SECTOR FOCUS: FINANCE


SPONSORED BY: BRASSHOUSE TRANSLATION AND INTERPRETING SERVICES (BTIS)


Dual SIM mobiles trigger tax charge


Information for everyone


By Carl Marshall Head of BTIS


Last year, as well as seeing a 13 per cent increase in the range of foreign languages being translated, BTIS has seen an increase of 46 per cent in the number of words transcribed into Braille to 368,690 in the year 2010/11. These figures reverse the


expected trend, as Braille usage is reducing due to new technology such as screen readers, MP3 files and other forms of audio recording.


‘BTIS supplies not only Braille transcriptions, but audio recordings’


The figures, however, show that there is still a significant demand from a significant community and a potential market that might be missed as it is frequently overlooked by suppliers of services, but can be accessed using a range of methods of communication. BTIS meets the needs of the


blind community by supplying not only Braille transcriptions, but also high quality digital audio recordings of spoken texts. BTIS also gives technical


advice to employers on all aspects of supporting members of staff and working with members of the public to ensure compliance with the Equalities Act 2010. BTIS’ Accessible


Information Officer will offer free advice to callers on making information accessible to everyone, helping to ensure that everyone is included in the information and the purchasing market in these cost-conscious times.


For further information, call BTIS on 0121 303 1619


40 CHAMBERLINK FEBRUARY 2012 C


hartered accountants and business advisers Dains are warning businesses who provide their employees with dual SIM mobile phones that they should be aware of


rules which could jeopardise a favourable tax exemption. Employers can provide their workers with one mobile phone for private use as a tax-free benefit-in-kind (BiK), however this exemption only extends to one phone number. A dual SIM phone where the employer can use both numbers for private calls will trigger a tax charge. Andy McQuillan, tax partner at Dains, said: “We are urging employers to


tell their employees to only use one of their numbers for personal calls. “The other SIM should be reserved for business use only, meaning that the tax and NI exemption will continue to apply to the handset and the mixed use SIM, while there would be no BiK charge on the other because it’s not available for private use.” Employers are being advised to formally put this policy in writing to


avoid trouble with HM Revenue and Customs. Alternatively employees may buy a pay-as-you-go (PAYG) SIM (UK or


overseas) to load in the phone for when they want to make private calls without using the second SIM number.


Andy McQuillan


‘We are urging employers to tell their employees to only use one of their numbers for personal calls’


Kevin Stopps, Smith & Williamson


Business group acquires BTG Tax


Chantrey Vellacott DFK charity partners Bill Devitt, Elliot Harris and Nick Simkins with Hanna Sebright from Midlands Air Ambulance


Accountants expand their charity work


A Birmingham accountancy firm which supports more than 100 not-for-profit organisations across the region has expanded its Midlands Charity Group. Chantrey Vellacott DFK, which acts for major charities with international


‘The firm has a wealth of experience and expertise in the charity sector’


operations to small local organisations, now has four specialist charity partners based in the Midlands and has created a regional group following a growth in business in the sector which will see its charity teams in Birmingham, Northampton and Leicester joining forces. It counts Royal Agricultural Society for England and University College Birmingham among its clients in the West Midlands, and Comic Relief and Leukaemia Research Fund nationally. Partner Nick Simkins said the firm’s charity teams in the Midlands will be


working closely together to share best practice and support to clients. “With the current financial climate, charities are facing extremely difficult challenges and now more than ever value the advice and support of partners who can help them develop financially efficient organisations, while at the same time not lose sight of their charitable objectives,” he said. “This support can range from tax and VAT planning and auditing, through to training for staff and trustees and advice on governance issues.”


Smith & Williamson, the investment management and tax and business services group with an office in Colmore Row, Birmingham, has acquired the trade and assets of BTG Tax LLP, which is a member of Begbies Traynor Group Plc. As a result, the 35-strong BTG


Tax team, currently located in Edgbaston, will become part of Smith & Williamson. “We are delighted that such an


experienced tax team is joining us,” said Kevin Stopps, managing director of tax and business services at Smith & Williamson. “The combination of tax and


investment services together with financial planning and pensions advice, provides a particularly strong offer to clients and helps to set us apart from other advisers in the Midlands.” The team transferring from BTG


Tax to Smith & Williamson comprises private client, corporate tax, VAT and tax investigations specialists which includes eight partners and directors. They are John Hodgson, Ray Abercromby, Kari Campbell, Robert King, Gareth Short, Jeff Millington, Tony Jackson and Carol Whitehouse.


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