Tax Free Gifts To Staff

In an environment where most employee ‘perks’ subject to tax it may be helpful for you as an employer to be aware of the few concessions that have been made by HM Revenue & Customs.

Long service awards

Long service awards are allowed within strict limits. There will be no tax charge so long as the employee has been with you for at least 20 years and the article given has a value not exceeding £50 for each year of service.

Suggestion scheme awards

Such awards must be made under a properly constituted suggestion scheme, based on a set percentage of the expected financial benefit to your business. The maximum award allowed is £5,000. There is also a concession for ‘encouragement awards’ of £25 or less to reflect meritorious effort on the part of the employee concerned.

Staff parties

Staff annual functions (e.g. a dinner dance or Christmas party) are tax-free where the total cost per person attending is not more than £150 per year (including VAT).

Promotional gifts

Such items are normally purchased for advertising purposes and must display a ‘conspicuous advertisement’. Staff may receive promotional gifts tax-free provided that the overall cost of the articles involved does not exceed £50 per person per year.

Gifts of food, drink, tobacco or vouchers are specifically excluded.

Trivial benefits

Although all gifts are strictly subject to tax trivial benefits such as a turkey or bottle of wine at Christmas, or flowers on the birth of a child are not generally assessed as a benefit. A cash benefit, however, is always taxable irrespective of the value.

 

www.truemanbrown.co.uk

Will You become a Millionaire Entrepreneur like Charlie Mullins

Hi All

I have had the great pleasure to interview some of the UK’s highest profile and most success entrepreneurs and they all have one thing in common – Strength, Determination and Vision.

My favourite interview to date has to be Charlie Mullins founder of Pimlico Plumbers – He is absolutely as sound as a pound.  You cannot help but love him to bits. He is down to earth, passionate and has a totally mad sense of humour. Underneath the cool exterior is a man who is totally proud of what he has achieved and so he should be. He has an amazing business, an awesome family and I absolutely certain that every employee that works with him adores him.

Charlie’s oldest employee is a gentlemen called Buster. I think Buster is about 103 now and he is still going strong.

Yes Everybody loves Charlie!

I am attaching a list of all y interviews and pages that Charlie has contributed to my business over the last two years. I hope that you enjoy reading and watching what Charlie has to say.

Thanks a Million Charlie – Hopefully the next time we meet up I can sort you out that Scottish Haggis I promised you.

Charlie interviewd by Bradley Chapman on Raw Business Youtube Channel. 

My first written Interview with Charlie Mullins

Charlie Mullins and Pimlico Plumbers Christmas Party - Royal Garden Hotel Saturday 12th December by Bradley Chapman

Charlie Mullins front cover interview in Raw Business Magazine

Jane Hardy – For People in Debt

Times are hard – but stop reminding me!

When times are tough and with so many people in debt, the last thing we want to hear is more bad news, isn’t it?  Government statistics can be quite depressing. For example, they say now that 40% of people struggle to make it to pay-day.

I don’t know about you, but I believe that many people go into denial and cannot relate to being a statistic.  Many of my clients say, ‘Well, I never thought I’d be one of those people!’

However there isn’t an eternal pot of money. Our income has limits. So at what point do people start to realise their outgoings exceed their incomings?

Let’s just put some perspective into this before we attempt any solutions. I think that many were lured into debt around two years ago -it was almost fashionable. ‘Sometime, somewhere in Never Never Land, I may have to pay it off, but hey, look on the bright side, not YET!’

Then what happened?  The banks overspent, too! Wow, how can they get it so badly wrong? The bedrock of society, the cash cow for the world’s industry and population… and it’s not just in the UK, it’s now most of Europe, and beyond.

In the UK, not only did they have to turn to the government for support, the taxpayer had to take  ownership of this exclusive Banking Club. So the senior bankers were gambling with some fairly hack decisions, by all accounts, and with public money. In a less stable economy, our personal bank balances would have been wiped clean.  And these are the guys we trusted?

Whether you love statistics or hate them, or even just question their reliability, one of my sources of information states that seven million people won’t be able to pay their bills after last Christmas.  January can be one of those heart-stopping months where people take a sharp intake of breath and figure out if they can afford to pay of their credit card bills in one payment or have to stretch it out for 2-3 months; agreeing nervously to pay the inevitable interest too.

