Setting up a salary sacrifice arrangement

A salary sacrifice arrangement is an agreement to reduce an employee’s entitlement to cash pay, usually in return for a non-cash benefit. The tax and NIC advantages of certain benefits provided as part of a salary sacrifice arrangement were removed

A salary sacrifice arrangement is an agreement to reduce an employee’s entitlement to cash pay, usually in return for a non-cash benefit. The tax and NIC advantages of certain benefits provided as part of a salary sacrifice arrangement were removed from 6 April 2017. The change removed the Income Tax and employer NIC advantages of certain benefits provided as part of salary sacrifice arrangements such as mobile phones and workplace parking. There was a transitional plan in place for certain benefits that ended on 6 April 2021.

An employer can set up a salary sacrifice arrangement by changing the terms of an employee’s employment contract. The employee needs to agree to this change. The employee’s contract must be clear on what their cash and non-cash entitlements are at any given time.

A salary sacrifice arrangement cannot reduce an employee’s cash earnings below the National Minimum Wage rates. Employers must put procedures in place to cap salary sacrifice deduction and ensure NMW rates are maintained.

It may also be necessary to change the terms of a salary sacrifice arrangement where a lifestyle change significantly alters an employee’s financial circumstances. This may include marriage, divorce and a partner becoming redundant or pregnant. Salary sacrifice arrangements can allow opting in or out in the event of lifestyle changes like these.

Source: HM Revenue & Customs Tue, 31 Jan 2023 00:00:00 +0100

Latest INSIGHTS

Check out our latest Insights for useful accounting tips and information.

Private rental deposits

There are special rules under the Tenancy Deposit Scheme that limits the amount of deposit that landlords in England can request. There are also further limitations on what landlords and agents can charge tenants.

If you are renting a residential

Read More

How to check a UK VAT number

The online service for checking a UK VAT number is available at: www.gov.uk/check-uk-vat-number.

This service can be used to check:

if a UK VAT registration number is valid; and
the name and address of the business the number is registered

Read More

Check employment status for tax

The Check Employment Status for Tax (CEST) tool can be used to help ascertain if a worker should be classified as employed or self-employed for tax purposes in both the private and public sectors.

The service provides HMRC’s view as to whether IR35

Read More