A THIRD of British businesses are working on “exit plans” ahead of the October Budget’s rumoured tax shakeup, a survey of executives have found.

Bosses are “fast-tracking” their preparations to try and reduce the impact of a “painful” rate hike.

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Chancellor Rachel Reeves will rise to the dispatch box on October 30, seeking to fill what ministers have called a £22 billion “black hole” in the books.

Labour has repeatedly promised not to increase the main rates of income tax, national insurance and VAT and has limited any rises in corporation tax to no higher than 25%.

As a result, ministers are looking around for other ways to raise the cash necessary to plug the “black hole”.

It has been rumoured that Ms Reeves could seek to equalise capital gains tax (CGT) with income tax as part of the Treasury’s efforts to right the financial ship,

This could see businesses handing as much as 45% of their profits in capital transactions to the Exchequer.

The rate is currently just 10% for most deals, rising to 18% on the sale of residential property.

Senior Labour figures have long pushed for equalisation, arguing that capital gains are just like any other form of income and should be taxed accordingly.

But critics maintain that such a move would disincentivise investment, drive down productivity and put the handbrake on economic growth.

A new study from wealth management company Evelyn Partners suggests that almost a third of entrepreneurs in the UK are now working on “exit plans” – up 6% from 18 months ago.

This would involve businesses selling off as many assets as possible before the Budget in order to benefit from the lower rate before the tax is potentially hiked.

Around a quarter of those asked said they had accelerated their plans to pull out of solid assets thanks to worries over CGT.

And a fifth said they had done the same due to concerns of potential cuts to inheritance tax relief.

Laura Hayward, of Evelyn Partners, said: “As opinion polls increasingly suggested a change in government and the consequential potential for tax changes was becoming more likely, an increasing number of business owners have got in touch with us to have conversations about business exits.

“The business environment for many owners has already been tough enough in recent years as they have worked hard to rebuild their businesses after the pandemic, against a backdrop of cost-of-living pressures and high inflation.

“Add to that the potential for unfavourable tax changes in the upcoming Budget and it’s completely understandable that some are hoping to realise the gains of their successes sooner rather than later.”

It comes after The Sun exclusively revealed that Ms Reeve’s top aide had hinted at higher eco-taxes being announced in the Budget.

There was also public outcry over the expected decision to reverse a 2022 cut in fuel duty, despite the Government’s pledge not to raise taxes on “working people”.

IT is the world’s largest fashion retailer, which has been endorsed by Khloe Kardashian and Katy Perry.

Chinese online juggernaut Shein launched 12 years ago, yet it is tipped for a historic and controversial £50billion float on the London Stock Exchange as early as this autumn — the biggest in more than a decade.

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Britain’s addiction to the ultra-low cost clothing means an estimated 520,000 items are shipped a day to Brits.

Today a Sun on Sunday probe reveals how Shein, which had sales of £1.55billion in 2023 yet operates with just 33 staff in its UK arm, has been accused of exploiting a tax loophole.

According to latest figures from Companies House, the fashion giant’s pre-tax profits doubled year on year to £24.2million and it paid £5.7million in taxes, up from £2.3million the previous year.

Now rivals have slammed Shein for using “unfair” tactics to keep its prices at rock bottom, while being able to fork out on glossy adverts around the country and on the London Tube network, which carries five million passengers a day.

Shein uses the so-called “de minimis” rule, which allows shipments of less than £135 to be exempt from import duties.

Last night, one chief executive told the Sun on Sunday that the loophole was “a wheeze that saves Shein millions of pounds”.

He said: “It’s an unfair playing field — of course it is. We all have to pay duties to ship clothes to customers here. But because their shipments are individually packed, they don’t?

“At a time when the Government can’t stop talking about this £22billion hole it needs to plug, why doesn’t Chancellor Rachel Reeves go after some of these big players that are obviously not paying the right amount of tax and duties?”

Superdry founder and CEO Julian Dunkerton has previously said it would be in the UK’s interests to get rid of the loophole.

Boohoo CEO John Lyttle has also urged the Government to close it.

Last month, US President Joe Biden announced he was closing a similar loophole, which allowed imports of individual packages of up to £600, ramping up pressure for change in the UK too.

Tax expert Dan Neidle says that Shein is avoiding tax of eight per cent on footwear and 12 per cent on clothing.

This amounts to an average saving of ten per cent — as much as £155million — that the company does not have to pay in tax.

Chinese company Super Smart Service processes Shein’s UK orders, with clothes costing on average £7.90, along with other companies including Amazon and eBay from a warehouse in Cannock, Staffordshire.

