HMRC has released the latest issue of the ‘Employer Bulletin’ publication which includes summaries of recent changes and updates that have been announced which are relevant to employers and agents.

The topics covered in the latest edition include the following:

• Company cars and vans. HMRC has confirmed that the multiplier for the car fuel benefit charge will increase to £24,100 and the flat rate van fuel benefit to £655 for the 2019-20 tax year. The flat rate van benefit charge will increase to £3,430.
• Overseas scale rates. New legislation will place the subsistence overseas scale rates on a statutory basis. The overseas scale rates (OSR) are similar to the benchmark scale rates but take into account the cost of subsistence overseas including hotel accommodation
  etc and are calculated on a country-by-country basis. OSR will be subject to the same reduced checking requirement as benchmark scale rates. The changes will apply from 6 April 2019.
• Parental Bereavement Leave and Pay. A new workplace right to paid leave for bereaved parents is expected to come into force from April 2020. This will provide all employed parents a day-one right to 2 weeks’ leave if they lose a child under the age of 18
  or suffer a stillbirth from 24 weeks of pregnancy. Employed parents will also be able to claim Parental Bereavement Pay for this period, subject to meeting the usual eligibility criteria.
• Student Loans. The annual threshold amounts for 2019-20 have been confirmed by the Department of Education. The thresholds will increase to £18,935 (2018-19: £18,330) for plan 1 and to £25,725 (2018-19: £25,000) for plan 2.
• An update on UK traders EU Exit preparations. HMRC has published a letter to UK traders that only trade with the EU to help them prepare for the possibility of the UK leaving the EU without a deal on 29 March 2019. This includes a reminder to register for
  a UK Economic Operator Registration and Identification (EORI) number.

Source: New feed