Financial Focus On….. What happens if I employ a carer?


THE number of elderly or infirm people who directly employ a care worker or personal assistant to attend to their day-to-day needs has been increasing quite dramatically over the past few years. Although the funding for such carers or personal assistants appears to be split between being privately funded or funded by the NHS England or local authorities, the relationship between the service user and the care worker/assistant is predominantly


one of


employer and employee. This means that the employer must operate PAYE and NIC on their care worker’s wages, deal with auto-enrolment for pensions as well as operate Statutory Sick Pay and other statutory payments. Often the role of employer (the one giving the instructions – not necessarily the one receiving


care) is


then taken by another family member or occasionally by a family friend. These schemes are known as “Care and Support” (C&S) Employers. It is important to remember that the C&S Employment Schemes only apply to cases where the employment relationship is directly between the individual/family and the carer and not via a Care Agency who employ the carers and who then controls which carer goes to which patient and when and where. If you use a Care Agency to find carers for you, it is important to check whether the Care Agency will be employing them, whether you will be employing them direct (i.e.: you are a C&S Employer and the Agency has merely found them for you) or occasionally, if they are self- employed in their own right. In an attempt to reduce the


administrative burden that operating a PAYE scheme imposes, HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) tries to operate


a light touch


where C&S Employers are concerned. Firstly, unless the person undertaking the role of employer already operates a PAYE scheme (for example they are in business for themselves and employ staff) and has to file under the HMRC scheme called


RTI (Real


Time Information), a C&S Employer is required to file only quarterly PAYE Returns on paper (albeit within 14 days of the end of the quarter). This recognises that the actual Employer is likely to either be the elderly or infirm individual themselves or a family member (possibly operating under a Power of Attorney) who is not professionally, or business trained.


In allowing


this relaxation of the RTI PAYE filing obligations, the need for expensive computer systems and payroll software can be avoided as well.


The


exemption from RTI filing can only be claimed if it is the employer who files the quarterly return and not some other person on the employer’s behalf. This means that if you hand full responsibility of the PAYE scheme to a payroll bureau you will not qualify. Further relief is also available with the £3,000 employment allowance. This allowance works to reduce the amount of secondary (Employers) National Insurance Contributions an employer needs to pay (meaning it is not a grant). To claim the £3,000 allowance, it is important that you file as a C&S Employer. A C&S Employer is specifically defined as an individual who employs a person to provide


domestic or personal services at or from the employer’s home where the recipient of the services (who may either be the employer or a member of the employer’s family) has a physical or mental disability, is elderly or infirm. For C&S employees, there is also an exemption


for


board and lodging provided to “Home Care Workers” which otherwise could be construed as an accommodation benefit on which the employee would be taxed and the employer have additional reporting requirements. For further information on any of the above points or to discuss your tax affairs generally, please do not hesitate to contact Robin Beadle at Ensors Chartered Accountants, Saxmundham on 01728 603005.


This article seeks to address general business and financial issues and due care has been taken in its preparation. Ensors cannot accept responsibility for loss incurred by any person, company or entity as a result of acting, or failing to act, on any material in this publication. Specialist advice should always be sought in relation to your particular circumstances.


Saxmundham Sports CC


PRE-season evening net sessions will take place at Framlingham College Sports Centre on successive Monday evenings 8pm-9.30pm on March 25th, April 1st, April 8th and April 15th, cost £2.50 per person.


Plans to run Junior All Stars


for 7 yrs - 9 yrs are now being put in to place. This year they will run on Thursday evenings for eight


successive weeks


commencing on May 16th. Our first fixtures of the


Two Counties season will commence


in early May as follows: Sudbury 3rds,


ALAN ROSS REMOVALS & STORAGE


Full & part packing services available. Experienced in moving pianos & fine antiques. Packaging materials supplied.


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Units 1 & 2, Station Works, Main Rd, Darsham ALDE FENCING


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Email: ben.collis@hotmail.co.uk APRIL 2019


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Registered Business


For all your water, gas, oil, LPG & renewable energy needs.


Complete system installation and service specialists.


Saturday 4th May (away), Tendring, Saturday 11th May (home), Colchester Cavaliers, Saturday 18th May (away). Remember


to come along


if you wish to indoor


nets and play cricket in the summer then please contact Saxmundham Sports Cricket Club on 'saxcricket.co.uk' or text Graham on 07962 124069 or Tom Feveyear on 07816 856103.


News from Framlingham and Saxmundham Cats Protection


WE are in need of more volunteers to help with our fundraising events, if you can help in any way, please do get in touch. The branch is always looking for new ideas for fundraising. One of our important forms of income is our membership scheme which costs just £10 per year. Every member receives our quarterly newsletter which includes news of forthcoming events, volunteer's stories, tales of cats in their new homes, cats looking for homes and lots of other news. Please contact us to find out how you can join and how this will help us help more cats and kittens.


Date for your diary: Please come along to see and support us at the Framlingham Country Show, April 13th to 14th. Cat


Advice: How will cats behave after the loss of another cat from the household? Although grief in animals is not currently very well understood, you may recognise changes in behaviour in your feline friends which may be attributed to sorrow. Grief in animals has been reported as being as individual as it is in humans with animals showing varying degrees of grief attributed to behaviour and some showing no outwards signs at all. Changes in patterns of behaviour are natural when another pet has died as the surviving pet(s) adjust to the change in the household. Where multiple pets remain, there may be a rearranging of relationships. In a multiple cat household, the death of a cat can lead to surviving cats showing less inhibition and new willingness to seek attention from their owner.


