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Tips and Troncs blog - SMP and tips

Do tips and gratuities count towards the calculation of Statutory Maternity Pay (SMP)?

A question has come my way regarding the calculation of Maternity Pay, which has had my head stuck in the Social Security Contribution legislation book for a little while. So how do we arrive at the answer? First, we need...

Tips and Troncs blog - Employment Rights Bill and troncs

Employment Rights Bill – tightening of tipping rules from October 2026

The new Employment Rights Bill is set to strengthen the tipping legislation that came into force in October 2024 and is part of the Labour government’s Plan to Make Work Pay pledge. In this pledge, they promised to ‘strengthen the...

Tips and Troncs blog - hospitality trust issue (1)

How one awkward question exposed hospitality’s biggest trust issue

I had an excellent dining experience recently at a well-known central London restaurant. First-class service. Great food. But then the bill arrived, and that’s when things got murky. A service charge had been added, but there was no mention that...

Tips and Troncs blog - tips and student loans

Do student loan deductions apply to tips?

Many students have jobs in the hospitality sector or other sectors that receive tips. Once they graduate and need to start repaying their student loans, it raises the question of whether student loan deductions apply to these additional earnings. The...

10 months on from the new Tips legislation

Where does your business stand with the (not so new) tipping legislation?

Wow, it’s hard to believe that it has been 10 months since the watershed moment for UK hospitality, and the Allocation of Tips legislation became law. After years of ‘best practice’ advice and tronc tax arrangements that sought to bring...

Tips and Troncs blog - what does legislation mean for tronc schemes (1)

The Employment (Allocation of Tips) Act – what does it mean for tronc schemes?

The Employment (Allocation of Tips) Act 2023 has introduced significant changes to how tips, gratuities, and service charges are handled in the UK hospitality industry. Although the legislation does not stipulate the need for a tronc scheme, the requirements of...

Tips and Troncs blog - no need for second PAYE (1)

Why a separate PAYE scheme is unnecessary for tronc arrangements

Many hospitality businesses operating tronc schemes in the UK believe they need to establish a second PAYE scheme specifically for tronc payments. This is a common misconception that leads to unnecessary administrative burden and complexity. The belief stems from misunderstandings...

Tips and Troncs blog - problems with pooled tips (1)

Problems with tip pooling systems in restaurants

When you leave a tip at a restaurant or hotel, do you know where that money actually goes? Many places use a tronc scheme or “tip pooling” to share tips among all staff. While sharing sounds fair, these systems often...

Tips and Troncs blog - No NIC on tronc schemes

How not to run a tronc scheme

Running a tronc scheme (a system for pooling and distributing tips among staff) seems straightforward, but mismanaging it can lead to legal issues, employee dissatisfaction, reputational damage and unwanted attention from HMRC. Here’s a comprehensive guide on pitfalls to avoid....

tronc schemes blog header - Tips and Troncs

Why National Insurance Contributions should not be due on tronc schemes

In the hospitality industry, understanding the nuances of tronc schemes and their tax implications can save businesses and employees significant amounts of money. One of the most important aspects to understand is that National Insurance Contributions (NICs) are not due...

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