About the Guide
Income Tax
Capital Gains Tax
Corporation Tax
Main Capital Allowances
Value Added Tax
Inheritance Tax
Vehicle Benefits
Mileage Allowance
National Insurance Contributions
Key Dates & Deadlines
Pension Premiums
Profit Related Pay
Charitable Giving
Savings & Investments
Some Useful Rates
Stamp Duties
Income Tax

Tax rates Note 2003/04 2002/03
Starting rate band to £1,960 £1,920
Tax rate 10% 10%
Basic rate band - next £28,540 £27,980
Normal rate 22% 22%
Savings income rate 20% 20%
UK dividend income rate 10% 10%
Higher rate - taxable income over £30,500 £29,900
Normal rate 40% 40%
UK dividend income rate 32.5% 32.5%
Allowances that reduce taxable income    
Personal allowance under 65 1 £4,615 £4,615
  65 to 74 1,3 £6,610 £6,100
  75 and over 1,3 £6,720 £6,370
  Blind person's allowance   £1,510 £1,480
Allowances that reduce tax    
Married couple's allowance      
  Tax reduction 69 to 74 1,2,3 £556.50 £546.50
  75 and over 1,2,3 £563.50 £553.50
Venture Capital Trusts max. 4 £100,000 £100,000
Enterprise Investment Scheme max. 4 £150,000 £150,000
Golden Handshake max.   £30,000 £30,000
Rent a Room - exempt on gross annual rent up to   £4,250 £4,250

Notes

  1. Ages are as the end of the tax year. Ages for the married couples allowance relate to the elder of husband or wife.


  2. The married couple's allowance is available only to those couples where at least one spouse was born before 6 April 1935.


  3. The higher rates of personal allowances are reduced by £1 for each £2 of excess income over £18,300 (2002/03 £17,900) until the basic allowance is reached. Similar limits apply to the married couple's allowance: the loss of tax reduction is 10p for each £2 of excess income (only the husband's income is taken into account) until the minimum of £215 (2002/03 £211) is reached.


  4. Subscription for new ordinary shares - 20% income tax relief. Also such investments by subscription are eligible for deferral of capital gains tax on gains re-invested (up to £100,000 of gains for VCTs, unlimited for EIS).


About the Guide | Income Tax | Capital Gains Tax | Corporation Tax | Main Capital Allowances
Value Added Tax | Inheritance Tax | Vehicle Benefits | Mileage Allowance | National Insurance Contributions
Key Dates & Deadlines | Pension Premiums | Profit related Pay | Charitable Giving | Savings & Investments
Some useful rates | Stamp Duties