Tax news in 2022
37 stories, newest first.
- December 2022
MTD for income tax rollout delayed to April 2026
The start of Making Tax Digital for income tax has been pushed back to April 2026, giving self-employed people and landlords affected by the cost of living crisis longer to prepare.
- November 2022
Autumn Statement 2022 delivered by Jeremy Hunt
Jeremy Hunt's Autumn Statement of 17 November 2022 raised taxes, cut energy bill support from April and uprated benefits by 10.1 per cent, with the Resolution Foundation warning of a 7.1 per cent fall in household incomes.
Autumn Statement freezes income tax thresholds and lowers top rate threshold
The November 2022 Autumn Statement froze personal income tax thresholds, lowered the top rate threshold, announced a means tested £900 cost-of-living payment and committed to the pensions triple lock.
- October 2022
Health and Social Care Levy Act 2021 repealed
The Health and Social Care Levy Act 2021 was repealed on 25 October 2022 by the Health and Social Care Levy (Repeal) Act 2022, removing the provisions that had modified national insurance contribution rules for the 2022-23 tax year.
Jeremy Hunt reverses around 60 per cent of mini-Budget tax cuts and scraps the 1p basic rate Income Tax cut
Jeremy Hunt has reversed around 60 per cent of the mini-Budget tax cuts, scrapped the 1p basic rate Income Tax cut and brought forward the end of the Energy Price Guarantee.
Corporation Tax cut reversal announced the previous Friday
Jeremy Hunt reversed around 60 per cent of the tax measures from Kwasi Kwarteng's 23 September mini-Budget, including the £19 billion Corporation Tax cut, and brought forward the end of the Energy Price Guarantee.
- September 2022
Chancellor announces £45 billion of tax cuts
The Chancellor announced £45 billion of tax cuts on 23 September 2022, with analysis suggesting the richest five per cent gain 5.5 per cent while the poorest fifth lose 2 per cent.
SDLT nil-band threshold change reflected in guidance
HMRC has updated its Stamp Duty Land Tax relief guidance to reflect the nil-band threshold change that took effect on 23 September 2022, covering first-time buyers and multiple dwellings.
Scottish Ministers make council tax reduction and discount amendment regulations
Scottish Ministers have laid amending regulations for council tax reduction and council tax discounts in Scotland, changing how non-dependants, disability premiums and cost of living payments are treated.
Basic rate income tax cut announced then cancelled
Kwasi Kwarteng announced in September 2022 that the basic rate of income tax would fall from 20% to 19%, but the cut was cancelled the following month before it took effect.
Chancellor brings forward £45 billion package of tax cuts in first fiscal statement
The Chancellor has brought forward a £45 billion package of tax cuts, described as the biggest for 50 years, with gains concentrated among higher earners and in London and the South East.
Growth Plan announced £45 billion a year of tax cuts
The Growth Plan's £45 billion a year of tax cuts, £2 billion of which have since been cancelled, have worsened the fiscal outlook and put April 2023 benefit uprating in doubt.
Stamp duty cut announced, benefiting London first-time buyers most
The Resolution Foundation says the September 2022 fiscal statement's stamp duty cut will reduce the tax bill on the average first-time buyer home in London by £6,300, with no gain in the North East.
- July 2022
ONS publishes FYE 2021 taxes and benefits bulletin showing record share receiving more in benefits than taxes
The Office for National Statistics says 55.0% of individuals received more in benefits than they paid in taxes in the financial year ending 2021, the largest annual rise since records began in 1977.
Welsh Government launches Phase 1 consultation on council tax reform in Wales
The Welsh Government has opened a Phase 1 consultation on reforming council tax in Wales, covering revaluation, new bands and rates, discounts, exemptions and the Council Tax Reduction Scheme.
VAT rate for energy-saving materials in residential buildings in Great Britain cut to 0%
VAT on energy-saving materials installed in residential buildings in Great Britain is now 0%, HMRC guidance confirms, with the relief running until 31 March 2027.
Primary threshold figure substituted
The National Insurance Contributions (Increase of Thresholds) Act 2022 substituted the sum in regulation 10(c) of the Social Security (Contributions) Regulations 2001 with effect from 6 July 2022.
New NICs threshold takes effect from July 2022
From July 2022 the point at which employees start paying National Insurance rises to £12,570, aligning it with the income tax personal allowance and leaving a combined tax and NICs rate of 33.25% above that level.