Super Smart Service’s turnover has more than doubled from £23.4million in 2020 to £56million in 2023 — and its profits have also doubled from £3.5million to £7.3million over the same period.

By using this third-party logistics partner, Shein can ship directly to customers in the UK.

Multi-billionaire

It also means items are not held as stock in warehouses here, which avoids storage costs — driving down prices even further.

The company, which has switched its headquarters to Singapore to reduce the Chinese government’s influence, is only considering listing in the UK after it was told it was not welcome on the New York stock exchange.

Shein has offices in Westminster, in a building that was once the headquarters of MI6.

There is also an office in ­Manchester — the same city that is home to rivals Boohoo, PrettyLittleThing as well as Missguided, which Shein acquired last year.

Shein was founded in 2012 by Sky Xu, also known as Xu Yangtian, who is already a multi-billionaire at the age of 40.

The mysterious boss, who largely keeps a low profile, reportedly flies so under the radar that employees joke they do not recognise him at the office.

At a time when the Government can’t stop talking about this £22billion hole it needs to plug, why doesn’t Chancellor Rachel Reeves go after some of these big players that are obviously not paying the right amount of tax and duties?

Sun source

He was born in Zibo, a manufacturing city in China’s Shandong province, where his parents were workers in state-owned factories.

He went on to study international trade at Qingdao University of Science and Technology.

One person who worked with him described him as bespectacled, “shy” and a lover of golf.

He shook up the supply process by ditching the traditional method of exporting abroad.

The company, which staged celebrity-packed fundraising virtual festivals during Covid, has tech wizards who use complex algorithms to scour trends from Google, social media and online shoppers to work out what will be a fashion hit.

Clothes are then made in hundreds of factories in Panyu, a district in Guangzhou, southern China, which the retailer dominates so much the hub is called Shein Village.

Around 80 per cent of the 7,000 factories in the town work for Shein. Restaurants now serve dishes from all over China to armies of migrant workers.

The company’s own website claims it has 10,000 employees worldwide and sells to over 150 countries.

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Instead of making large long-term orders with factories, Shein uses “low-batch ordering,” which means it will get a factory to make 100 items and only increase volumes if it sells well.

The Chinese goods are shipped to Guangzhou Airport using low-cost postal service China Post and sent to the Midlands.

Initially, factories did not want to work with the online retailer.

But when a ­product goes viral they can hit the jackpot by churning out hundreds of thousands of the same piece.

One factory manager said: “When Shein first arrived, no one wanted to work with them because the orders were too small. By 2020, everyone was working with Shein because their orders were so big.”

Its own website says “customers will receive orders via our UK Courier partners and not need to deal with any custom affairs”.

When Shein first arrived, no one wanted to work with them because the orders were too small. By 2020, everyone was working with Shein because their orders were so big

Factory manager

As well as the tax loophole, Shein has faced controversies including accusations by Stop Uyghur Genocide, which claims there is forced labour in its supply chain. The charity says Shein should be barred from listing on the London Stock Exchange.

In its 2023 Sustainability and Social Impact Report, Shein admitted two cases of child labour and temporarily suspended orders from the suppliers involved. It did not resume business until the suppliers tackled the issue.

It also admitted its carbon emmisions increased by 81 per cent between 2022 and 2023. Shein insisted it has a “zero tolerance” approach to worker mistreatment.

Liam Byrne, chairman of the Business and Trade committee, said: “We can’t allow British business and consumers to be undercut or cheated in a race to the bottom on standards, especially when there are questions about whether forced labour is being used.

“That’s why I’d like to see our new government make good on the promise made, but never delivered, by Conservatives in the 2022 Queen’s Speech, to strengthen the modern slavery act and toughen up requirements on supply chain reporting.”

Alice Price, of GlobalData, said Shein’s low-cost model and response to demand meant it can steal customers from British firms.

She said: “Shein’s burgeoning influence over the UK market is attributed to its unbeatable prices, and its rapid ability to churn out the latest micro trends on a colossal scale. This has allowed it to become a firm favourite among younger shoppers, and steal share away from other online specialists like ASOS and boohoo.com.”

Shein has previously said it complies fully with all its UK tax liabilities.

The company told the Sun on Sunday: “Shein’s success comes from our ability to produce fashionable products. We keep prices affordable through our on-demand business model and flexible supply chain. This reduces inefficiency, takes out wastage of material, and lowers our unsold inventory.

“We pass this advantage to our customers and this has driven our success around the world, not the exemptions that retailers receive under current tax regimes. We will work with policy makers and industry peers to review frameworks.”

