Saturday 29 December 2018

Arise Sir Jon Thompson

Thompson had been made a Knight Commander Of The Order Of The Bath.

Tax does have to be taxing.

Professional Cover Against the Threat of Costly TAX and VAT Investigations

Insurance to protect you against the cost of enquiry or dispute with HMRC is available from several sources including Solar Tax Investigation Insurance.

Ken Frost has negotiated a 10% discount on any polices that may suit your needs.

However, neither Ken Frost nor HMRCISSHITE either endorses or recommends their services.

What is Solar Tax Investigation Insurance?

Solar Tax Investigation Insurance is a tax-fee protection service that will pay up to £75,000 towards your accountant's fees in the event of an HM Revenue & Customs full enquiry or dispute.

To find out more, please use this link Solar Tax Investigation Insurance



HMRC Is Shite (www.hmrcisshite.com), also available via the domain www.hmrconline.com, is brought to you by www.kenfrost.com "The Living Brand"

Saturday 22 December 2018

HMRC People Survey Results 2018

Civil Service 2018 scores vs HMRC Satisfaction ratings:

Engagement : CS 62% v HMRC 49% (-13%)
My Work: CS 76% v HMRC 67% (-9%)
Organisation Objectives : CS 83% v HMRC 80% (-3%)
My manager : CS 70% v HMRC 69% (-1%)
My Team : CS 81% v HMRC 82% (+1%)
Learning & Development : CS 54% v HMRC 54% (-)
Inclusion and fair treatment : CS 78% v HMRC 73% (-5%)
Resources and Workload : CS 73% v HMRC 68% (-5%)
Pay & Benefits: CS 31% v HMRC 22% (-9%)
Leadership/Managing Change : CS 47% v 38% (-9%)

Not exactly a stellar performance!

Tax does have to be taxing.

Professional Cover Against the Threat of Costly TAX and VAT Investigations

Insurance to protect you against the cost of enquiry or dispute with HMRC is available from several sources including Solar Tax Investigation Insurance.

Ken Frost has negotiated a 10% discount on any polices that may suit your needs.

However, neither Ken Frost nor HMRCISSHITE either endorses or recommends their services.

What is Solar Tax Investigation Insurance?

Solar Tax Investigation Insurance is a tax-fee protection service that will pay up to £75,000 towards your accountant's fees in the event of an HM Revenue & Customs full enquiry or dispute.

To find out more, please use this link Solar Tax Investigation Insurance



HMRC Is Shite (www.hmrcisshite.com), also available via the domain www.hmrconline.com, is brought to you by www.kenfrost.com "The Living Brand"

Friday 21 December 2018

HMRC Report on the Bullying, Harassment and Discrimination Interviews – Report issued January 2016



Large Business 2014 People Survey: 

Report on the Bullying, Harassment and Discrimination interviews – Report issued January 2016 

Large Business 2014 People Survey Bullying, Harassment and Discrimination 

Interviews Large Business Leadership Team Message 

This report is a response to the concerns the Large Business leadership team had about the bullying, harassment and discrimination results in the 2014 People Survey.

We wanted to get a better understanding of what lay behind those responses and more importantly what action we need to take to improve things. We therefore commissioned an independent team to gather your views in a confidential environment and provide an anonymised report to allow us to take this issue forward.

We are very grateful to everyone who took the time to take part.

This report does not make comfortable reading and we were both shocked and upset by the findings .

However we are determined to take action and have already taken some of the steps needed to address the issues raised.

Please do discuss this report in your teams and share your thoughts on how we can make improvements for everyone in Large Business .

Kind regards,

Judith Knott and LBLT


Our anonymised report details the feedback f rom LB staff who took part in that interview process . The headline results from the People Survey 2014 figures for LB are:

Number of people who completed the survey - 1403 (response rate of 63%)

- Staff who had experienced bullying and harassment – 11 %
- Staff who preferred not to say – 9 %
- Staff who had experienced discrimination at work – 15 %
- Staff who preferred not to say – 10 %

At the time of writing this report we feel it is important to note the results of 2015 People Survey as they reaffirm the need for action on these issues .

