eligible plant and machinery used in onsite renewable energy generation and storage, and a 100% relief for eligible heat networks, to support the decarbonisation of non-domestic
buildings
• Business rates revaluations to take place every 3 years, instead of 5.
Entrepreneurs' relief (Business Asset Disposal Relief)Confirmation the Entrepreneurs’ Relief lifetime limit will drop from £10m to £1m. This will apply to qualifying disposals made on or after 11 March 2020 and to certain disposals made before 11 March 2020. This relief will be renamed the relief ‘Business Asset Disposal Relief’ for tax years 2020-21 onwards
New: Health and Social Care tax--

New for 2022 and beyond, a 1.25 percentage point increase will be placed on National Insurance contributions, alongside a 1.25 per cent dividend tax, in order to pay for a £86,000 cap on the cost of social care. This will, from 2023, become a separate levy to fund social care.

New: Residential Property Development Tax--Government will introduce a new tax from April 2022 on the profits that companies and corporate groups derive from UK residential property development.