News

Oct 15, 2022 - Corporation tax rate to increase to 25% from 1 April 2023

In a bid to quell the turmoil that has ensued in the financial markets since the mini Budget, British Prime Minister Liz Truss has confirmed that the corporation tax rate will increase to 25% from the current 19% rate.

The corporation tax will increase to 25% from 1 April 2023, affecting companies with profits of £250,000 and over. The legislation that provided for this increase also sets out that small companies with profits up to £50,000 will continue to pay corporation tax at 19%, with profits between these two figures being subject to a tapered rate.  

Finance Act 2021 also included an inc...

Sep 23, 2022 - Mini-budget UK 2022

The New Chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng has now uncovered his mini budget with an emphasis on tax cut and to stimulate the UK economy. A summary of his key announcements is as follows:

Income Tax

  • A cut in the basic rate of income tax to 19% will be brought forward by a year, to be effective from April 2023. As it stands, basic tax rate is at 20% for any annual earning between £12,571to £50,270 in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland.
  • Government estimates approximately 31 million people will be benefiting from an average of £170 reduction in tax.
  • For England, Wales and Northern Ireland t...

Sep 22, 2022 - Interest rates raised to highest level for 14 years

UK intertest rates have been raised to 2.25% from 1.75%, marking their highest level in 14 years.

It is the seventh time in a row that the Bank of England has raised rates as it battles to stem soaring prices.

The increase takes borrowing costs to their highest since 2008, when the UK banking system faced collapse.

Interest rates have been rising since last December as the rise in the cost of living has accelerated.

Inflation - the pace at which prices rise - is currently at its highest rate for nearly 40 years.

At 9.9%, it remains five times higher than the Bank of England's target of 2%.

Inf...

Sep 21, 2022 - Home Office Guidance update: good character in British nationality applications

The Home Office nationality guidance on the good character requirement has now been updated in line with the provisions on lawful residence that came into force on 28 June 2022. The provisions were introduced into the British Nationality Act 1981 by section 9 and Schedule 1 of the Nationality and Borders Act 2022 (and by section 12 with additional regard to refugees).

As per the new amendments, where an individual holds indefinite leave to remain, they can be treated as meeting the lawful residence requirement during the 5-year qualifying period, without further enquiry.

To align with this cha...

Sep 16, 2022 - New concession added to the Ukraine Extension Scheme

A new concession has been added to the Ukraine Extension Scheme. The rules require prospective applicants to have held permission to be in the United Kingdom that expired on or after 1 January 2022, or to have held permission to be in the country on 18 March 2022. Children born in the United Kingdom to a parent who meets the rules are also eligible to apply for the scheme.

The concession now allows anyone that has held permission to be in the country for any length of time between 18 March 2022 and 16 May 2023 to apply for the scheme as well. This will be of assistance to Ukrainian nationals a...

Sep 08, 2022 - Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II , 1926 to 2022

The symbol of the United Kingdom of Great Britain has passed away, a symbol of the nation inseparable from the country

Elizabeth II did not influence the country's politics, during 70 years of her reign 15 prime ministers passed, she knew both presidents and heads of world powers who considered it a great honor to be honored to meet her.

She was the head of the country, survived the World War together with the country, put on a military uniform at the age of 18 years old, the difficult years of the collapse of the empire, crises in the country and world crises. 

An entire era has ended

As the ...

Sep 01, 2022 - Applications submitted under the Homes for Ukraine Scheme with the Scottish Government to be put on hold

The Government of Scotland made an announcement regarding applications submitted under the Homes for Ukraine Scheme indicating the Scottish Government as the visa sponsor.

To ensure those arriving continue to be provided with safe and comfortable accommodation, the Scottish Government has asked the Home Office to phase the processing of applications submitted under the Scottish super sponsor scheme on 11, 12, and 13 July 2022.

Such applications will be held until the Home Office is notified by the Scottish Government of their capacity to support such applicants.

The Home Office is in regular d...

Aug 22, 2022 - New Scale-Up visa for high-growth companies able to attract exceptional talent to the UK went live from 22 August

The UK’s top high-growth businesses will have greater flexibility and power to entice the world’s top talent through the new Scale-up visa.

UK businesses experiencing impressive success will be eligible to sponsor talented individuals, from scientists and engineers to architects and programmers, to support their growth and contribute to boosting the UK’s economy.

Unlike other sponsored visas, the Scale-up visa allows businesses to employ high-skilled individuals who will receive 2 years’ leave to remain in the UK without requiring further sponsorship or permission beyond the first 6 months.

Th...

Aug 18, 2022 - Abolition of police registration requirement for migrants announced – more details and confusion

Earlier this month, the Home Office announced the abolition of the Police Registration Scheme.

We briefly reported on this news on 08 August as well, please see it by the link.

The scheme required certain foreign nationals to register with the police and keep them updated about important changes to their personal details. The abolition of this outdated scheme is very much to be welcomed. It will do away with the need for cumbersome paperwork and removes an onerous ongoing visa condition. 

There is confusion, though. A notice was quietly posted to the Metropolitan Police website announcing imme...

Aug 17, 2022 - No reprieve for durable partners prevented from marrying due to COVID-19

Many predicted that the heady mix of Brexit and COVID-19 would result in litigation, and so it has come to pass. Ending EU free movement law in the middle of a global pandemic – when people faced difficulty travelling, marrying, and getting advice from an immigration lawyer – was bound to cause problems.

For Mr Celik, a Turkish national living in the UK, the problem he faced was an inability to marry his Romanian partner before 31 December 2020.

In Celik (EU exit; marriage; human rights) [2022] UKUT 00220 (IAC) the Upper Tribunal has decided that he — and anyone else in a similar situation — c...

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