Are you ready for the new £1 coin?

The new coin will be the most secure coin in the world!

According to http://www.thenewpoundcoin.com/

The new coin has a number of features that make it much more difficult to counterfeit.

12-sided – its distinctive shape makes it instantly recognisable, even by touch.

Bimetallic – it is made of two metals. The outer ring is gold coloured (nickel-brass) and the inner ring is silver coloured (nickel-plated alloy).

Latent image – it has an image like a hologram that changes from a ‘£’ symbol to the number ‘1’ when the coin is seen from different angles.

Micro-lettering – it has very small lettering on the lower inside rim on both sides of the coin. One pound on the obverse “heads” side and the year of production on the reverse “tails” side, for example 2016 or 2017.

Milled edges – it has grooves on alternate sides.

Hidden high security feature – a high security feature is built into the coin to protect it from counterfeiting in the future.

Old metal coin slot panel from a coin operated machine

It comes out March 2017 but will your business be ready for it, think of all the parking meters and other machines that will need to but reconfigured to accept it!

steve@bicknells.net

Do you get tax free parking?

Pool Cars

If you work in town or city  parking costs can be high.

So if your employer gives you a parking space its a big help.

There is a tax exemption (tax and NI) for parking facilities that are within a reasonable distance of where you work and its not restricted to on-site parking.

The parking space can also be used in the evenings and weekends and isn’t restricted to the nearest car park.

You can also use Salary Sacrifice.

See EIM 21685 for further details

So yes its tax free, so why is there any confusion?

Well a few years ago (2009), we had stories like….

Commuters who drive to work face a new ‘parking tax’ of up to £350 a year.

Ministers are backing a ‘workforce parking levy’ which will come into force in Nottingham in 2012 – and is likely to be adopted across the country.

The pilot scheme will see firms with more than ten parking places for staff charged £250 a year for each, rising to £350 in two years.

Employers would be free to pass on the charge to their staff – meaning it would effectively be a tax on driving to work.

This meant that there was some confusion, but its all clear now and free parking is an excellent tax free employee benefit.
steve@bicknells.net