Monday 17 August 2009

Tax timebomb could force more small businesses under

A leading insolvency expert has urged small businesses affected by the recession not to "bury their heads in the sand" as another wave of business collapses could be on the horizon, triggered by the inability to settle tax liabilities.

Mace & Jones insolvency unit partner Graeme Jump said while many exposed companies have already succumbed to the pressures of the recession, a new round is inevitable after the summer break. Official figures show that North West insolvencies dropped to 35 in June, compared to an average of 48 per month since the start of the year. The first six months of the year saw 10,242 companies enter into insolvency – up 33.8 per cent on the same period in 2008.

“There has been a slight drop in insolvencies but this masks deep problems,” he said. “A number of vulnerable businesses have been slashing costs by redundancies, operational cuts, and grabbing the Government’s offer of delaying payments for such taxes as PAYE, VAT, and Corporation Tax. That six months tax-holiday already amounts to billions in delayed payments, and will soon expire, leaving many businesses exposed to urgent demands from the taxman.”

Seek insolvency advice as soon as possible

www.ukba.co.uk

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