Corporation tax is paid by businesses in the UK, and is calculated on their annual profits, in a similar way to income tax for individuals. It is a tax payable on business profits (sales less allowable expenses). The main rate of corporation tax is currently 25% however companies with pre tax profits of up to £50,000 will continue to pay tax at the old main rate of 19% and companies with profits of up to £250,000 will obtain marginal relief and those with profits of in excess of £250,000 paying tax at 25%.
Limited companies. This includes private companies limited by shares (most small companies), public limited companies (have shares listed on a stock exchange) and companies limited by guarantee (a legal entity used by non-profit organisations).
Unincorporated organisations. This includes Charitable Trusts, Friendly societies, registered charities, which are not registered as companies .
A foreign company with a UK branch. This is a company which is not based in the UK but operates in the UK through a branch or office. Corporation tax will only be payable on the taxable profits arising from the UK operations.
Late Payment Penalties
Interest will be charged on the tax due daily until it is paid.
Penalties for Inaccurate Company Tax Returns
The penalty will be based on a percentage of the extra tax due when the correction is made. It is also dependent on the type of error and when HMRC was notified of it.
If you took reasonable care but still made a mistake, HMRC will not charge a penalty.
Records supporting the corporation tax filing should be kept for 6 years after the end of the tax period.
The business records that your company or organisation must keep for Corporation Tax purposes must:
An example of the business records that you may find it useful to keep includes the following: