Payroll Timelines 

In view of the continuing uncertainty around Brexit timelines, Institutions are encouraged to ensure that all payroll processing, including new appointments and changes to contracts, is completed in a timely way and forwarded to the Payroll and HR Contracts teams as soon as practicable. Institutions should forward their information in the same format as usual. For further advice and support on this matter, please contact Payroll or HR accordingly.

Issued by Alexsis Dicken – Payroll

Top

Supplier Database: Updating Employee Address

brexit_banner.jpg

Brexit Preparation : Supply Chain Contingency Plans

In continuing to prepare for a No-Deal scenario post October 31st 2019, we wanted to advise that the information we circulated January 2019 is still relevant at this point to the best of our knowledge. 

The University Procurement team contacted almost 500 suppliers (made up of those with whom the University spends over £100k per year as well as those who supply to every school and institution, irrespective of spend) to request information on supply chain contingency plans following the UK’s exit from the EU – those falling within these categories have been refreshed since January 2019 but no change was noted. 

Questions asked covered four areas and required mitigating action if answers received were deemed high risk:

1. Is the supplier likely to have labour shortages in the event a No-Deal Brexit restricts labour movements

2. Is the supplier likely to be impacted by the need to comply with alternate standards and specifications in the event EU membership no longer affords protection

3. Does the supplier envisage prices are likely to increase in the event of a No-Deal Brexit

4. Does the supplier envisage delays to deliveries due to possible congestion across the transport infrastructure

However, recognising that this is only a small percentage of the University’s 11,000+ suppliers, it was and continues to be important for departments to consider potential supply issues beyond the exit date by engaging directly with their departmental suppliers.

In order to assist departments with this task, School Finance Managers were provided with file for each of their departments containing the names of those suppliers who had been engaged centrally as well as those which would need to be addressed as part of each local departmental action plan.  Recognising new supplier requests are received on a daily basis, these files and any accompanying guidance notes issued with remain the best source of identifying where endeavours are best placed at present.

Issued by: Helen Wain - Head of Group Procurement

Top

Brexit : Updated Purchasing Guidelines if there is a No-Deal Brexit

Further to our previous guidelines these have now been updated with the following items. A summary of the change is given below but please click on each items’ heading for more detail and links to additional information.

The amount of duty payable on imported goods

In addition to potentially now paying duty on goods imported from the EU, the rates of duty due on goods imported from outside the UK may also change as we would be trading under the World Trade Organization (WTO) rules. Guidelines regarding the temporary rates of import duty have now been replaced by lists of non-preferential tariff rates and quotas. The rate of duty (‘tariff’) will still be zero for most items unless the type of goods are one of those specifically listed by the government. These non-preferential rates apply to various items typically within the food, fisheries and farming, automotive, textile and clothing sectors. 

Purchasing services from overseas

Whereas previously we thought that there would be no changes to the purchase of services from overseas suppliers so departments should continue to use the tax code Services Tax, it is now recognised that the exceptions to this is where the service is used and enjoyed within a particular member state e.g. equipment and car hire. In these cases that country is likely to charge VAT.

For more information please refer to the University’s main Brexit webpages.

Issued by : Karen Sheldon - Finance Training

Top

Brexit : Updated Accounts Receivable Guidelines if there is a No-Deal Brexit

Further to our previous guidelines these have now been updated with the following items. A summary of the change is given below but please click on each items’ heading for more detail and links to additional information.

Border procedures for goods exported from the UK

You will now need to make an export declaration to HMRC for any goods exported to the EU from the UK. You may need an export agent to deal with this additional administration. Whoever is importing the goods into the EU (normally the customer or their agent) will need to comply with the EU member state customs and controls. The goods may also be subject to import duties.

Terms & Conditions of Sales

Revised University Standard Terms & Conditions of Sale (issued 10th October 2019) state that the customer is responsible for any duties. Previously, the price charged to the customer should be the “quoted price… inclusive of any duties but exclusive of value added or any other taxes except where stated otherwise”.  Therefore, please check the T&Cs in force at the time the supply was made and if necessary the rate of duty applicable for your goods.

Import duties on goods exported

If there is no trade agreement between the UK and another country after Brexit, you will have to trade with entities in that country under World Trade Organization (WTO) rules. This means different tariffs will now be payable on any goods from the UK. The tariffs on your goods will vary by country. If you are exporting a product to a country that the UK has no trade agreement with, the importer will pay the tariff rate applied in that country to its imports.

Provision of digital services

If you are providing digital services to customers outside the UK please contact the University’s Tax Team.

Provision of services to the EU, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway or Switzerland.

VAT aside there may also be other regulations that you would need to comply with if you are providing services to customers in the countries above or planning to travel there on business.

For more information please refer to the University’s main Brexit webpages.

Issued by : Karen Sheldon - Finance Training

Top