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HOME Bargains shoppers are racing to the store to get their hands on this family-friendly Christmas stocking filler.

For a single coin you could grab this creative collection that will keep the kids entertained for hours.

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The Grinchmas Activity Pack includes a colouring book, activity book, write-your-own-story book, stickers and mini coloured pencils.

This bountiful bundle is on the shelves for only £1.99.

With of the activity booklets stating they contain over 30 pages each, it’s difficult to agree with the infamous antihero about hating Christmas.

The deal has has had savvy shoppers taking to social media to share the bargain with friends and posting it on saver pages.

Amongst the comments, one user tagged her friend in the post and wrote: “If you see these can you grab one?”

It’s no wonder because the exact same activity pack is for sale on eBay for £9.50 – nearly five times the price.

Even at notoriously low-priced discount store The Works, activity packs are still marked around a five to ten pounds.

With the price of Fineliners being sold at a whopping £16.50 at Tesco and coloured Sharpies marked at an eye-watering £20 at Argos, if you want to get creative perhaps Home Bargains is your best bet.

For those keen to get in the Grinchmas spirit, the activity pack isn’t the only deal that will make you green with envy.

If you want to set a Christmas day precedent, you can grab a Grinch themed doormat for £2.49 stating “I’m only here for the presents!”

You can also grab a Grinch Gingerbread Mug Hugger for £1.79 to pep up your Christmas latte.

If you’re a Grinch superfan, on the Home Bargain website there is a total of 47 Grinch-themed items ready to fill the stockings for the entire family.

These range from to The Grinch Snuggle cushion to The Grinch Dog Dental Treats

How to save money at Home Bargains

The key to nabbing the best deals at Home Bargains isn’t where to look but when.

If you manage to hit the right timing you can spot deals for as little at 69p.

Keeping an eye on the Home Bargains website will tell which offers are set to drop – like this year’s Halloween specials.

This type of seasonal stock is often offered at a reasonable price but especially afterwards.

Big price drops will happen after big public holidays like Easter and Christmas, so you can bag a bargain at a fraction of the price at these times.

HOME insurance costs are rocketing.

This is due to soaring inflation, and the costs of repairs after a wave of storms last year.

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Money rights expert Martyn James says: “Premiums have been rocketing and it’s important to have cover in place in case the worst happens, but with a few simple tricks you can lower the cost while still keeping your property and belongings protected.”

Laura Miller explains how savvy tricks can cut the cost of cover . . . 

THE average home insurance quote rose by almost 28 per cent in the year to the end of July.

That is the shock revelation of the latest Consumer Intelligence Home Insurance Price Index.

Combined buildings-and-contents premiums paid by customers have climbed to on average £375 a year, and buildings-only cover to £298 while contents-only cover has stayed at £132, the Association of British Insurers (ABI) reports.

All regions have seen quotes soar, from a 34-per-cent jump in London to 22 per cent in the West Midlands, data analysts Consumer Intelligence say.

Inflation, and 2023 being the busiest year on record for weather-related home insurance claims, are to blame, says ABI.

Storms Babet, Ciaran and Debi in the final three months of last year caused £352million of damage to homes.

Homeowners now looking for buildings and contents insurance on a budget should shop around for the best deal.

But if you still feel priced out, these tips can help cut the cost . . . 

DON’T OVERESTIMATE

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THIS often happens with buildings insurance.

Many homeowners make the mistake of insuring their property for its market value, rather than the rebuild cost, and end up paying over the odds for their premium,” says Anna McEntee, insurance expert at Compare the Market.

The ABI rebuild calculator at abi.bcis.co.uk can help.

Equally, when you take out contents insurance, be as accurate as you can — if you overestimate, you’ll pay too much.

Aviva’s free home contents value calculator, at aviva.co.uk, can help you estimate the cover you’re likely to need, based on what you own.

GET A COMBINED POLICY

“IF you get a combined buildings- and-contents policy, the insurer might give you a discount,” says McEntee.

It’s worth doing research and getting quotes for both individual and combined policies to see how they compare.

DON’T DOUBLE UP ON COVER

 MAYBE your bank account includes mobile phone cover? Perhaps you took out insurance on your tablet or laptop when you bought them, or have a gadget insurance policy?

If you find yourself with separate policies covering the same thing, you could save by cancelling the duplicate cover.

JOIN A NEIGHBOURHOOD WATCH SCHEME

SOME insurance providers offer discounts for members of these schemes.

“This is because you’re taking active steps to reduce the likelihood of needing to make an insurance claim,” says McEntee.