Perhaps it’s ironic that we buy discounted goods in the sales. There is a certainly a feel-good factor in getting new clothes for half the ticket price, but really, what’s the true cost after we’ve delayed and paid our credit card bills?

When running into a home accounts deficit, the word debt crops up, of course. That can be a hammer blow that throws up all kinds of emotions. First is disbelief, then usually an expletive. Next a sinking feeling, maybe a cold sweat. And that is where all constructive, measured thought can stop.

When we see this kind of bad news, we often first think there has been some kind of mistake. ‘This cannot be my fault, my partner has paid for something unexpectedly or the bank must have got it wrong.  How can I possibly not have my finances under control?’

As a knee-jerk reaction, we can rush to our savings account, re-checking the balances for quick re-assurance. Our ‘Rainy Day’ Savings have taken an age to accumulate and we don’t want to call on them. ‘Damn it, we were saving for holiday, a new car, a new kitchen… now we’re going to need them just to stand still.’

Another statistic states that a third of people do not discuss their family money worries with their partner. This just compounds the problem when we think that ‘things will sort themselves out’, the problem will go away if I don’t think about it’. None of us likes to think that our standard of living needs to make a step change. I’ll be looking at change in further blogs.

Let no one kid you, there are no easy ‘outs’ to this kind of problem. That would be a bit like saying to someone who is suffering from depression, ‘Oh come on now, cheer up!’  -  Are there ever any easy solutions to a financial situation? They are always contingent on several factors.

However, expertise in this area is at hand. It is all familiar territory to One Stop Financial Security yet each client’s circumstances is different and that’s our starting point. Our business has been born not from opportunism or capitalising on the worries of others. My particular expertise comes from fifteen years in the world of finance and understanding how to explain the world of money; then to finding long term solutions.

You may be thinking that this service is expensive. It’s not; we work with you with a measured short and long term programme of support and give you a tactical recovery plan.

We’re here to help you get through this temporary glitch, not to judge you. With effort on all sides we can make things change for you. It’s what we do and we’re good at it. Call me, as soon as you can, Jane Hardy, on Freephone 0800 860 0312.  Email – jane@osfs.co.uk.  www.osfs.co.uk.

Author: Jane Hardy
Category: Business Resc

Bradley Chapman speaking at Business Momentum Day

Brendan Quinn (Event Host) Book Tickets http://november27th.eventbrite.com/

Spanning the day, this event will offer essential informational on some of the most crucial aspects to businesses,  financing, marketing and branding. This exciting event will bring valuable insight and inspiration to attendees for their business journeys.

Who will be attending?

Businesses ranging from start-ups to established and trading operations are welcome. We hope you’ll join us for this highly interactive event with like-minded people and educational inspirational speakers.

What makes this different from other events?

• It’s a high quality speaker line up, yet the intention is to give you powerful opportunities to connect with you the right people in the room.
• Greater opportunities to network with speakers
• Business Experts who are not full-time speakers but full-time experts
• This is not about a single event- the objective is to develop relationships long-term

Speakers:

ANDY PATERSON-JONES

Andy is a branding consultant with over twenty years commercial experience. He has worked for a number of high profile creative agencies. He has worked on many major brands including American Express, UBS, Disney, Puma, Adidas and BP. He has run his own agency, New England, for the last six years.

New England offers a broad range of services incorporating brand strategy; brand identity; web and print design; packaging; signage and exhibitions. Clients include Dunlop, Wrangler, IMG and Samsung. No job is too big or too small. Andy specialises in helping start-ups and emerging enterprises find direction and build their brand.

Andy was one of the 5 principal designers involved in creating the look and feel of the Sydney Olympics.

Website: http://www.designbynewengland.com

BRADLEY CHAPMAN

Bradley has over 20 years of business, business management and entrepreneurial business experience. He has traded both in the UK and internationally for clients including Walt Disney, Wembley Stadium, Coca Cola, pop and rock groups including Oasis and The Spice Girls as well as supplying promotional products for major TV campaigns, leading UK brands and major Blue Chip companies.

Personal website :  http://www.bradleychapman.com/

Business website: http://www.rawbusiness.com/

KAREN TOMS

Karen is an experienced marketing consultant. She is a Charter Marketer and a Member of the Chartered Institute of Marketing. Her consultancy, Tyrrell Marketing, works with businesses to help them drive growth and communicate more effectively with their clients.

Karen’s approach is based on the principle that marketing should be at the heart of an organisation but also needs to be straightforward and realistic.

