Tax Matters in the classroom
Access Tax Matters by clicking the banner below:
Using the Tax Matters modules couldn’t be easier. They are free of charge and web based, and you don’t have to register to use them.
The Teachers' Area, accessed from the top right hand corner in the Tax Matters modules, houses a series of lesson plans to support teachers using the resources with their students. Two plans are provided for each module - one for 11-14 year-olds and one for 14-16 year-olds. Included within each plan are a set of activities ready for immediate use by teachers in the classroom. These lesson plans can also be used with NEET (not in education or training) young adults in a more informal setting.
The plans focus on how to use the videos, games, facts and quizzes to help make teaching financial capability and citizenship issues relevant and engaging. They also provide a detailed breakdown of the curriculum objectives addressed in each module. All of the national curricula for England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland are covered.
The lesson plans are as follows:
Citizenship:
- KS3 - What do we get for our taxes? (opens new window)
- KS4 - The tax responsibilities of a good citizen (opens new window)
Income Tax:
National Insurance:
- KS3 - What do National Insurance contributions mean to me? (opens new window)
- KS4 - Preparing to pay National Insurance contributions (opens new window)
Key learning outcomes from Tax Matters
Videos
- Citizenship 1 - Most countries raise money for services through taxes but how they raise it and how they spend it differs,
- Citizenship 2 - You may think that these services are free but we all pay taxes to fund them.
- National Insurance 1 - Your National Insurance number is very important, make sure you keep a record of it
- National Insurance 2 - National Insurance is important because it entitles you to certain benefits.
- Paying Tax 1 - Everybody has to pay tax and you need to look at the tax you pay to ensure that it is correct.
- Paying Tax 2 - If you work for yourself the tax rules are different than if you work for an employer.
Games
- Citizenship 1 - Taxes are raised in various ways and spent on various things.
- Citizenship 2 -It’s your responsibility to pay taxes so that you and your family will all benefit.
- National Insurance 1 - National Insurance is not another form of tax it entitles you to specific benefits. What you get will depend on what you put in.
- National Insurance 2 - Your National Insurance number is very important, be careful who you give it to.
- Paying Tax 1 - Some of the things you spend money on can be claimed against tax and some cannot, and there are different rules depending on whether you are employed or self-employed.
- Paying Tax 2 - There are restrictions on what you can bring into this country.
Fact files
- Citizenship
- We all contribute to society via taxes and we all benefit too
- Taxes are a way of getting money to people who really need it for the good of society as a whole
- Different countries make different decisions about raising and spending taxes
- National Insurance
- Who pays National insurance, how and why?
- How to get a National Insurance number
- Paying Tax
- What is the difference between being employed and self-employed and why does it matter?
- What is and is not allowable for tax (self-employed and employed)
- What Capital Allowances are and when you can get them
- What records do I need to keep and how long should I keep them?
- What happens if I don’t get my tax return in on time?
- Tax on part-time and temporary work
- Working for more than one employer
- What to do about tax when you start work
- How to understand your tax code.
Other areas
- Fun Facts – made up of lesser known and quirky tax facts
- Fact File for Citizenship based upon the globe. Click on a country and tax facts will pop up
