On the fourth day of Christmas….

- After a morning’s shopping, no doubt you’ll be feeling peckish. Tuck into a homemade VAT-free packed lunch instead of heading for the nearest department store restaurant.

- Businesses need to factor in the VAT rise to cashflow forecasting. Depending on your market, there is likely to be a rush of sales before the rise and a slump afterwards with the usual post-Christmas credit card hangover.

- As a charity, you should limit the number of fund raising events you hold to a maximum of 15 in a particular location in any given year.