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Corporation tax

Finally corporation tax, (paid by companies on their UK earnings), at 28 per cent now, it will fall by 1 percentage point each year until it reaches 24 per cent in 2014 (20 per cent for small companies). Hopefully less UK companies will relocate due to this perhaps excessive UK tax burden. The last 10 years have seen small companies tax's increase steadily, with a greater share of their profits earned from UK activities.

In 1995, the UK had one of the lowest rates in the EU at 33 per cent); now it is at the higher end in the EU and the OECD. Though perhaps it is not all good news, as capital allowances have been reduced too, which will raise the cost of capital for new investment, and is likely to affect the manufacturing industry's investment decisions.
I really can't praise our manufacturing industry enough in this recession and hope things can improve for them.

Remember as 2008 has shown, shares and other financial assets can go up and down at frightening speed. Don't buy any, unless you know what you are doing and can afford to lose the money.

Marabese