The Riot Damages Act addresses to any “house, shop or building” which has been damaged, or had its contents damaged, by “any persons riotously and tumultuously assembled together.”

If you are not protected by any policy, you can file a claim against police under the Riot Damages Act.

This Act was invoked after riots in Moss Side, Toxteth, London and Bristol in 1981. The Riot Damages Act 1886 states that a claim must be made to the police force within 14 days, and it is foremost that all business owners must act sharply and do not delay. Even those with insurance should act hastily as some policies have a time limit on when you can claim.

Nick Starling, the Director of general insurance at the Association of British Insurers has recommended all individuals and businesses affected by the rioting to touch their insurance companies as soon as possible.

The Association of British Insurers has revealed that most households and business owners whose property has been damaged or devastated by rioters should be protected by their insurance policies.
Tens of millions of pounds of destruction have been produced by those taking part in the London riots, it has been alleged.

While the property damage and business interruption claims stemming from the riots likely will be covered under most commercial insurance policies, the government ultimately may pick up the tab for much of the damage.

The Prime Minister also assured: ‘Any individual, homeowner or business that has suffered damage to or loss of their buildings or property as a result of rioting, can get compensation under the Riot Damages Act, even if uninsured. A £20m High Street Support Scheme – funded jointly by the Departments for Communities and Local Government, and Business Innovation and Skills – has been set up for the streets and areas where businesses were affected by the rioting.

Communities Secretary Eric Pickles said: ‘Our priority is to get local communities back on their feet, get businesses up and running again and make sure nobody is left without a roof over their head.

The law says you may be eligible for compensation including as a result of:

• Injury;
• Destruction or theft to houses, shops and other buildings or their contents.

You aren’t eligible for compensation from your local police authority for:

• Your vehicle being damaged or stolen during the riot (unless the vehicle was inside a building affected by riots).
• Trading at your business being affected by the riots.

Businesses which have suffered loss should obtain a crime number from the police and contact their insurers immediately.

Legal resources: Business documents – Power of attorney – Share transfer form

You have to submit your VAT Returns online and pay any VAT due electronically if either of the following applies:

• you registered for VAT before 1 April 2010 and had an annual VAT-exclusive turnover of £100,000 or more for the 12 months ended 31 December 2009
• you registered for VAT on or after 1 April 2010 (regardless of your turnover)

In the case of the first group, you must continue to submit all your VAT Returns online (including nil and repayment returns) even if your turnover drops below £100,000 in the future.

From April 2012, all remaining VAT-registered businesses – those registered for VAT before 1 April 2010 with a VAT-exclusive turnover of less than £100,000 – will also have to submit VAT Returns online and pay electronically.

Source: http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/vat/vat-online/moving.htm

2. Credit card payments for paper filed documents

From 1 st November 2011, Companies House will no longer accept credit card payments for fee bearing paper documents that are submitted by Post or Document Exchange (DX) if the presenter is situated within the UK.

Payment for fee bearing paper documents should be accompanied by cheque or postal order. (Companies House does not recommend sending cash via postal services)

Overseas Presenters
We will continue to accept credit card payments for paper documents (where these are not enabled via WebFiling) for any presenter based outside the UK, where no other payment options are available.

Delivery by Hand
For presenters delivering documents by hand to any Companies House office, the option to pay using the range of payment methods, including credit card will continue to apply. Please note however, that hand delivered credit card payments are not acceptable against Late Filing Penalties.

Source: http://www.companieshouse.gov.uk/about/creditCardPayments.shtml

3. OFT provisionally decides to refer audit market to Competition CommissionThe OFT has provisionally decided to refer the market for statutory audit services to large companies in the UK to the Competition Commission for a market investigation. A final decision will be taken following a six-week consultation period.

The OFT has been concerned for some time that this market is highly concentrated, with substantial barriers to entry and switching.

