Tax Rates and Allowances for Small Businesses – 2019/20

November 22, 2018

Here are the main small business tax rates and allowances for the tax year of 2019/20.

Corporation Tax

You have to pay 19% Corporation Tax if your profit falls below £300,000.
If your annual profit exceeds £300,000 then you have to also pay 19% Corporation Tax. You can find out more in our corporation tax guide.

You have to register for VAT if your turnover over the past 12 months is £85,000 or more.
The de-registration threshold is £83,000.

Tax on dividends is paid at a rate set by HMRC on all dividend payments received.
Anyone with dividend income will receive £2,000 tax-free, no matter what non-dividend income they have.
Dividend basic rate is 7.5%. £0 to £37,500 on taxable income over the Personal Allowance In England.
The dividend higher rate is 32.5%. £37,501 to £150,000 on taxable income over the Personal Allowance In England
Dividend additional rate is 38.1%. Over £150,000 of taxable income.

The personal allowance (the amount you can earn before any income becomes taxable) is £12,500.
You will not receive a tax-free personal allowance at all if you earn £123,700 or more.

The basic rate band is 20% and applies to income up to £50,000.
The higher rate band is 40% and applies to income from £50,001 to £150,000.
The upper (additional) rate band is 45% and applies to income of £150,000 and above.

If you run a company (or work for one), then Class 1 NICs apply.
Employees’ Class 1 NICs are payable at 12% on salaries received between £166 and £962 per week. Any earnings above the upper earning limit (£962) will be taxed at 2%.
Employers’ Class 1 NICs are payable at 13.8% on earnings above £166 per week.
For sole traders and partnerships, you pay Class 2 and Class 4 NICs.
Class 2 NICs are payable at £3.00 per week and are paid by anyone earning £6,365 or more through self-employment during the tax year.
Class 4 NICs are paid on profits you make as a self-employed person. The Class 4 NIC rate is 9% of annual profits between £8,632 and £50,000, and an additional 2% on profits above £50,000 per year.
Read our guide on National Insurance for further information.

If you pay higher rate income tax you’ll pay 28% on your gains from residential property, and 20% on your gains from other chargeable assets.
If you pay basic rate income tax you’ll pay 18% on your gains from residential property, and 20% on your gains from other chargeable assets.
You’ll pay 10% if you’re a sole trader or partnership and your gains qualify for Entrepreneurs’ Relief.
Each individual has an annual CGT exemption of £12,500.

The Annual Investment Allowance (AIA) is £200,000 and has remained at this since 2016.
First-year allowances remain at 100%.

The Inheritance Tax Threshold (IHT) remains at £325,000. The standard inheritance tax rate is 40% of anything over the £325,000 threshold.

The SDLT regime rates are as follows, charged on a progressive basis (i.e. no longer just on the band into which the purchase price falls):