New announcement. Learn more

CHARTERED ACCOUNTANTS (ICAEW)

News and advice to help make your property business a success

Landlords TaxProperty TaxLandlords Tax ReturnsProperty AccountsProperty Tax ReturnLandlords AccountsChartered AccountantsOnline AccountantOnline BookkeepingOnline Tax ReturnsTax ReturnsYour Online AccountantYour Online BookkeeperBusinessadviceAccountingTaxCashflowSmallbusinessBusinesstipsProperty AccountantTaxplanningVATFurnished Holiday LettingsInheritance TaxPropertyProperty bookkeeperAnnual Exempt AmountBusiness RateCapital AllowancesCapital gains tax propertyComplianceDeductibleexpensesEmployment AllowanceFinanceFinancialmanagementHoliday Lets TaxLandlords AccountantLandlords FinancialMaking Tax DigitalMileage AllowanceMobilephonesOverlapreliefPensionPprProperty Company TaxProperty Tax Deductible ExpensesRent a Room ReliefSDLTSmall BusinessTaxreturnTimetoPayVAT invoice60 day capital gains limitAccrualsbasisAcquisitionsAdvisoryfuelratesAIAirBnBAllowable Business ExpensesAlphabet sharesAmapAnnual Tax on Enveloped DwellingsAppealAssessmentAsset disposalAssociated CompanyAssociated Company Tax RulesBad DebtBad Debt Tax ReliefBaddebtsBadgesoftradeBeancounterBenefits in KindBreakeven PointBudgetBusiness adviceBusiness asset defermentBusiness coachBusiness ContinuityBusiness EntertainmentBusiness ExpensesBusiness Rates ReliefBusiness tipsBusinessgrowthBusinesstypesBuy or Lease EquipmentBuytoletCapital Allowances for CarsCapitalallowancesCar Capital AllowancesCarry Back LossesCgtChange of Tax BasisChatGPTCIS SchemeCommon TenantCompanies ExpenditureCompanies HouseCompany Account DeadlinesCompany Account FilingCompany Strike OffCompany Tax Efficient PropertyCompanyassociationCompanyloanstaxfreeCompulsory Strike OffConstruction Industry SchemeContacthmrcContentmarketingCorporation Tax LossesCorporation Tax New RegimeCorporation Tax RatesCorporationTaxCostsCryptocurrencyDeductible Business ExpensesDepreciationDevelopmentDirectorsDirectors LoansDirectorsloansDisallowable Business ExpensesDiscoveryDisincorporationDividend allowanceDividend Allowance ReductionDividend PlanningDividendsDLADomestic Items Tax ReliefDormantcompanyEmployee DiscountEmployee managementEmployeecompensationpaymentsEmployeeOwnershipTrustEndoflifeplanningEnquiryEnterpriseResourcePlanningEntrepreneurmindsetEquityExpensesExpenses Allowed For TaxEyetestsFHLsFlippingFurnished Holiday Lets TaxGift AidGiftsGrowthhacksHelp to pay tax billsHICBCHMO Licensing FeesHMRC complaintsHoldoverreliefHoliday Lettings TaxHow to apply for a Business LoanHow to Extract ProfitHumourIhtexemptionsIllegaldividendsInfluencersInheritance Tax Nil Rate BandInterestrestrictionInvestment Property TaxJoint TenantKeypersoninsuranceLandlord RepairsLandlords Self AssessmentLate vat registrationLBTTLeadgenerationLeadmagnetLeanbusinessmodelLetting Agent DisbursementsLetting Agent RecharresLettings ReliefLimitedcompanyLong Lets TaxLongserviceLTTMainresidencereliefMakingTaxDigitalManaged LetsManagement accountingMileage paymentMinimumwageMixedusesdltMortgage costsMortgage Interest ReliefNew propertyNewcompanycarfuelratesNewnicrulesNIC 2023 to 2024NIC savingsNmwerrorsNon-taxableOptiontotaxvatOverpayment ReliefPaperformPartnershipPartnershipbusinessesParttimePatternofoccupancyPAYEPAYE by Direct DebitPenaltypointsPension Payments Tax ReliefPerformance-reviewsPeriodsofabsencePersonal financePersonalallowancePersonalguaranteesPostcessationreliefProfitProfit-and-lossProperty AllowanceProperty Development CompanyProperty IncorporationProperty Investment CompanyProperty investor accountsProperty investor tax tipsProperty LettingProperty Rental BusinessProperty TradingPropertyallowancePropertycompanyRecharges by Estate AgentsRegularpaymentsReimbursedexpensesRent your driveRentalRentaroomResearch & DevolopmentResidence ReliefResidential property gainsRetail stock controlRetainedprofitsRoom for rent taxSASalarySDLT changesSection 455 TaxSelective Licences LandlordsSelf AssessmentSelf-employednicSelfemployedSeperationServicechargesSettlementslegislationSimplified ExpensesSmallbizSmallbusinessratereliefSoftwareSpring BudgetStaffpartiesStamp dutySuccessJourneyTax Allowance on DrivewaysTax AllowancesTax DeadlinesTax Filing DeadlinesTax Free ChildcareTax free incomeTax on Company VansTax positionTax ReliefTax tips for landlordsTaxbillpaymentsTaxconsequencesTaxincentivesTaxpositionTaxpositionassetsTaxreliefTaxreliefsTaxsesTerminationpaymentsTipsTrade professionalTransfer AssetsTransfer Assets Between SpousesUndisclosedincomeUnpaid RentVAT Bad Debt ReliefVAT DeadlinesVAT DisbursementsVAT PenaltiesVAT registrationVatpenaltiesVatregisteredVatregistrationthresholdWellbeing
TAGS