Number of people who completed the survey - 1715 (response rate of 70 %)

- Staff who had experienced bullying and harassment – 14 %
- Staff who preferred not to say – 7 %
- Staff who had experienced discrimination at work – 18 %
- Staff who preferred not to say – 10 %

Read full report here.

Tax does have to be taxing.

Professional Cover Against the Threat of Costly TAX and VAT Investigations

Insurance to protect you against the cost of enquiry or dispute with HMRC is available from several sources including Solar Tax Investigation Insurance.

Ken Frost has negotiated a 10% discount on any polices that may suit your needs.

However, neither Ken Frost nor HMRCISSHITE either endorses or recommends their services.

What is Solar Tax Investigation Insurance?

Solar Tax Investigation Insurance is a tax-fee protection service that will pay up to £75,000 towards your accountant's fees in the event of an HM Revenue & Customs full enquiry or dispute.

To find out more, please use this link Solar Tax Investigation Insurance



HMRC Is Shite (www.hmrcisshite.com), also available via the domain www.hmrconline.com, is brought to you by www.kenfrost.com "The Living Brand"

Thursday 20 December 2018

HMRC's Brexit Bonus


CSW reports that the five biggest Brexit preparation allocations have been made to the Home Office (£480m), Defra (£410m), HMRC (£375m), BEIS (£190m) and the Department for International Trade (£128m).

HMRC is expected to use the cash to will employ over 3,000 additional customer service and compliance staff in operational roles to handle increases in customs activity, as well as introducing new technology at the border. 

Tax does have to be taxing.

Professional Cover Against the Threat of Costly TAX and VAT Investigations

Insurance to protect you against the cost of enquiry or dispute with HMRC is available from several sources including Solar Tax Investigation Insurance.

Ken Frost has negotiated a 10% discount on any polices that may suit your needs.

However, neither Ken Frost nor HMRCISSHITE either endorses or recommends their services.

What is Solar Tax Investigation Insurance?

Solar Tax Investigation Insurance is a tax-fee protection service that will pay up to £75,000 towards your accountant's fees in the event of an HM Revenue & Customs full enquiry or dispute.

To find out more, please use this link Solar Tax Investigation Insurance



HMRC Is Shite (www.hmrcisshite.com), also available via the domain www.hmrconline.com, is brought to you by www.kenfrost.com "The Living Brand"

Wednesday 19 December 2018

Free Webinar on MTD - By Happenstance It Is 100 Days Until Brexit and MTD!


Accountants & Bookkeepers: It’s officially 100 days until the Making Tax Digital for VAT deadline.
To get your firm ready for MTD in no time, QuickBooks has partnered with HMRC to host a FREE 60-minute webinar tomorrow @ 11am GMT.
Join HMRC’s Verna Gellvear from the Customer Readiness Team and QuickBooks’ Making Tax Digital Lead, Alex Davis, as they discuss:
  • Recent MTD for VAT updates
  • Key learnings from the MTD for VAT pilot
  • Important insights around when small businesses will take action
This interactive 60-minute session will include a live Q&A session to answer all of your MTD questions.
    REGISTER NOW    
Tax does have to be taxing.

Professional Cover Against the Threat of Costly TAX and VAT Investigations

Insurance to protect you against the cost of enquiry or dispute with HMRC is available from several sources including Solar Tax Investigation Insurance.

Ken Frost has negotiated a 10% discount on any polices that may suit your needs.

However, neither Ken Frost nor HMRCISSHITE either endorses or recommends their services.

What is Solar Tax Investigation Insurance?

Solar Tax Investigation Insurance is a tax-fee protection service that will pay up to £75,000 towards your accountant's fees in the event of an HM Revenue & Customs full enquiry or dispute.

