The 2020–2021 tax year saw record capital gains and tax collections as more Britons fell victim to tax fraud, according to HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC).
CGT is often assessed when a house is sold, although other assets are also subject to this tax. The general CGT obligation climbed by 42 per cent compared to the previous year, while the number of profits and the number of taxpayers rose by 19 and 20 per cent, respectively.
According to the most recent data, the Treasury has received billions of pounds in taxes due to the decision to freeze the capital gains tax threshold in March 2021.
According to newly released figures from HMRC, the total capital Gains Tax (CGT) liability for 323,000 people in the 2020–2021 tax year was £14.3 billion.
“HMRC’s latest annual update illustrates the enduring importance of CGT receipts to the Treasury,” said Julia Rosenbloom, a tax partner at Evelyn Partners.
Families may want to consider their tax planning and make the most of their current allowances and the relatively low rates of CGT before any changes are imposed as we wait for the new prime minister to enter office in early September, at which point tax reforms may subsequently be revealed in a new budget.
Although tax planning is usually wise, anyone considering selling a home or business should remember that getting rid of sizable assets can take some time.
The decision by the then-Chancellor Rishi Sunak to freeze the annual £12,300 capital gains allowance until 5 April 2026, Ms Rosenbloom continued, “even without any adjustments to CGT, even more people are expected to be affected by CGT over the future years.
This freeze is challenging when inflation and home prices rise, which means many more individuals will be subject to CGT.
Making ensuring they are aware of all the tax benefits available to them is something she advises.
She continued that married couples and civil partners can transfer assets free of CGT, maximising the usage of tax deductions.
Couples can thus employ two sets of capital gains allowances when selling shares, two groups of ISA allowances to protect investments against future capital gains and even in cases where some CGT is expected, transferring assets into the name of the partner who pays the lower tax rate can assist decrease a tax payment.
Not everyone will pay the same amount of capital gains tax makes things more confusing.
The precise amount of CGT, a person, must pay depends on how much they make and spend in income tax.
The capital gains tax (CGT) rate for basic rate taxpayers who sell a property and make a profit is 18 per cent.
If they typically pay the higher tax rate, this rises to 28 per cent.
For basic-rate taxpayers, gains from selling other non-property assets are taxed at 10%.
For higher-rate taxpaying individuals, that rises to 20%.