Company website: http://tyrrellmarketing.co.uk

Blog: http://www.karen-toms.com/

LEE RICKLER

Lee has spent 15 years online design and development experience working with the some of the biggest companies – Apple, Microsoft, Canon, BBC right down to family run businesses primarily working in WordPress as a CMS and e-commerce.

Specialities:WordPress development, Client liaison, project management, web design, web development

Company website: http://pointandstare.com

LinkedIn: http://uk.linkedin.com/in/pointandstare

MARIA FORTE

Over the past 20 years Maria worked within the Financial Industry in the City of London in some of the major US Firms. During that time she gained a wealth of knowledge and experience about the credit world and raising credit. She is the author of “Amazing Credit Score Secrets Revealed!” and it can be found on her website www.AmazingCreditScoreSecrets.com

PATRICK POWERS

Patrick’s passion for helping people creating a limitless life comes from a life with a lot of limitations. Patricks talks and trainings have inspired and helped thousands of people. He is the author of the highly acclaimed book “Turn Your contacts into cash”

PHIL ANDERSON

author of the Secret Life of Real Estate and Banking-

International Speaker: Asia, Australia, Europe

http://www.businesscycles.biz

TAN TRAN

Business owner of:

Fontis Capital Ltd- specialist short-term property finance lender

Green Homes Ltd- London estate agency and property development company

Rok Group Europ- European market supplier of automative suspension systems and aerodynamic body kits for racing cars

Trancomm Ltd- provider of Business telephone, broadband, mobile, remote IP security and data solution

Callidus Financial – advisory firm providing business and commercial finance and regulated mortgages.

And several online businesses including www.red-to-black.co.uk and www.helpmycashflow.co.uk

VALENTINE PALMER (also MC for the event)

The Principal of the Academy of Communication. Appeared in many of Britain’s best-loved TV series, including Dr Who. A producer of training films for major organizations, like BP and IBM, he is also much in demand as a voice and presentation coach. As such, he has worked with Barclays, Cisco Systems and , Deutsche Bank. Has been seen on BBC TV and Channel 5 as an expert in communication skills.

Hear Valentine

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x6Tcsmi4lIo

Business Advisors on the day include:

Dave Millett from Equinox (Independent Telephone Broker)

Laurent Bourat from Link Humans (social Media Advisor)

Further information:

twitter: #bm10

email: info@eventsinlondon.biz

Competition:

Closes Wednesday Midnight before the event. Produce the most creative tweet about the event and you will win a free place at the event. My decision on the winner. Winner will be notified Thursday before the event.

To enter the competition you will need to include in the tweet #bm10 and brendan_quinnuk

Schedule:

Prov schedule- subject to alteration including timings and speakers

9.30-10 – Reg.

10-10.15- Bradley Chapman- Intro

10.15-10.45- Valentine Palmer-Pitching

Break

11.00-11.35. Tan Tran- Raising Finance

11.40-12.15 Maria Forte- improve Credit Score

12.20-1- Phil Anderson- Trends

Break

2-2.45- Karen Toms- Marketing

2.50-3.30 Andy Paterson-Jones- Branding

3.35-4.05 Patrick Powers -Copywriting

Break

4.15-4.45 Lee Rickler-Web Creation

4.5-5.20 Valentine Palmer- Video communications

5.20-5.30- Closing remarks
Followed by informal networking until 6.30pm

Raw Business welcomes latest columnist David Gold

Raw Business the UK’s leading entrepreneur networking and business publishing company announced today that David Gold has joined Raw Business Magazine as a columnist.

David Gold is Chairman of Gold Group International, whose business interests include Ann Summers and West Ham United FC. David Gold recently sold Birmingham City FC and Sport Newspapers, with business partner David Sullivan.

Bradley Chapman, managing director of Raw Business and editor of Raw Business Magazine recently interviewed David Gold for a front cover feature and interview with Raw Business Magazine. We asked Bradley about David Gold joining Raw Business as a columnist:- “I interviewed David at his amazing home in Surrey recently and we spoke about his early life, his amazing career and his thoughts on UK entrepreneurship – David touched me with his words of wisdom and he presented my with his family crest, which I treasure. I am thrilled that David will be writing a column each month in our magazine”

Raw Business offers a totally free online business and entrepreneur networking website to their members. Registered members receive a copy of Raw Business Magazine each month posted directly to their door. Bradley Chapman has interviewed some of the UK’s highest profile entrepreneurs and business people including Max Clifford, Doug Richard, Richard Farleigh, Jacqueline Gold, Caprice Bourrett, Phil Hall, Charlie Mullins and Rachel Elnaugh. Raw Business was founded by Bradley Chapman and Simon Dolan.

