With all eyes on Chancellor Alastair Darling and this week's highly anticipated Budget Report at 12.30pm on 24 March, Tony Cohen, head of the entrepreneurial business team at Deloitte, considers what tax measures the entrepreneurial community might expect.

Continued support for Business Payment support Scheme

"2009 saw the Chancellor extend the Business Payment Support Scheme, or 'Time to Pay' for as 'long as needed' in his Pre-Budget Report (PBR). Time to pay refers to the HMRC's Business Payment Support Service, which aims to help businesses facing temporary financial difficulties to spread tax payments over an agreed timetable.

"In what has been welcome development in supporting companies with financial problems, with over £5.1 billion advanced to more than 160,000 taxpayers, it is possible that we'll see this initiative further extended."

Small companies rate of corporation tax

"The rate of corporation tax for small companies, which currently stands at 21%, was previously expected to increase to 22% in 2011. However, this was deferred in the Chancellor's 2009 PBR as a means to support growth and investment for small businesses early in the UK's economic recovery. Despite the positive economic growth that we have witnessed since the PBR, uncertainties persist about the magnitude of the recovery. Therefore, given that the UK is still considered to be in the early stages of growth, it is unlikely that the Chancellor will announce a tax to hit small businesses, which are considered by many to be the 'lifeblood of the UK economy'."

Capital Gains Tax (CGT)

"There is not expected to be a change in CGT in the Budget, however, there will be a greater focus on income to capital schemes. This comes in light of the Tax Disclosure regime, which could have a new 'income to capital' hallmark to ensure that HMRC can learn about planning at an early stage."