It’s Easter bank holiday and motorists can expect the roads to be packed as millions set off to enjoy the long weekend break.
1. Check the vehicle is safe: Top up the oil, water and brake fluids, check the tyre pressure and ensure lights and windscreen wipers work.
2. Plan the journey: Don’t rely on the sat nav; always have a map handy, check travel advice websites such as www.highways.gov.uk, www.trafficscotland.org, www.traffic-wales.com and tune in to traffic alerts on the radio.
3. Keep children occupied: Bored children tend to make more noise, distracting the driver. Taking some things to occupy the children such as pencils or books can help – and electronic games are great if the volume is muted! Have some easy to play games ready – petrol stations often supply children’s activity packs for free.
4. Breaks: The Department for Transport recommends that drivers take a break every two hours; anything longer and motorists’ concentration can drop and children become restless. But avoid paying Motorway service area prices for food and fuel by stocking up before you leave.
5: Strap them in: Children will need to be restrained in a suitable child restraint. More information about child restraints can be found on www.dft.gov.uk
Happy Easter!
Thursday 9 April 2009
Wednesday 8 April 2009
Important changes to the taxation of company cars
From 1st April, the rules surrounding the taxation of company cars have changed, affecting every company that buys, owns or leases a fleet of vehicles. This is the biggest change to affect company car tax since 2002.
At Dynamic Vehicle Solutions we’ve been working with customers over the past few months to implement changes to their fleet policies, but we understand that this is a complex issue and that many companies have yet to take action.
Under the new rules, the purchase price of the car will not determine the taxation treatment; instead it will move to an emissions based system. This will make it more tax-efficient to buy or lease a car emitting 160 g/km or less and more expensive to buy or lease one that emits 161 g/km or more.
The proportion of the finance cost disallowable under corporate car tax calculations will also change to being emissions-based.
Under the old tax regime, the lease rental restriction meant that the benefits of leasing cars reduced the more expensive the vehicle. The new regime will make leasing cheaper on low-emitting vehicles, but those emitting 161 g/km or more will often become more expensive regardless of the funding method because you’ll pay more tax in the early years.
However, vehicles with emissions over 161g/km CO2 which cost in excess of £20,000 will generally have a lower after-tax cost when compared to the previous rules. This is because the level of costs disallowable under tax has changed from a sliding scale to a flat rate of 15%.
If you haven’t already done so, now is the time to review your business car strategy to ensure that you take advantage of the new tax regime and to make sure you continue to run your fleet in the most cost efficient way. Many customers have been preparing for this change for months, but we’re aware that many haven’t. This will have such an impact on vehicle taxation that it’s important that our customers understand how this will affect them and are prepared for the changes it will bring.
We recommend that you pay particular attention to cars costing more than £12,000 - termed as ‘expensive cars’ under previous tax rules - to see whether the costs of these would become more or less favourable under the new regime.
For further advice or to find out how Dynamic Vehicle Solutions can help you understand these changes visit them at www.dynamicvehiclesolutions.co.uk or call them on 0845 40 80 321
At Dynamic Vehicle Solutions we’ve been working with customers over the past few months to implement changes to their fleet policies, but we understand that this is a complex issue and that many companies have yet to take action.
Under the new rules, the purchase price of the car will not determine the taxation treatment; instead it will move to an emissions based system. This will make it more tax-efficient to buy or lease a car emitting 160 g/km or less and more expensive to buy or lease one that emits 161 g/km or more.
The proportion of the finance cost disallowable under corporate car tax calculations will also change to being emissions-based.
Under the old tax regime, the lease rental restriction meant that the benefits of leasing cars reduced the more expensive the vehicle. The new regime will make leasing cheaper on low-emitting vehicles, but those emitting 161 g/km or more will often become more expensive regardless of the funding method because you’ll pay more tax in the early years.
However, vehicles with emissions over 161g/km CO2 which cost in excess of £20,000 will generally have a lower after-tax cost when compared to the previous rules. This is because the level of costs disallowable under tax has changed from a sliding scale to a flat rate of 15%.
If you haven’t already done so, now is the time to review your business car strategy to ensure that you take advantage of the new tax regime and to make sure you continue to run your fleet in the most cost efficient way. Many customers have been preparing for this change for months, but we’re aware that many haven’t. This will have such an impact on vehicle taxation that it’s important that our customers understand how this will affect them and are prepared for the changes it will bring.
We recommend that you pay particular attention to cars costing more than £12,000 - termed as ‘expensive cars’ under previous tax rules - to see whether the costs of these would become more or less favourable under the new regime.
For further advice or to find out how Dynamic Vehicle Solutions can help you understand these changes visit them at www.dynamicvehiclesolutions.co.uk or call them on 0845 40 80 321
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