In May this year, the OFT announced that it had made the provisional decision that the statutory test for reference to the Competition Commission had been met. However, before reaching a decision on whether or not to make a reference, it wished to explore in more detail whether there was a reasonable chance that appropriate remedies would be available to the Competition Commission. Since then it has held a number of roundtable discussions and bilateral meetings with interested parties to discuss whether there may be such remedies.

Source: http://oft.gov.uk/news-and-updates/press/2011/85-11

• Exempt ;
• outside the scope of VAT

Value-added tax Added Tax (VAT) is a tax that’s levied on most goods and services that VAT-registered businesses provide in the UK. VAT is also imposed on goods as well as some services that are imported from countries outside the European Union (EU), and brought into the UK from other EU countries. The three rates of the VAT are:

• standard – 20 per cent
• reduced – 5 per cent
• zero – 0 per cent

The standard rate of VAT increased to 20 per cent on 4 January 2011 but was 17.5 per cent for the period 1 January 2010 to 3 January 2011.

The law alleges that some things are immune from Value-added tax and there will be mo burden of VAT on them. The following items are immune from VAT such as:

• insurance;
• providing credit;
• education and training, if certain conditions are met;
• fundraising events by charities, if certain conditions are met;
• membership subscriptions, if certain conditions are met ;
• most services provided by doctors and dentists;

Selling, leasing and letting commercial land and buildings are also immune from VAT. But you can choose – or ‘opt’ – to give up the right to the exemption and to charge VAT at the standard rate instead.

There are some other things where UK value added tax method is not applicable, and they are outside the ambit of the value-added tax. The following things are outside the circles of the value-added tax:

• non-business activities like a hobby – for example, you might sell some stamps from your collection;
• fees that are fixed by law – known as ‘statutory fees’ – for example the congestion charge or vehicle MoT tests.

If you vend zero-rated goods or services they will be considered as non-exempt supplies, but you do not include any VAT to your selling price because the VAT rate is 0 per cent.

If you sell goods or services that are immune, you don’t charge any VAT and they’re not taxable supplies. This denotes that you will not normally be able to reclaim any of the VAT on your expenses.

Usually, you cannot register for VAT or reclaim the VAT on your purchases if you sell only immune goods or services. If you vend some exempt goods or services, you may not be able to reclaim the VAT on all of your purchases.

If you buy and sell only – or mainly – zero-rated goods or services you can apply to HMRC to be exempt from registering for VAT.

Click to see more legal information and buy legal documents at Net Lawman.

In Business & Professional Services, the volume and value of business rose for the second successive quarter. The rise in the value of business (a balance of +12%) was the fastest since November 2007 (+29%), and in line with expectations (+12%). Volume growth over the past quarter (a balance of +5%) did not pick up as expected (+13%), but firms predict much stronger growth in the coming three months (+20%). Firms also expect a faster rise in the value of business next quarter (+20%).

The positive trends in activity among business and professional services firms are also reflected in employment. Staff numbers rose over the past three months (a balance of +12%) at the fastest rate since May 2008 (+15%). A stronger increase in employment (+30%) is expected in the next quarter, and the expectation is the highest since November 2007 (+31%).

While average selling prices declined slightly (-7%), this was the least deflationary performance since August 2008 (-2%). Growth in total costs per person employed is nudging upwards. A balance of +23% over the past quarter was in line with expectations, and total costs are predicted to grow at a faster rate in the coming three months (+28%), with expectations for costs the strongest since August 2008 (+45%).

Despite the gain from growing volume and value of business, higher costs are causing profitability among business and professional firms to decline unexpectedly (-17%), after levelling off in the last quarter. But this appears to be a temporary impact, as firms expect profitability to stabilise next quarter.

The trends among Consumer Services firms have been much weaker in comparison, as the volume and value of business have now declined for five consecutive quarters. Of those surveyed, 16% said volumes rose and 39% said they fell. The resulting balance of -23% is lower than in February, and is the weakest balance since November 2009 (-35%). Meanwhile, the decline in the value of business over the past quarter (-16%) was similar to that in February.

