{"id":13457,"date":"2025-03-17T19:12:18","date_gmt":"2025-03-17T19:12:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.qualitycompanyformations.co.uk\/blog\/?p=13457"},"modified":"2025-03-22T17:37:49","modified_gmt":"2025-03-22T17:37:49","slug":"2025-26-tax-year-for-uk-business-owners","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.qualitycompanyformations.co.uk\/blog\/2025-26-tax-year-for-uk-business-owners\/","title":{"rendered":"2025-26 tax year \u2013 what UK business owners can expect\u00a0\u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"
Whether you\u2019re self-employed or running a limited company, there are several changes to be aware of in the 2025-26 tax year \u2013 from employer National Insurance contributions and minimum wage rates to company size thresholds and Capital Gains Tax.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Here\u2019s a summary of what you can expect as a UK business owner. Most changes will take effect on 6 April 2025, the first day of the new tax year.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/div>\r\n <\/div>\r\n \n Many changes in the 2025-26 tax year will directly impact employers, the most notable of which relate to secondary Class 1 NICs. <\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n From 6 April 2025, the following <\/span>changes to employer NICs<\/span><\/a> will take effect:<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n However, it\u2019s not all doom and gloom. The government will also increase the maximum Employment Allowance by 110%, from \u00a35,000 to \u00a310,500 per year, and remove the \u00a3100,000 eligibility cap. These two measures are designed to help smaller employers by providing more relief on their secondary National Insurance liabilities.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n The NIC Lower Earnings Limit and Small Profits Threshold determine when an employee or self-employed <\/span>individual<\/span> qualifies for contributory benefits, including the State Pension.<\/span><\/p>\n From 6 April 2025, the following changes will take effect:<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Employees (including company directors) and self-employed individuals must earn at least the LEL or SPT to have their NICs \u2018treated as paid\u2019 and to be eligible for contributory benefits. They don\u2019t need to pay NICs until their earnings exceed \u00a312,570 annually.<\/span><\/p>\n The annual increase to <\/span>National Living Wage and National Minimum Wage<\/span><\/a> rates will take effect from 1 April 2025. The changes to hourly pay rates are as follows:<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n These changes will benefit many UK workers, but they may present additional challenges to employers at a time of increasing National Insurance liabilities.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Statutory pay rates for employees will also rise at the start of the 2025-26 tax year. The changes <\/span>from 6 April 2025<\/span> are as follows:<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n From 6 April 2025, employees will also have a \u2018day one right\u2019 to <\/span>neonatal care leave and pay<\/span><\/a>. This new measure supports working parents with babies in neonatal care. It will provide eligible employees additional time off and Statutory Neonatal Care Pay of \u00a3187.18 per week. <\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n The government will also increase Small Employers<\/span>\u2019 <\/span>Relief from 103% to 108.5%. This will enable smaller employers to recover 100% of employees\u2019 Statutory Maternity, Paternity, Adoption, Parental Bereavement, Shared Parental, and Neonatal Pay \u2013 plus an additional 8.5% compensation.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Employers that are not eligible will be able to reclaim 92% of statutory payments instead.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Due to the government\u2019s <\/span>triple lock system<\/span><\/a>, pensioners will receive a 4.1% increase to their <\/span>State Pensions for the 2025-26 tax year<\/span><\/a>. The rates will change as follows:<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n These increases will provide recipients of the new State Pension with an additional \u00a3470 per year, while recipients of the basic State Pension will receive an extra \u00a3361 per year.<\/span><\/p>\n The turnover thresholds for micro, small, and medium-sized companies will increase from 6 April 2025, per <\/span>The Companies (Accounts and Reports) (Amendment and Transitional Provision) Regulations 2024<\/span><\/a>. There are no changes to the monetary size thresholds for large companies or the average number of employees for any company size.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n The table below shows the thresholds for accounting periods beginning on or after 6 April 2025.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\nKey Takeaways<\/h3>\r\n
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1. Employer National Insurance contributions (NICs)<\/h3>\n
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2. NIC Lower Earnings Limit and Small Profits Threshold<\/h3>\n
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3. Minimum wage increases<\/h3>\n
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4. Increases to statutory payments for employees<\/h3>\n
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5. Annual increase to State Pension<\/h3>\n
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6. Changes to company size thresholds<\/h3>\n