Today's Autumn Statement was more of a mini Budget than usual. Presumably due to the recent pressure being applied by the opposition.

The good news for businesses is that taking on an under 21 year old won't cost you any national insurance, but only from April 2015. In the meantime, if you can't wait, you can employ anyone on up about £22k (or more than one person on lower salaries) from April 2014, and, under a previously announced measure, this won't cost you any national insurance either. Both rules will continue into April 2015, so you could arrange your workforce to cost you no national insurance at all.

It has at last been recognised that small retailers need help in competing against the Internet. Potentially, the most valuable relief is a 50% reduction in rates when re-occupying an empty property. Being able to pay rates in monthly instalments may also be helpful for some.

When you spend money on your buy-to-let property, you expect to get a tax deduction against the rents received to help keep your tax bill down.

For those with children, this is even more important if your rented property might take you into the 'no-go' £50,000 - £60,000 income level where child benefit might be reduced or taken away completely.

With residential properties, costs like agent's fees and gas certificates are easily deductible. But what about the costs of white goods and furniture?