The declines in the volume and value of business for consumer services firms were unexpected, as firms had predicted no change (-1%). However, the pace of decline is expected to slow over the next quarter, with a balance of -10% indicating an expected fall in the volume of business and -6% a decline in value.

Firms’ average selling prices have risen at a faster pace over the past quarter (+18%), in line with expectations (+19%). However, costs per employee have also increased more rapidly; a balance of +43% marks the strongest growth since August 2008 (+62%).

Unexpectedly weak trends in activity among consumer services firms have resulted in a much faster decline in profitability than had been predicted; a balance of -41% marks the steepest fall since August 2009 (-46%). The number of people employed has also fallen heavily. 2% of firms said numbers employed had grown, and 52% that they were lower. The resulting balance of -50% is the lowest since the survey began in November 1998.

Ian McCafferty, CBI Chief Economic Adviser, said:

“Business and professional services firms are feeling more optimistic about their business situation. They have seen further growth in the volume and value of trade in the past quarter, albeit fairly modest, and these look set to strengthen in the coming three months, with expectations the highest since 2007. Numbers of employees have also increased and are expected to continue to do so. These are all sure-fire signs that business spending is picking up, which will help drive the recovery.

“There is a stark contrast with the performance of consumer services firms, however. This survey shows further evidence of weak demand for consumer services in the UK, though firms expect that conditions will not be as difficult over the next quarter. When times are tough, consumers cut back their discretionary spending on holidays, leisure pursuits and meals out, and we are seeing that rising prices and squeezed incomes are holding back household spending.”

Business & Professional Services are positive about the prospects for business expansion in the coming year for the third consecutive quarter, with a balance of +10% expecting to grow their business. Level of demand and domestic competition are given as the most significant expansion-limiting factors, though these have edged down as likely constraints. Business confidence in this sub-sector has also risen for the second consecutive quarter (+23%).

Business & Professional Services firms also plan to invest more in the coming year on vehicles, plant and machinery (+15%), the highest balance since November 2004 (+16%), and investment intentions for land and buildings are positive and above average. More firms also plan to raise the amount spent on IT for the seventh successive quarter.

In contrast, consumer services firms do not expect to expand their business over the coming year (-6%), and they expect to spend less on each of land and buildings, vehicles, plant and machinery, and IT. Businesses have become less concerned about domestic competition as a factor likely to limit expansion in the coming year, but the availability of professional staff has crept up as a likely constraint since the last survey in February.

source: Click here to view source

In addition, when you have a presence on a social networking site, you can learn about your target audience, create customer loyalty practically effortlessly, receive important feedback, generate leads for your goods and services, and spend less money doing so.

Consumer service related businesses like retailers and entertainment groups have already seen the benefits of social networking. They can contact their customers regularly and in a more individual way.

For example, if a customer publishes a comment about a business, the business has a name and usually a picture to which it can respond. All of the customer’s “friends” on the social network will see the both the customer’s comment as well as the response from the business. This is how information can go “viral” –- spreading the word from one person to another.

This business segment has already experienced sales and business that they would not have otherwise received.
One of the problems for many established businesses and new businesses is their lack of technological expertise making it difficult for them to join the social networking world. They simply do not know what to do. However, there is help available for them.

• Facebook.com has a business page help center at http://www.facebook.com/help/new/?topic=business_accounts
• Twitter has a special site entitled, “Twitter for Business” at http://business.twitter.com
• comScore, a company specializing in measuring digital business, has now added a service that provides clients with detailed statistics about what consumers are saying about their brands and products online.
• Meltwater Group, an international software company, now has tools to help their business clients monitor what is being said about them on the web. In addition, they tell their clients how to better engage with their customers.
• LinkedIn.com, a social networking site for professionals, provides a forum where SMEs can ask for opinions, give opinions, ask for help, and share their business expertise or lack of same. LinkedIn is also used to find jobs, to hire new employees, and to connect people who want to go into business together.

The best advice for SME’s is start getting your feet wet. The Internet is full of information about social networking – everything from defining it to showing how to do your own analysis of your online social networking success.