KEEP AN EYE ON TALL TREES

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WHY on earth might this be? Because tall trees around your home increase the risk of its foundations becoming unstable or your roof getting damaged.

It’s a good idea to make sure trees are regularly pruned. You should expect to pay from £100 to £150 for pruning a small tree and something like £500 for a larger one, says trade website My Local Toolbox.

The average premium paid for a home insurance policy where a falling tree was listed as the only previous claim was £357, compared with £183 where there were no previous claims, says price comparison site Go Compare.

CHECK YOUR HOME’S FLOOD RISK

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YOU can find this out from the Environment Agency.

Garin Cole, home product manager at Aviva, says: “If your home is at risk, ask your insurer if they are part of the Flood Re scheme, which was set up to help homeowners in high-risk areas to access flood insurance.”

BOOST YOUR HOME’S SECURITY

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CONSIDER adding high-quality locks to your doors and windows and installing a burglar alarm.

McEntee advises: “If you have approved security and safety systems in place, your insurance provider might consider lowering your premium.”

Among 11 common home security brands reviewed by data analysis site CrimeRate in 2024, the price range runs from £120 for DIY bell-only home alarms up to £1,139 for fully equipped smart security systems with professional installation.

AVOID PAYING IN INSTALMENTS

PAYING your premium up front, in one go, usually cuts the cost of home insurance. If you opt to pay in monthly instalments, you might be charged interest on top.

INCREASE YOUR EXCESS

“IF you’re willing to raise the amount that you contribute towards a claim, the excess, you’ll usually pay a lower premium,” advises McEntee.

BUILD UP A NO-CLAIMS DISCOUNT

IF you don’t claim on your home insurance, you could be rewarded with a discount on your next premium. The longer you go without claiming, the more you can save.

McEntee advises: “You’re likely to be able to carry over the discount if you switch to another insurance provider, so make sure to include this when looking for a quote.”

CONSIDER A MULTI-YEAR FIXED DEAL

WHILE loyalty doesn’t always pay, and it helps to shop around for the best deals each year, if you prefer a bit of stability consider a multi-year fixed-rate deal, suggests Pete Mugleston, mortgage expert at Online Mortgage Advisor.

He says: “This can protect you from price hikes for the duration of your policy.”

DO A COMPARISON

FIFTY one per cent of customers could have achieved a saving of £225 on their buildings and contents insurance through Compare the Market, based on independent research by Consumer Intelligence during June 2024, so it is always well worth checking out what comparison sites offer.

TAXMAN CLOBBERS ELDERLY

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TENS of thousands of OAPs are set to get tax demands this year for the first time since they retired.

A freedom of information request by LCP Partners revealed nearly 700,000 have been asked by HMRC to pay tax on their pensions. This was an increase of over 120,000 people compared with two years earlier.

One reason given for the rise is the year-on-year freeze in the value of tax-free personal allowance, coupled with a steady increase in the value of the state pension.

The personal allowance threshold, which is the salary point at which people start paying tax, has been frozen at £12,570 since April 2021.

Steve Webb, partner at pension consultants LCP and former Pensions Minster, told The Sun the “long-term freeze” of the personal allowance could be financially damaging for pensioners.

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He said: “Although an average bill of £665 may not sound very large, it could be the equivalent of about three weeks’ pension, and a pensioner whose income is only just above the tax threshold may not have such a sum readily available”.

He predicts the number of retirees getting tax demands could rise further over the coming years due to the pensions triple lock – which means the payment rises every April by the highest out of inflation, the average UK wage increase or 2.5 per cent.

Markets still do not know what the pension rise will be but inflation figures released next week should give an indication.

MORTGAGE RATES ARE UP

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BORROWERS could face a surge in mortgage costs as some lenders increase rates and withdraw their cheapest deals.

Coventry Building Society, Co-operative Bank, Molo, and LiveMore have all either raised rates or pulled their best fixed-rate offers from the market.

Prior to these latest changes, Coventry offered a 3.69 per cent five-year fixed-rate mortgage, one of the lowest rates on the market.

Interest rates on home loans had been on a downward trend with many homeowners and buyers expecting further reductions in the coming months.

However, David Hollingworth, Associate Director at L&C Mortgages, warns: “Fixed rate pricing depends on market expectations for interest rates, and current uncertainty over the forthcoming Budget, mixed messages from the Bank of England, and global unrest are pushing costs back up.”

Swap rates, which indicate market expectations for future interest rates, have been rising. These directly impact the cost of fixed-rate mortgages and lenders will look to increase their rates so that they don’t lose out.

