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Setting up a business involves complying with a range of legal requirements. Find out which ones apply to you and your new enterprise.

Every business needs to be aware of its obligations under minimum wage and equal pay laws, as well as recent pensions auto-enrolment changes.

What particular regulations do specific types of business (such as a hotel, or a printer, or a taxi firm) need to follow? We explain some of the key legal issues to consider for 200 types of business.

While poor governance can bring serious legal consequences, the law can also protect business owners and managers and help to prevent conflict.

You must comply with legal restrictions on employees' working hours and time off, or risk claims, enforcement action and even prosecution.

The right employment policies are an essential part of effective staff management. Make sure any policy is clear and well communicated to employees.

Whether you want to raise finance, join forces with someone else, buy or sell a business, it pays to be aware of the legal implications.

While sick employees need to be treated fairly, you need to ensure that 'sickness' is not being used as cover for unauthorised absence.

Marketing matters. Marketing drives sales for businesses of all sizes by ensuring that customers think of their brand when they want to buy.

Most pregnant employees are entitled to maternity leave and maternity pay, while new fathers are entitled to paternity leave and paternity pay.

Commercial disputes can prove time-consuming, stressful and expensive, but having robust legal agreements can help to prevent them from occurring.

As well as undermining morale, illegal discrimination can lead to workplace grievances. Employee discrimination is covered by the Equality Act 2010.

Whether your business owns or rents premises, your legal liabilities can be substantial. Commercial property law is complex, but you can avoid common pitfalls.

Home, remote and lone workers are becoming increasingly commonplace. Key issues include communication and how to manage and motivate people remotely.

With information and sound advice, living up to your legal responsibilities to safeguard your employees, customers and visitors need not be difficult or costly.

The right approach to consulting with and providing information to your employees can improve employee motivation and performance.

As information technology continues to evolve, legislation must also change. It affects everything from data protection and online selling to internet policies for employees.

Disciplinary and grievance issues can be a major burden to employers. Putting in place and following the right procedures is essential.

Following the right dismissal and redundancy procedures helps protect your business and minimise the risk of a legal dispute at tribunal.

Intellectual property (IP) isn't solely relevant to larger businesses or those involved in developing innovative new products: all products have IP.

Employment tribunal claims are a worrying prospect for any employer. A tribunal case is a no-win situation – even if the claim is unjustified.

Knowing how and when you plan to sell or relinquish control of your business can help you to make better decisions and achieve the best possible outcome.

From bereavement, wills, inheritance, separation and divorce to selling a house, personal injury and traffic offences, learn more about your personal legal rights.

HMRC warns tax-payers to watch out for scammers

17 November 2020

As the 2021 self assessment deadline approaches, there are increasing reports of fake emails, texts and phone calls purporting to be from HMRC.

HMRC sends thousands of texts and emails every year ahead of the annual tax return deadline on 31 January 2021. However, fraudsters also create convincing emails, text, web pages and make phone calls intended to trick UK tax-payers into handing over personal information, including bank details, in order to claim a spurious refund.

HMRC is warning tax-payers to be highly suspicious of any communication claiming to be from HMRC that is offering a tax rebate. In the past 12 months, HMRC has responded to more than 846,000 referrals of suspicious HMRC contact from the public and reported over 15,500 malicious web pages to internet service providers to be taken down. Almost 500,000 of the referrals from the public offered bogus tax rebates.

"We know that criminals take advantage of the self assessment deadline to panic customers into sharing their personal or financial details and even paying bogus 'tax due'," said Karl Khan, HMRC's interim director general for customer services.

Pauline Smith, head of Action Fraud, said: "Criminals are experts at impersonating organisations that we know and trust. We work closely with HMRC to raise awareness of current scams and encourage people to report any suspicious calls or messages they receive, even if they haven't acted on them, to the relevant channels. This information is crucial in disrupting criminal activity and is already helping HMRC take down websites being used to facilitate fraud.

"It's important to remember if you're contacted out of the blue by someone purporting to be from HMRC asking for your personal or financial details, or offering you a tax rebate, grant or refund, this could be a scam. Do not respond, hang up the phone, and take care not to click on any links in unexpected emails or text messages. You should contact HMRC directly using a phone number you've used before to check if the communication you have received is genuine."

Anyone who has been the victim of fraud should contact their bank immediately and report it to Action Fraud at actionfraud.police.uk or by calling 0300 123 2040.

Customers can report suspicious activity to HMRC at [email protected] and texts to 60599. They can also report phone scams online on the government website.

HMRC is also warning the public to be aware of websites that charge for government services - such as call connection sites - that are in fact free or charged at local call rates. Other companies charge people for help getting tax refunds. The best way to safely claim a tax refund for free is to log into your Personal Tax Account.

HMRC regularly publishes examples of new scams on the government website to help customers recognise phishing emails and other bogus messages. It says tax-payers should be suspicious if an email, text or call:

  • Is unexpected;
  • Offers a refund, tax rebate or grant;
  • Asks for personal information like bank details;
  • Is threatening;
  • Tells you to transfer money.

Written by Rachel Miller.

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