Part 2: The Legal Services Board sets out the structure and functions of the Board, including its duty to act compatibly with the regulatory objectives, to assist in the maintenance and development of standards in regulation, education and training and to establish a Consumer Panel. It also sets out the requirements for both appointment to, and membership of, the Board and the powers that the Lord Chancellor has in relation to these processes.

Part 3: Reserved Legal Activities lists and defines the reserved legal activities. It explains who is entitled to carry out these activities, and the penalties for those who carry out, or pretend to be entitled to carry out, these activities where they are not entitled. It provides for transitional arrangements for those currently allowed to carry on reserved legal activities. It also explains the process for altering the scope of the reserved legal activities. Approved regulators are the bodies that authorise and regulate persons to carry on reserved legal activities. This Part of the Act explains what an approved regulator is, lists those bodies designated by the Act as approved regulators, and explains how other bodies can become an approved regulator in the future.

Part 4: Regulation of Approved Regulators prescribes the general duties of approved regulators, and the powers that the Board has to ensure that these are being properly carried out. It details how the Board can intervene when there is a problem, the procedures that it must follow, and the persons that it must consult. The Board’s powers include target-setting, censure, financial penalties, direct intervention in the approved regulator’s regulation of its members, and, ultimately, the power to recommend to the Lord Chancellor that an order be made cancelling the approved regulator’s designation.

Part 5: Alternative Business Structures (ABS) makes provision for the licensing of new business structures in legal services. These will allow lawyers and non-lawyers to work together to deliver legal and other services. This Part of the Act sets out the arrangements for authorisation, by the Board, of licensing authorities and how, in the absence of an appropriate licensing authority, the Board can license ABS firms directly. It makes provision for the regulation of ABS.

Part 6: Legal Complaints establishes an independent OLC, which is responsible for administering an ombudsman scheme, under which all complaints will be dealt with by a Chief Ombudsman, assistant ombudsmen, and staff appointed by the OLC. Part 6 removes the ability of approved regulators to provide redress to complainants, and grants this power to the ombudsman scheme. The OLC will draw up scheme rules setting out the detail of the ombudsman scheme. This Part makes provision for the appointment process and terms of office for members of the OLC Board and the Chief Ombudsman and the assistant ombudsmen. It also makes provision for the accountability of the OLC to the Board, the framework of rules by which the OLC will establish its operating procedures, and changes to the regulatory arrangements of approved regulators.

Part 7: Further Provisions Relating to the Board and the OLC makes provision as to the guidance that the Board may give. It also requires the Board to make rules providing for the payment by approved regulators of a levy, to recoup the expenditure of the Board and OLC. The rules may include provision as to the rate and times at which the levy is payable, and circumstances in which the levy may be waived. This section also makes provision for the Board to enter into voluntary arrangements with any person, for example to promote best regulatory practice.

Part 8: Miscellaneous Provisions about Lawyers makes provision for the following matters:

• the requirement for alteration of the rules of the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal to be approved by the Board, and empowering the Board to give a limited range of directions to the Tribunal;
• the maintenance of the register of trade mark attorneys and the register of patent attorneys;
• the application of legal professional privilege in relation to authorised persons who are not barristers or solicitors;
• amendment of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999 (which regulates the provision of immigration advice services) and the Compensation Act 2006 (which makes provision in relation to claims management services), in consequence of the new regime established by the Act;
• the making of costs orders in relation to pro bono legal representation; and
• conferring competence on the Scottish Legal Complaints Commission in respect of certain reserved matters.

Part 9: General makes provision regarding offences committed by bodies corporate and unincorporated bodies. It provides that certain functions conferred on the Lord Chancellor by the Act may not be transferred to another Minister by a transfer of functions order. It states how notices issued pursuant to provision made in the Act are to be given and makes provision governing the procedure for making orders and regulations under powers in the Act. It allows for minor and consequential amendments to be made by order, and makes provision regarding the extent, commencement and short title of the Act.