While we must remember that each animal will behave differently in their grief these are some common behaviours that may be seen while a cat adjusts to the death of a housemate: changes in


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A FULL RANGE OF LEGAL SERVICES EFFICIENT AND PERSONAL


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appetite, changes in sleep patterns, unsettled, restless, wandering around, increase or decrease in confidence, searching and crying, increased or reduced interest in other activities, loss of confidence or a general sadness, attention seeking. In contrast a pet may not appear to be missing the deceased pet at all and relish the increased use of space in the house. For most cats, sticking to a familiar routine will be helpful in their adjusting to the change in the household. It’s normal to want to spend increasing amounts of time with an existing cat following the death of a beloved pet, but unfortunately the increase in attention can actually be very stressful and intense, combined with the potential stress of losing a companion. Introducing another cat into the home in preparation for, or shortly after, a death of another isn’t always a positive experience for surviving animals. It usually takes some time for cats to settle into a household and for a relationship to form between animals. Assessing the individual animals will be important when considering bringing a new member into the household, especially when the remaining animals are adjusting to the change. Looking for a home: This handsome lad is Ollie who is about 18 months old. A little lacking in confidence at first, once Ollie gets to know you he is a fun loving,


Spring Concert Farnham 17th May


THE concert is entitled,


“Spring Serenade”, at St Mary’s Church, Farnham on Friday 17th May, from 6pm Fizz and Canapés, 7pm Concert. Tickets £15 from iktayler@btinternet. com or calling 01728 602851. The choir consists of a group of local ladies, who have come together to sing, because they enjoy it.


Their musical director,


Viviane Ronchetti, along with her husband, are professional musicians, who are generously giving their time to accompany the choir and organise the event.


affectionate chap who enjoys a fuss and to play fish on stick games. Please come and meet him soon if you could give him the time and patience he needs to find his paws. See our website: framandsax.cats.org.uk or telephone 01728 723499 for more information about adopting cats in our care, event dates, neutering, cat- care leaflets, how to become a volunteer fundraiser or fosterer and other ways you can support us. Also find us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.


The Forfeiture Rule and accompanied suicide in Switzerland


A COUPLE of years ago I wrote an article


about the


legal complexities surrounding accompanied suicides and the consequences of bringing about the death of another person, in, for example a road accident. A recent case has highlighted


these complexities: Alex Ninian was diagnosed with supranuclear palsy, an incurable fatal disease, in 2013, when he was aged 80. In November 2017 the disease had reached an acute phase and he sought the assistance of the Dignitas clinic in Switzerland to end his life which duly happened. Unfortunately, he was too disabled to travel


alone to


the clinic there and so he was accompanied by his wife Sarah. Sarah remained with him throughout the final procedures leading to and at his death. On her return to UK she was


clearly at risk of prosecution for assisting a suicide, and the CPS believed they had sufficient evidence to secure a conviction. Fortunately the outcome was more enlightened. The CPS decided it was not in the public interests to seek a conviction and were encouraged in this view by a written statement from the deceased’s lawyers that Sarah had been vocally opposed to the decision to go to Switzerland, and had only accompanied him because he could not get there by himself. She did not have to endure a prosecution. A second, civil, legal issue still had to be considered. The Forfeiture Act 1982 prevents a person from benefiting if that person has aided, abetted, counselled or procured the death of another - subject to


the court’s discretion to waive this provision in a suitable case.


Sarah duly sought the discretion of the court which was exercised in her favour. Accordingly, and very thankfully, she was not denied the entitlement


his £1.8M estate. For more advice about inheritance and forfeiture contact John Pulham at:- Messrs Pulham & Co Egmere House, Market Place, Saxmundham, IP17 1AG Telephone (01728) 602084 or e-mail jsp@pulham.co.uk


to inherit


Fri 22nd Mar - Thurs 4th Apr


7.15pm (excl. Sun 24th & Sun 31st) Matinee - Sun 24th, Wed 27th, Sun 31st Mar &


Wed 3rd Apr at 3.00pm Daniel Mays and James Purefoy in


FISHERMAN’S FRIENDS 12A


——————————————— Fri 5th - Sun 7th Apr at 7.15pm


Brie Larson and Samuel L. Jackson in


CAPTAIN MARVEL 12A ———————————————


Mon 8th - Thurs 11th Apr at 7.15pm Taraji P. Henson and Kristen Ledlow in


WHAT MEN WANT 15 ——————————————— Fri 12th - Thurs 18th Apr at 3.30pm & 7.00pm


Showing in 2D on Fri 12th (7.00), Sat 13th (3.30), Sun 14th (7.00), Mon 15th (3.30), Tues 16th (7.00),


Wed 17th (3.30) & Thurs 18th (7.00) Colin Farrell, Eve Green,


Michael Keaton and Danny DeVito in


DUMBO 3D/2D PG ——————————————— Sat 20th, Sun 21st, Tues 23rd,


SERVICES SERVICES SERVICES


Wed 24th & Thurs 25th Apr at 7.15pm Matinee - Wed 24th Apr at 3.00pm


Oleg Ivenko and Ralph Fiennes in


THE WHITE CROW 12A ——————————————— Fri 26th - Sun 28th Apr at 7.15pm


Lupita Nyong'o and Elisabeth Moss in US 15


——————————————— Fri 3rd - Thurs 9th May


7.15pm (excl. Sun 5th & Tues 7th May) Matinee - Sun 5th &


Wed 7th May at 3.00pm Sophie Cookson, Stephen Campbell


Moore, Tom Hughes and Judi Dench in RED JOAN 12A


———————————————


Wed 8th May at 7.30pm. Tickets: £14.95 The Australian Ballet ...


SPARTACUS PG Tel: 01728 830549


www.leistonfilmtheatre.co.uk LEI 7/FRAM 7


019941


127368


086594


075557


872419


099532


040199


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