Today's Budget recognises the help needed by your local area such as retail and hospitality, with alcohol duty reduction and reform, 50% rates reduction for 1 year, property improvements not affecting your rates for 1 year, plus money directed to areas such regional theatres, community football pitches, cycling infrastructure, local minor roads and to local councils.

Keeping it local tends to favour small businesses who can now try to build on the support and appreciation received during lockdowns. Remember to increase your prices so your business keeps pace with inflation and remains viable. So, what else should you and your business know from today?

This week we heard about a new 1.25% tax to fund health and social care, but as only £5.4bn of the £36bn raised over the next 3 years will be spent on social care, this seems to be another tax 'pot' such as national insurance and income tax from which to fund the NHS.

Unfortunately, tax simplicity and clarity is something we never see from governments making it harder for everyone, including HMRC, to understand the tax system. So how might you respond?

Easter Monday is not only the end of a long bank holiday, it’s also the end of the tax year. Make sure you plan accordingly, so you can improve your nest egg before Easter 🐤 Please see our top tips below:

1. Income Tax Thresholds - £50k and £100k

These are crucially important to understand, to ensure you don’t pay more tax than you need to. Even if you benefit from a 0% tax rate on certain allowances, say the £2k dividend allowance, the £2k still counts towards these £50k and £100k thresholds.

Today we've had a whistle-stop tour of initiatives which the government hopes will encourage growth. From saving existing skills with furlough and SEISS scheme extensions, a new super tax deduction on equipment, through to funding high quality training schemes (if you have at least 5 employees). 

Here are the main headlines of interest to small and growing businesses...