Understanding your tax code, protecting your business against cyber threats, using facial recognition technology as a small business, plus entering a user focused design competition via Net Zero Living.
Welcome to today’s blog post which discusses the latest business news for our clients. Please contact us if you want to talk about how these updates affect your business. We are here to support you!
Check what your tax code means
HMRC have released a new online tool to help taxpayers understand what their tax code means.
Tax codes are used by HMRC to tell an employer how much income tax to withhold through the “Pay as you earn” (PAYE) system. A person’s tax code can change from time to time, based on their personal circumstances. If it does, HMRC will inform the taxpayers of their new tax code by post or through their personal tax account.
You can use this tool to find out what the numbers and letters in your tax code mean and how much tax you will pay. To check what your tax code means, you will need your:
- tax code;
- annual income, before any deductions;
- company benefits details; and
- State Pension amount.
See: Check what your tax code means – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
If you need to change your tax code, you can use another HMRC online tool entitled “Check your Income Tax for the current year”. The service covers the current tax year (6 April 2023 to 5 April 2024). You can use this service to:
- check your tax code and Personal Allowance;
- see your estimated income from any jobs and pensions and the tax you can expect to pay for the current tax year;
- update details of your income from jobs and pensions – you may pay too much or too little tax if they’re not up to date;
- see if your tax code has changed;
- tell HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) about changes that affect your tax code; and
- update your employer or pension provider details.
To check your Income Tax, you’ll need to sign into your personal tax account using your Government Gateway user ID and password.
If you do not have a personal tax account
You need a Government Gateway user ID and password to set up a personal tax account. If you do not already have a user ID, you can create one when you sign in for the first time.
You’ll need your National Insurance number or postcode and 2 of the following:
- a valid UK passport;
- a UK photocard driving licence issued by the DVLA (or DVA in Northern Ireland);
- a payslip from the last 3 months or a P60 from your employer for the last tax year;
- details of a tax credit claim if you made one;
- details from a Self-Assessment tax return (in the last 2 years) if you made one; and
- information held on your credit record if you have one (such as loans, credit cards or mortgages).
If you need help with tax planning for yourself or your business, take a look at our website to find out more about our tax planning services available to clients.
See: Check your Income Tax for the current year – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
NCSC guidance on long-term cyber resilience
The National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) states that UK organisations should prepare for an extended period of heightened cyber security threat. It has guidance for organisations on the steps to take to improve security.
The guidance is designed to be applicable to any period of sustained heightened cyber threat, including the one arising from Russia in light of events in and around Ukraine.

The NCSC says that the cyber threat to the UK remains heightened and they expect it to stay that way for some time.
The NCSC guidance aims to help organisations avoid complacency and staff burnout. It advises that increased workloads for cyber security staff over an extended period can harm wellbeing and lead to lower productivity, with a potential rise in unsafe behaviours or errors.
The recommended actions in the guidance include:
- following the NCSC’s actions to take when the cyber threat is heightened guidance;
- revisiting risk-based decisions taken during the initial phase of heightened threat;
- empowering cyber staff to make day-to-day decisions about the threat response without requiring additional oversight;
- ensuring workloads are spread evenly across individuals and teams;
- ensuring frontline cyber staff can take breaks to recharge; and
- accelerating planned action to harden networks and boost defence capabilities.
See: Maintaining a sustainable strengthened cyber security posture – NCSC.GOV.UK
Guidance for small businesses on using facial recognition technology
Facial recognition technology (FRT) identifies or otherwise recognises a person from a digital facial image. Businesses can use FRT in a variety of contexts – for example, in allowing access to devices, taking payments, or allowing entry to secure areas.
Depending on the use, FRT involves processing personal data, biometric data and special category personal data. Such technologies can intrude on people’s privacy, so businesses need to think carefully when deciding if they should implement them.
If you are a small business looking to begin using facial recognition technology, read the ICO’s latest FAQ about using FRT for payment, entry, or other security systems.
The information highlights key issues to be aware of, such as:
- what you need to consider before using this technology;
- when you must complete a data protection impact assessment;
- how to identify and satisfy a special category condition; and
- what to include in your privacy notice if you use FRT.
See: Additional considerations for technologies other than CCTV | ICO
Net Zero Living: User focused design competition
Innovate UK, part of UK Research and Innovation, will work with micro, small or medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to invest up to £3.8 million in innovation projects. These will be to support the net zero agenda.

The Design Council will support the implementation of this competition by providing bespoke support to your project.
The aim of this competition is to support ambitious, early-stage growth businesses in developing your net zero products or services to meet demand.
This support will include budget to hire the expertise of living laboratories to test your products or services with end users, so they better meet the requirement of the target market.
Your project must focus on the development of your product or service and demonstrating it in a relevant market. The user focus can be achieved by testing the product or service in a living laboratory and demonstrating results that will both support the net zero agenda and answer a market need. Your total grant funding request must be between £50,000 and £100,000.
The closing date for applications is Wednesday 4 October 2023.