Tax Allowances on the Farm
Certain plant and machinery can qualify for what’s known as Annual Investment Allowance (AIA), which allows businesses to claim for the cost of the new asset (up the specified threshold) in the year of purchase.
The current Annual Investment Allowance is £200,000 (in the year to 31 December 2015 the limit was £500,000) and it’s expected to stay at that level under the current Government. Plant and machinery that doesn’t qualify for AIAs can have writing down tax allowances of 18% or 8% (current year rates).
HMRC have accepted that silage clamps and slurry pits qualify as plant and machinery, which is of particular importance to farmers due to the Nitrate Vulnerable Zone Legislation.
There are many intricacies within this area of tax so it’s good practice to check with your tax adviser whether new assets or work qualify as plant and machinery in order to maximise AIAs.
Please note: This article is a commentary on general principles and should not be interpreted as advice for your specific situation.
