Mandatory payrolling for Benefits in Kind to be phased in

Mandatory payrolling for Benefits in Kind will now be introduced in two phases following industry pressure. Phase 1 will begin from 6 April 2027, with Phase 2 following on 6 April 2028.

The change will replace the current P11D process for most benefits, requiring employers to report taxable values through payroll in real time.

HMRC to increase high-street tax fraud interventions

HMRC is planning 30,000 high-street interventions in the coming year as part of a stronger campaign against tax fraud, illegal trading and criminal activity linked to some cash-intensive businesses.

The initiative will target areas such as illicit goods, money laundering, National Minimum Wage breaches and electronic sales manipulation.

HSE developing guidance for robotics in the workplace

The Health and Safety Executive and the Regulatory Innovation Office are working with industry partners to support the safe adoption of robotics and collaborative robots in workplaces.

The first stage will provide regulatory clarity for cobots, helping businesses understand how robots can work safely alongside people.

Energy costs push manufacturers to consider overseas production

Research from Make UK suggests that high energy costs are forcing some UK manufacturers to move, or consider moving, production overseas.

The report highlights concerns that UK manufacturers face electricity costs far higher than competitors in other developed economies, affecting competitiveness and supply chain decisions.

Only 20% of small businesses use AI regularly

A new report has found that only one in five small businesses use Artificial Intelligence regularly, with just 6% embedding AI into daily work.

The report warns that the smallest businesses risk being left behind, while early adopters may pull ahead as they build AI capability into everyday operations.