There has been further discussion on this here.
In summary, opinion is divided and you should probably discuss with your accountant. It is possible that bonuses could be structured to create several thousand pounds profit (this may increase in 2014/15 depending on how Employers NI rebate works).
However, everyone agrees that paying a high bonus in the relevant period to increase SMP is likely to raise eyebrows at HMRC. The risk of investigation and whether raised eyebrows will translate into a financial penalty or imprisonment is unknown...
In summary, opinion is divided and you should probably discuss with your accountant. It is possible that bonuses could be structured to create several thousand pounds profit (this may increase in 2014/15 depending on how Employers NI rebate works).
However, everyone agrees that paying a high bonus in the relevant period to increase SMP is likely to raise eyebrows at HMRC. The risk of investigation and whether raised eyebrows will translate into a financial penalty or imprisonment is unknown...
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