The Legal Services Act establishes a new framework for the regulation of legal services in England and Wales.

The Act makes provision for:

• A new regulatory framework that replaces the existing framework which comprises a number of oversight regulators with overlapping responsibilities.
• The establishment of the Legal Services Board: a single oversight body, independent both from Government and from the “front-line” approved regulators such as the Law Society and Bar Council. The Board has a duty to promote the regulatory objectives set out in Part 1.
• The establishment of an independent Office for Legal Complaints: a body with statutory power to establish a scheme for handling complaints about services provided by persons subject to oversight regulation by the Board, and to award redress in appropriate circumstances.
• Alternative Business Structures to enable lawyers and non-lawyers to work together to deliver legal and other services. New business structures are expected to give legal providers greater flexibility to respond to market demands, within the UK and overseas. Licences will be conferred by licensing authorities, with various safeguards in place.
• It is for the Board to advise the Government on any areas where it identifies problems within the legal services market, or “regulatory gaps”.

From the end of June 2011 Insurance Advisory Letters (IAL) will be issued by the Motor Insurers’ Bureau to the registered keepers of uninsured vehicles. This will be following a check of the Motor Insurance Database (MID) – the UK’s central record of vehicle insurance. The IAL will advise the registered keeper that their vehicle appears to have no insurance and what actions to take to avoid receiving a fixed penalty from DVLA.

If a vehicle does not have insurance, the registered keeper could:

• receive a fixed penalty of £100
• have their vehicle wheel-clamped, impounded, or destroyed 
• face a court prosecution, with a possible maximum fine of £1000

Payment of a penalty does not replace the need for motor insurance.

Source: http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Motoring/OwningAVehicle/Motorinsurance/DG_186696

• how well the person looks after their own affairs, such as having good finances
• how well you know the person
• whether you can trust them to use your money to meet your needs and make decisions in your interests
• how happy they will be to take on the role

You can appoint more than one person as an attorney to stop anyone taking advantage of their responsibility. You also need to make sure that the person is happy to take on the role and its responsibilities.

Your attorney(s) could be anyone aged 18 or over, for example:

• a family member
• a friend
• a professional (e.g. a solicitor)
• your spouse, partner, or civil partner

If your spouse or partner is nominated as your attorney but you later split up, your Lasting Power of Attorney will become invalid. However, they can still act as your attorney if:

• you included a condition in your Lasting Power of Attorney that they can continue to act as your attorney
• you appointed a replacement attorney who will automatically take over
• you have appointed more than one attorney and said they must make all or some decisions together

You cannot choose anyone who:

• is under the age of 18
• lacks mental capacity
• has been declared bankrupt if you are making a Lasting Power of Attorney for property and financial affairs

An attorney will not be able to act if they are declared bankrupt after the Lasting Power of Attorney has been registered. Your Lasting Power of Attorney might also be cancelled if there are no other attorneys to act on your behalf.

At some point, your attorney(s) might not be able to make decisions for you. Reasons why this could happen could include:

• the attorney dies
• the attorney lacks mental capacity themselves
• the attorney decides that they do not want to act for you any more

Having at least one replacement attorney to make decisions means that when this happens, your Lasting Power of Attorney will continue to be usable.

For example, if you choose your spouse to be your attorney, you might choose a son or daughter as your replacement attorney if your spouse dies.

You can choose as many replacement attorneys as you like but once the Lasting Power of Attorney has been registered you cannot change any attorneys.

Related resources: power of attorney UK | general power of attorney

Types of Lasting Power of Attorney
You can appoint attorneys under a Lasting Power of Attorney to make different types of decisions for you. A health and welfare Lasting Power of Attorney appoints someone to make decisions such as medical care or moving to a care home. A property and financial affairs Lasting Power of Attorney appoints someone to make decisions such as paying bills or selling your home.

The different attorneys have different responsibilities and can only make decisions about the area they have been appointed to. For example, an attorney under a health and welfare Lasting Power of Attorney can’t make decisions about property or financial matters.

