Tax courses offered to small businesses in NI

HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) is planning a series of events to help small businesses in Northern Ireland with their tax planning.

The organisation said that throughout September it would be running training events to provide information that small business owners need to consider when tax planning.

Some of the courses will explore topics such as how to calculate a director's national insurance contribution; issues surrounding VAT; and the best methods to pay employees.

HMRC stressed that the events will be aimed at employers, sole traders and those in partnerships and that they will also touch on how to complete the self assessment (SA) tax returns, as well as how to deal with statutory sick pay.

"These events will allow us to bring our advice directly to the business community in Northern Ireland and offer practical assistance where it is needed," explained Angela Fulton, a business advice team manager for HMRC.

"It's inevitable that some people will find tax issues daunting, especially those who are just setting out. HMRC runs a number of schemes to make tax as hassle free as possible, and at these events we will be happy to talk about our services, including online filing which is convenient and easy to use."

Recently, accountants at PricewaterhouseCoopers said that the credit crunch had forced businesses to focus on tax planning.