The two-year swap rate was 4.06 per cent as of October 7, while the five-year swap rate was 3.81 per cent, according to Chatham Financial. In September, the respective rates were 3.91 per cent and 3.56 per cent.

Swap rates will remain uncertain until the BofE decides whether to cut interest rates from 5 per cent on November 7.

AROUND 760,000 pensioners are at risk of missing out on this loophole that could snag a £150 deduction on their energy bills.

The deadline for the discount is fast approaching to get The Warm Home Discount (WHD) which is a scheme for those receiving specific benefits.

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According to gov.uk, The WHD is currently closed but is set to reopen this month for those who need to apply.

The program offers a one-off payment of £150 to struggling with winter bills – including the thousands on the Guarantee Credit element of Pension Credit.

This will be taken directly off you energy bill and not arrive as lump sum and in most cases you will receive the discount automatically.

Those eligible also include people who receive Universal Credit, income support and Housing Benefit.

There are a few requirements needed to apply for the scheme.

These specifications are from 2023, so if you tick these boxes for 2024 unfortunately cannot apply for the discount this winter.

If these requirements apply to you it means you are in ‘core group 2’ meaning you should be eligible to receive the £150 discount this Christmas.

When will I receive my discount?

If you are eligible, the Warm Home Discount will be applied between October and March.

Traditional prepayment meter customers are sent vouchers by post, email, text or cheque.

Once you’ve got hold of you £150 voucher youve got 90 days to redeem it at your nearest Post Office or PayPoint shop.

It will be deducted from you electricity bill but you are able to get a discount on your gas bill if your supplier provides you with both gas and electricity.

The best way to check ask about whether you can get a discount on your gas bill is by contacting your energy supplier.

What is pension credit?

Pension credit is a system created to assist with those over the state pension age, 66, with low earnings.

The benefit adds a certain amount of money each week to help pensioners who are in need of financial help.

If you are an individual receiving pension credit, the Guarantee Credit will increase your weekly income to £218.15.

If you have a partner, the benefit will be joint and it will bump up your weekly income to £332.95.

There is an additional pension credit benefit called savings credit, which, if you have savings or your income is above the basic full state pension amount.

The WHD doesn’t just apply to those on pension credit but to those receiving a range of means-tested-benefit.

To see if you are currently claiming means-tested benefits, check if your benefit is on the list below.

AS the temperature cools down the deals heat up with Aldi’s cosy winter gadgets set to hit the shelves in days.

The Ambiano Heated Throw is heading to be one of the famed Aldi specialbuys on Thursday 17 October for just £29.99.

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With heating costs being a hot topic of conversation this year, these blankets could be a solution to keeping those bills down.

Many homes are set to be subjected a detrimental change in their energy bill as the cold snap approaches, with some set to rise by £149 each year.

Preparing yourself for the chill can be one way to save money this season.

Running at a remarkable cost of 4p an hour, this electric blanket may be the key to keeping cool about energy bills this Christmas.

The electric blanket comes in snowy white, cool grey, and toasty charcoal and is even machine washable.

Despite being 160 watts and providing 230 volts of warmth, the cosy throw has a detachable lead that allows it to be popped in the wash with your other winter warmers.

The nine adjustable temperature levels allow you to tailor your blanket to your taste – providing the perfect measure of comfort for you.

To warm up your bed before getting cosy for the frosty nights to come, Aldi recommends using a higher setting to preheat your bed.

This can create the ultimate comfort for when you’re ready to drift off.

When using it as a throw blanket its recommended to use it at a lower heat.

How does it compare

A quick Google brings up a range of heated blankets that can go from £84.99 at Lakeland to £150 at The White Company.

Not all heated throws will break the bank though with Asda offering an electric teddy fleece for £30.00.

Argos is also selling a heated blanket in the £35 range.

If you’re looking to cut costs as much as possible, Amazon offers a variety of heated blankets with one going at a spectacular £18.99.

However this doesn’t come with Ambiano Heated Throw’s nine settings.

How much does it cost to run a heated throw?

Aldi claims it costs an extraordinary 4p an hour to run the Ambiano Heated Throw.

If you want get your bed toasty for a couple hours a night, this would tot up to 56p a week.

For a whole year of using the blankets for two hours you would be spending under £30 in total.

How to save money at Aldi

Aldi doesn’t have a membership program or a point system which offer deals on specific items.

However they offer the Aldi specialbuys in which there are a range of new deals that drop each week, with the winter gadget speical buys coming in on 17 October.

These deals are specific to Aldi can can be found on their website and in-store as well.

On Sunday 13 October there are a collection of laundry and cleaning deals set to hit the shelves.