You can have one attorney acting on your behalf for both a health and welfare and a property and financial affairs Lasting Power of Attorney. You can also choose to have different attorneys for both if you want to.

Health and welfare – Lasting Power of Attorney
A health and welfare Lasting Power of Attorney permits you to choose one or more people to make decisions about your personal health and welfare. The person or people you appoint are known as attorneys.

The person you appoint as an attorney can only make decisions when:

• the Lasting Power of Attorney has been registered with the Office of the Public Guardian
• you lack the capacity to make the decisions yourself

You can give your attorney(s) the power to make decisions about any or all of your health and welfare matters. This can include making decisions on things such as:

• medical treatment
• accepting or refusing types of health care
• whether you continue to live in your own home or move into residential care

If you wish, you can also give your attorney(s) power to make decisions about ‘life-sustaining treatment’ for you.

Your attorney(s) can be given the power to make decisions about day-to-day aspects of your welfare too, such as:

(a) your diet
(b) what clothes you wear
(c) your daily routine, such as going shopping

Property and financial affairs – Lasting Power of Attorney
A property and financial affairs Lasting Power of Attorney allows you to choose one or more people to make property and financial affairs decisions for you.

Once your Lasting Power of Attorney has been registered, your attorney(s) can make decisions for you even when you still have capacity.

For example, it may be easier for you to give your attorney the power to carry out tasks such as paying your bills. This could be because:

• you find it difficult to walk or travel certain distances
• you find it difficult to talk on the telephone
• you are out of the country for long periods of time

Your attorney(s) can make decisions for you about any or all of your property and financial matters. These decisions can include:
(a) paying your bills
(b) collecting your benefits
(c) selling your house

You can also make an LPA to run alongside an EPA if you wish. For example you may have an existing EPA that makes provision for decisions about your property and affairs, and decide to make a Health and Welfare LPA to run alongside that, to provide for decisions concerning your healthcare and welfare

Lasting Power of Attorney is a legal document that you make using a special form. Anyone aged 18 or over, with the capacity to do so, can make an LPA appointing one or more Attorneys to make decisions on their behalf. You cannot make an LPA jointly with another person; each person must make his or her own LPA. An LPA can only be used after it is registered with the OPG.

Lasting Power of Attorney allows you to choose someone now that you trust to make decisions on your behalf about things such as your property and financial affairs or health welfare at a time in the future when you no longer wish to make those decisions or you may lack the mental capacity to make those decisions yourself.

There are two different types of LPA:

• a health and welfare LPA
• a property and financial affairs LPA

The following are the different people involved in making an LPA:

1. The Attorney (s) An Attorney is the person(s) you choose and appoint, using an LPA form, to make decisions on your behalf about either your health and welfare or property and financial affairs or both.  It is an important role and one that the person chosen has to agree to take on.

2. Donor A Donor is someone who makes an LPA appointing an Attorney(s) to make decisions about his/her health and welfare, property and financial affairs or both.

3. Named person(s) A named person is someone chosen by the Donor to be notified when an application is made to register their LPA. They have the right to object to the registration of the LPA if they have concerns about the registration. The named person(s) are specified in the LPA form. Selecting people to notify of an application to register is one of the key safeguards to protect you if you make an LPA.

4. Certificate provider A certificate provider is a person the Donor must select to complete a Part B Certificate in the LPA form. The certificate provide must confirm that the Donor understands the LPA and that the Donor is not under any pressure to make it. The certificate provider is another important safeguard.

5. Witness A witness is someone who signs the LPA form to confirm that they witnessed:

(a)   the Donor (the person making the LPA) signing and dating the LPA form; or
(b)   the Attorney(s) (the person appointed by the Donor) signing and dating the LPA form.

It is an important role and acts as a further safeguard.

A Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA) is a very powerful document, so when choosing your Attorney(s) you need to be confident that you have picked the right person(s) to carry out the tasks involved.

Bear in mind that if you do not have the mental capacity, you may not be able to monitor what they are doing on your behalf.