Intrastat declarations were historically used to collect information on the movement of goods from the UK to other EU countries and vice versa. Any business that exceeded the exemption threshold for either arrivals or dispatches of goods were obliged to submit monthly returns. 

This changed following Brexit and there were further changes from 1 January 2022. Since 1 January 2022, Intrastat declarations only apply for movements of goods between Northern Ireland and the EU.

There is no requirement to submit a declaration for goods you move from Great Britain (England, Scotland and Wales) to the EU. Intrastat no longer covers these movements of goods.

The exemption threshold for arrivals in 2022 is £500,000 and the exemption threshold for dispatches is £250,000. Intrastat filings must be made electronically. The deadline for submission is the 21st day of each month following the end of the period to which the declarations relate e.g., the return for the month ending 31 January 2022 is due by 21 February 2022. 

The furnished holiday let (FHL) rules allow holiday lettings of properties that meet certain conditions to be treated as a trade for tax purposes. 

In order to qualify as a furnished holiday letting, the following criteria need to be met:

• The property must be let on a commercial basis with a view to the realisation of profits. Second homes or properties that are only let occasionally or to family and friends do not qualify.
• The property must be located in the UK, or in a country within the EEA.
• The property must be furnished. This means that there must be sufficient furniture provided for normal occupation and your visitors must be entitled to use the furniture.

In addition, the property must pass the following three occupancy conditions.

1. Pattern of occupation condition. The property must not be used for more than 155 days for longer term occupation (i.e., a continuous period of more than 31 days).
2. The availability condition. The property must be available for commercial letting at commercial rates for at least 210 days per year.
3. The letting condition. The property must be let for at least 105 days per year and homeowners should be able to demonstrate the income from these lettings. 

Where there are a number of furnished holiday lettings properties in a business, it is possible to average the days of lettings for the purposes of qualifying for the 105 days threshold. This is called an averaging election.

There is also a special period of grace election which allows homeowners to treat a year as a qualifying year for the purposes of the furnished holiday let rules where they genuinely intended to meet the occupancy threshold but were unable to do so subject to a number of qualifying conditions.

The maximum amount that can be invested in an ISA in the current (2022-23) tax year is £20,000.

ISA’s are a valuable and flexible relief and should be considered as an option for most investors.

An ISA is a tax-exempt savings account available to UK residents. Whilst the amount invested in an ISA does not benefit from tax relief the income and gains are free from most taxes including Income Tax and Capital Gains Tax. Eligible holdings include cash ISAs, stocks and shares ISAs and innovative finance (including peer-to-peer loans) ISAs.

There is no minimum period for which an ISA must be held, and you can make withdrawals at any time without the loss of tax relief. The £20,000 limit can be used in one account or split across diverse types of ISA’s.

It is also possible for qualifying taxpayers to invest up to £4,000 of the £20,000 ISA limit in a Lifetime ISA. The Lifetime ISA is available to those aged between 18 and 40 to save for a new home or for their retirement. Under the scheme, the government provides a 25% bonus on yearly savings of up to £4,000 and once you start saving before you are 40, you can continue using the scheme until you turn 50. If you are approaching the age limit cut-off it is well worth opening a Lifetime ISA before you turn 40 as you can continue saving until the day before you are 50. The money invested in a Lifetime ISA can be used for other purposes but will be subject to a 25% withdrawal charge.

There are also Junior ISAs available for under 18’s which were introduced to encourage children to save money. The returns from Junior ISAs are also tax-free and are usually locked until the child reaches 18. The annual subscription limit for Junior ISAs is currently £9,000.

HMRC publishes a list of income streams that are excluded from a UK property business. The list includes fishing concerns, hotels and guest houses, tied premises, caravan sites, lodgers and tenants in your own home, extra services to tenants and letting surplus trade accommodation. In most cases the income from these activities will be taxed as income of a trade and not as property income.

In addition, there are certain receipts that can arise out of the use of land, and which are specifically excluded by statute from a rental business. These include yearly interest, income from the occupation of woodlands managed on a commercial basis, income from mines and quarries and income from farming and market gardening.

There is also a £1,000 property income allowance that applies to income from property (including foreign property). If a taxpayer’s annual gross property income is £1,000 or less the amount is exempt from tax and does not need to be reported on their tax return.