Unless you are in the trade, you probably haven’t given the Construction Industry Scheme much thought. It was brought in during the 70s to make sure that sub-contractors pay tax at source.

Don’t worry it doesn’t apply to building work carried out on your own home, be it a new kitchen or an extension. But, if you have more ambitious plans for 2018, such as dipping into property development or building new property for a profit, you should definitely check if the regulations of the scheme will affect you. Just like regular construction firms.

The penalties for not following the scheme are severe, and not all services received from sub-contractors will count as the HMRCs definition of construction operations. If you think that the Construction Industry Scheme might apply to your activities, you really should contact your local AIMS Accountant.