Can directors and employees receive gifts from the company tax free?

Can directors and employees receive gifts from the company tax free?


Giving gifts to your employees can be a great way to increase engagement and raise the overall morale of your team. But how much can you give before there are tax implications? And how do the rules differ if you’re giving gifts to your directors?

The good news is that you can give gifts that don’t exceed £50 in value to your employees without any tax or National Insurance (NI) charges arising – as long as you follow HMRC’s rules. The cost of this is also tax-deductible by the company.

Making use of the Trivial Benefits scheme

As part of HM Revenue & Customs’ (HMRC’s) Trivial Benefits scheme, you can give gifts to your employees to mark birthdays, weddings or just ‘because’, all without attracting any tax charges. Owners can also benefit from the same Trivial Benefits scheme.

  • Trivial benefits can be provided to employees without any adverse tax or NI implications, and with no need to report them on a P11D form – the HMRC form used to report any ‘benefits in kind’ that you’ve provided to an employee.

  • To qualify, gifts can’t be a reward for services, can’t be cash or a cash voucher, can’t be contractual, and the cost mustn’t exceed £50 per gift.

  • For directors of close companies, the total can’t exceed £300 in any year. Although not limited for other employees, if it was a regular gift then it’s likely to be treated as a reward for services – which would then have tax implications.

  • If over the course of a year, a director awarded themselves 6 x £50 gift cards (maxing out the £300 cap) as a higher-rate taxpayer they could save around £126 in tax and NI compared with a £300 salary. The company would also save about £41 in NI.

  • Gift cards are fine as long as they aren’t pre-loaded debit cards that can be used to withdraw cash – remember you can’t give cash as a gift.

Let’s look at an example of these rules in practice:

If an employee is given a bottle of wine for hitting a sales target, that would be taxable. If they were given the wine because it’s their birthday, as long as it was below £50 it would be within the exemption. It could also be given just because you’re in a good mood and feeling generous – it just can’t be anything related to company or individual performance.

Talk to us about meeting the rules around employee gifts

It’s important that you stick to HMRC’s rules around employee gifts and don’t end up unintentionally creating a negative tax impact for people on your team, or for the business.

As your adviser, we’ll help you draw up clear, well-explained internal guidance to make sure any gifts don’t unintentionally fall outside of the rules.