- June 2022
Consultation published on protecting customers claiming tax repayments
A June 2022 consultation sought views on restricting repayment agents' use of assignments over income tax repayments, a practice later rendered void from 15 March 2023.
- May 2022
CTR survey findings presented at IRRV Spring Conference
Eleven per cent of English councils changed how they calculate Council Tax Reduction for 2022/23, with most reducing minimum payments for the poorest households, a survey presented at the IRRV Spring Conference found.
- April 2022
Basic rate band values corrected to £37,700
HM Revenue & Customs corrected the basic rate band for England, Northern Ireland and Wales from £37,000 to £37,700 on 13 April 2022, in its published Income Tax rates and allowances guidance.
Income Tax rates updated for 2022 to 2023
HM Revenue & Customs updated its published Income Tax rates, allowances and duties for the 2022 to 2023 tax year on 6 April 2022, with a correction to basic rate band values following on 13 April 2022.
1.25% NICs rate increase comes into effect in April 2022
The 1.25% National Insurance increase takes effect in April 2022, and analysis of the Spring Statement shows it cancels out the higher threshold for workers earning above £35,000.
£150 Council Tax rebate payments begin for Bands A to D in England
Payments of a £150 Council Tax rebate began on 1 April 2022 for households in Bands A to D in England, part of a package of support announced in February.
Council Tax Reduction (Scotland) Regulations 2021 come into force
The Council Tax Reduction (Scotland) Regulations 2021, made on 23 June 2021 and laid before the Scottish Parliament on 25 June 2021, came into force on 1 April 2022 for the financial year beginning on that date.
Four-year Income Tax threshold freeze to begin
The four-year freeze on Income Tax thresholds begins in April 2022, part of a package of tax and energy cost increases that the Resolution Foundation says will hit the typical household by over £1,000 a year.
National Insurance contributions increased
National Insurance contribution rates rose by 1.25 percentage points from April 2022 under the health and social care levy, adding to household costs alongside energy and council tax increases.
National Insurance rates rise and Income Tax thresholds frozen
National Insurance rates rose and Income Tax thresholds were frozen in April 2022, with the Resolution Foundation saying higher inflation makes the threshold freeze a bigger tax rise than planned.
National Insurance rise implemented between April and November 2022
Full Fact has examined Labour's claim of 25 tax rises since 2019, finding the party's list omits a National Insurance rise implemented between April and November 2022.
Senedd sets Welsh rates at 10% for 2022-23
The Senedd set the Welsh rates of income tax at 10% across all bands for 2022-23, leaving total rates paid by Welsh taxpayers matching UK rates at 20%, 40% and 45%.
- March 2022
Spring Statement 2022 announces National Insurance threshold rise, Fuel Duty cut and Household Support Fund increase
The Chancellor raised the National Insurance threshold to £12,570 from July, cut Fuel Duty by 5p and added £500 million to the Household Support Fund in the Spring Statement.
Chancellor announces £3,000 increase in NICs threshold in Spring Statement
The Chancellor raised the National Insurance threshold by £3,000 to £12,570 in the Spring Statement, a change worth £330 to most workers but far less to those on means-tested benefits.
Spring Statement announces £17.6 billion of household support
The Office for Budget Responsibility said the Spring Statement's £17.6 billion of household support would not prevent the largest fall in living standards in any single financial year since records began in 1956-57.
- February 2022
Wales announces £150 council tax rebates
Welsh finance minister Rebecca Evans has announced £150 council tax rebates for households in bands A to D and those in the council tax reduction scheme, to be paid as soon as possible.
Scotland announces £150 council tax rebate for 1.85m households
Scotland's finance secretary Kate Forbes announced on 10 February 2022 that 73% of Scottish households, about 1.85 million, will receive a £150 council tax rebate in April 2022.
UK government announces £150 council tax rebate for England and Barnett funding for devolved governments
The UK government announced a £150 council tax rebate for homes in England in bands A to D on 3 February 2022, alongside about £565 million in Barnett consequentials for the devolved governments.
- January 2022
Which? warns tax refund companies charge up to 48% of rebates
Which? has found tax refund companies charging fees of 25% to 48% of rebates, with some sending letters styled like HMRC correspondence and the industry facing no FCA regulation.