Increase in National Living Wage

The Chancellor of the Exchequer, Jeremy Hunt, confirmed that the government has committed to the proposals of the Low Pay Commission for increasing minimum wage rates from 1 April 2024. The actual wage rate recommendations of the Low Pay Commission are expected to be announced next month.

The latest forecasts show that this would create a pay boost next year worth over £1,000 for two million low-paid workers. A full-time worker on the National Living Wage (NLW) will be over £9,000 better off than they would have been in 2010.

These increases are expected to see the NLW increase to over £11 an hour. The NLW is the minimum hourly rate that must be paid to those aged 23 or over. The threshold is expected to further reduce to age 21 by 2024. These changes are based on the remit from the Low Pay Commission which sets a target for the NLW to reach two-thirds of median earnings by 2024 for workers aged 21 and over.

The current minimum wage rates for the period from 1 April 2023 – 31 March 2024 are as follows:

National Living Wage

  • Aged 23 & over – £10.42

National Minimum Wage

  • Aged 21 to 22 – £10.18
  • Aged 18 to 20 – £7.49
  • Aged 16 and 17 – £5.28
  • Apprentice rate – £5.28

An independent review into the evidence on minimum wage rates has been published by the government. The review concludes that increases in the National Living Wage (NLW) have little effect on employment whilst significantly increasing the earnings of low paid workers. This was found to be the case even in countries who had the most ambitious policies for increasing minimum wage rates. The report also concluded that there was room for the UK to explore a more ambitious National Living Wage (NLW) remit resulting in increased wages in the range of 60% to two-thirds of median hourly earnings.

The NLW currently stands at £8.21 per hour, or 58.9% of median hourly earnings. In response to the report, the Chancellor has pledged a more ambitious increase in the NLW such that, on current projections, it is set to reach £10.50 per hour by 2024. This announcement had the caveat that the increase would be subject to favourable economic conditions.

The Chancellor has also committed to expand the living wage to more young people by bringing down the age threshold for the NLW to cover all workers over the age of 21. The government is expected to issue a fuller response to the review in due course. This is also part of the government’s commitment to do more to end low pay.

Whilst many low paid employees will be buoyed by this news, it is important that employers with a significant proportion of staff who are paid the minimum wage rates pay, consider their medium term planning options.

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Business Valuation in Distress

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The Tax Man

The Tax Man

A new client was introduced to us via a recommendation with whom we arranged to meet on a regular basis in order to determine a number of changes that we felt were needed to their business structure. The client was at the time operating as a husband and wife partnership. The business was flourishing and had a number of large contracts with big organisations.

At the start of the process they were still heavily immersed in their day to day operations so we can get a full flavour for their ambitions, aspirations and growth plans. We quickly recognised there were sufficient tax savings which can be achieved by changing the structure from a partnership to a corporate entity. We carried out a business valuation and disposed of the goodwill from the old to the new business. Unfortunately, as often is the case with efficient tax planning, HMRC got involved and disputed our valuation.

An HMRC investigation can be a very stressful time for any client, even for those best prepared. However, our client had minimal input in the HMRC communication as we dealt with this professionally behind the scene. As an added benefit, our client could rest on the security that all work was covered by insurance and therefore all costs and time in dealing with this enquiry were covered by the fee protection policy we had put in place.

The initial approach taken by HMRC was very aggressive and they tried to present an argument that there was no goodwill in the business. We challenged HMRC’s view that the goodwill was worthless. After lengthy correspondence and numerous telephone calls, HMRC agreed 100% with our original valuation, which preserved our original tax saving plan for the client. Tax savings on this case where in the region of £75K at the outset, with ongoing savings of £6,000 per annum. We are pleased to add another happy client to our portfolio.

Business Valuation in Distress

Business Valuation in Distress

Selling a business is never an easy process, but when disputes arise, the need for a reliable third party due diligence process is even greater.

Tearle & Carver have extensive understanding of the requirements for remaining objective when managing a potentially difficult company buyout. In one such case, we were approached by the courts to act as independent accountant for an acrimonious business sale in which one partner was exiting the business and selling shares to the other. Given the circumstances, both sides had totally polar views of what their business was worth.

After arranging an initial meeting with the company, we were thorough in ensuring we completed due diligence, validating the figures in the accounting records, carrying out adjustments where appropriate, and drafting a set of reliable management figures within the framework required by the court.

A draft version of the report detailing our findings and conclusions was submitted to both parties, giving them the opportunity to voice any queries or concerns and ensure all relevant factors had been taken into account.

Through this process, we were able to submit a final report to the courts that was both binding and acceptable to both parties, effectively resolving what could otherwise have been a time consuming and costly process for all sides.

FD in The Cupboard

FD in The Cupboard

For smaller companies, it is often not possible or cost effective to pay for a full-time Financial Director.
Many of our clients therefore make use of Tearle & Carver’s extensive expertise to provide the services of an FD as and when required.

In this case, we were approached by the management team of an organisation looking to acquire the existing business via an MBO (Management buy out). Their business plan had proved ineffective for securing funding, and what they needed was financial expertise from someone with a developed understanding of the company’s internal workings.

Tearle & Carver helped deliver the solution our clients were looking through utilising our bank contacts in order to make the MBO viable, while also building a robust business plan and preparing our client for the rigorous vetting process. To help with cash flow issues, we introduced factoring which led to improved cash flow management.

We advised on the appropriate business valuation and structure, and continued to prepare monthly accounts to track profgress once the management were fully in command of all the information they needed to move their business forward.

In order to best assist these clients through the crucial first year of ownership, we attended board meetings on a regular basis, a service that we continue to provide to date.

With our continually developing understanding of their business, this client is able to remain confident that Tearle & Carver can provide any financial support they may need, now and in the future.