The company has thousands of online business networking members who use the company’s networking facility to help them support and grow their businesses. The website offers a Facebook style members profile. Bradley Chapman secured investment from Simon Dolan, successful businessperson and serial business angel investor in January 2010.

Simon Dolan has put up a £5 million pound business angel investment fund for entrepreneurs to pitch him. Raw Business announced recently that all future member ships fees to use the networking services have been waived.

www.rawbusiness.com

Raw Business Announces Change To Open Membership

Raw Business, is set to step into the gap left by Business Link and continue providing UK business owners and entrepreneurs with the valuable tools they require to succeed.

Coalition Government Minister, Mark Prisk, announced in a recent article that the Business Link program would cease under the austerity measures introduced by the government since it came to power in May 2010, leaving UK business with limited support through networking.

Raw Business was established in 2007 and is cooperation between Bradley Chapman and Simon Dolan, a serial business angle and member of the Sunday Times Rich List. Both of these men are passionate about business and Raw Business now includes an online network and a monthly business magazine.

Until the announcement by Mr Prisk, full membership to Raw Business had been on a subscription basis but with the news of Business Link’s demise, the company has decided to remove the membership fees and open the network to all members of the business community, free of charge.

Raw Business MD Bradley Chapman said this about the decision “The work done by business link has been great but business owners and entrepreneurs need to be able to gain advice from other people in business, not central government. Our aim is to bring business owners together so that they can share their stories, gain advice and offer support whilst promoting their business both locally and nationally.”

This view was endorsed by Government minister Simon Burns who in a statement made to Raw Business said “The services offered and the opportunities presented through companies like Raw Business can potentially be a vital lifeline for business and entrepreneurs alike.
With austerity measures being introduced in public sector funded projects such as Business Link, it is good to see that the private sector is ready and willing to come together in these tough times.”

To see more about the services offered by Raw Business, please visit www.rawbusiness.com

Brad's video intro to Raw Business – The entrepreneur network

Raw Business intro video

Raw Business introduction video

This is my feeble attempt at making my own video

Charlie Mullins and Pimlico Plumbers Christmas Party – Royal Garden Hotel Saturday 12th December by Bradley Chapman

Well if you are going to throw a xmas bash then you might as well do it in style! Charlie Mullins and the gang at Pimlico did just that on Saturday night.

I was kindly invited to attend the xmas party by Charlie. We have only met a few times but in that time we have struck a good relationship. The first time we met and I interviewed him for Raw Business Magazine he reduced me to tears with his wit and character. The second time I tried to steal his beloved Bentley – Oh I can still smell the leather! Of course I did not get the car instead he bought me a bacon sarny from his on site cafe at Pimlico HQ.

I won a Bentley at the Pimlico xmas Raffle

Three wise monkeys!

Who is the famous guy in the middle?

Chris I told you any time you wana go 10 rounds im your man!

On arrival at The Royal Garden Hotel we were welcomed with champagne and canapés. We met Charlie his lovely wife Linda and he beautiful family – how lucky you are Charlie.

Charlie introduced me and Mat to Chris Eubank, Craig Fairbrass, Billy Murray, Vanessa Feltz and a few other celebs a well 103 year old Buster who has made major press all over the country.

On the left is Charlies youngest son called Buster – You’ve been overworking him Charlie

 

Over 400 people we packed into the reception and the buzz was amazing. Charlie gave us ringside seats on the dance floor (of course I could not help strutting my stuff as usual). The entertainment was hosted by Les Bonson and we had some pretty amazing singers and cabaret acts throughout the night.

Our table was rocking and we soon discovered the party box on the table and started blowing balloons, popping party poppers and got the xmas razzle on. The food was awesome, the night was one I will remember for a long time to come and I feel so honoured that Charlie invited me.

The night eventually drew to a close around 4am and we continued to party in the reception area where I guess some continued on to 6am and beyond.

Charlie Mullins you’re the man!

Thank you from myself Matt Hickey and of course Matt Birch for photographing the event in such style.

Merry Xmas
Bradley Chapman
Founder Million Impossible and Raw Business Magazine

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