To find out more, please use this link Solar Tax Investigation Insurance



HMRC Is Shite (www.hmrcisshite.com), also available via the domain www.hmrconline.com, is brought to you by www.kenfrost.com "The Living Brand"

Monday 17 December 2018

HMRC Is Defective



Tax does have to be taxing.

Professional Cover Against the Threat of Costly TAX and VAT Investigations

Insurance to protect you against the cost of enquiry or dispute with HMRC is available from several sources including Solar Tax Investigation Insurance.

Ken Frost has negotiated a 10% discount on any polices that may suit your needs.

However, neither Ken Frost nor HMRCISSHITE either endorses or recommends their services.

What is Solar Tax Investigation Insurance?

Solar Tax Investigation Insurance is a tax-fee protection service that will pay up to £75,000 towards your accountant's fees in the event of an HM Revenue & Customs full enquiry or dispute.

To find out more, please use this link Solar Tax Investigation Insurance



HMRC Is Shite (www.hmrcisshite.com), also available via the domain www.hmrconline.com, is brought to you by www.kenfrost.com "The Living Brand"

Friday 14 December 2018

HMRC Told Not To Discuss Post Brexit Customs



Hans Maessen, a Dutch customs expert, recently told a Parliamentary committee that HMRC have been refusing to engage in any discussions on customs, going as far as to claim that HMRC were “not allowed” to do so due to a “political instruction” following the Chequers agreement to pursue the ‘Facilitated Customs Arrangement’ instead.

Money was put aside for the UK to make preparations for leaving the Customs Union by the Chancellor over a year ago, yet Guido understands that senior figures in the Treasury and the Cabinet Office are still putting the brakes on it being spent.

Sometimes it is not always HMRC's fault that things are shite!

Tax does have to be taxing.

Professional Cover Against the Threat of Costly TAX and VAT Investigations

Insurance to protect you against the cost of enquiry or dispute with HMRC is available from several sources including Solar Tax Investigation Insurance.

Ken Frost has negotiated a 10% discount on any polices that may suit your needs.

However, neither Ken Frost nor HMRCISSHITE either endorses or recommends their services.

What is Solar Tax Investigation Insurance?

Solar Tax Investigation Insurance is a tax-fee protection service that will pay up to £75,000 towards your accountant's fees in the event of an HM Revenue & Customs full enquiry or dispute.

To find out more, please use this link Solar Tax Investigation Insurance



HMRC Is Shite (www.hmrcisshite.com), also available via the domain www.hmrconline.com, is brought to you by www.kenfrost.com "The Living Brand"

Thursday 13 December 2018

ICAEW MTD Hub Updated



Tax does have to be taxing.

Professional Cover Against the Threat of Costly TAX and VAT Investigations

Insurance to protect you against the cost of enquiry or dispute with HMRC is available from several sources including Solar Tax Investigation Insurance.

Ken Frost has negotiated a 10% discount on any polices that may suit your needs.

However, neither Ken Frost nor HMRCISSHITE either endorses or recommends their services.

What is Solar Tax Investigation Insurance?

Solar Tax Investigation Insurance is a tax-fee protection service that will pay up to £75,000 towards your accountant's fees in the event of an HM Revenue & Customs full enquiry or dispute.

To find out more, please use this link Solar Tax Investigation Insurance



HMRC Is Shite (www.hmrcisshite.com), also available via the domain www.hmrconline.com, is brought to you by www.kenfrost.com "The Living Brand"

Tuesday 11 December 2018

The No Deal Collection

Customs, VAT and Excise regulations: leaving the EU with no deal

This collection brings together regulations, explanatory memoranda, and an impact assessment in preparation for day 1, if the UK leaves the EU with no deal. 

Details

The Withdrawal Agreement and Political Declaration on the future relationship between the UK and EU was endorsed by leaders at a special meeting of the European Council on 25 November. The government will lay these before Parliament ahead of the parliamentary debate and vote on the approval of these documents.

The Withdrawal Agreement sets out the terms of the UK’s smooth and orderly exit from the EU and the Political Declaration sets out the framework for the future relationship between the EU and the UK.

The government does not want or expect a no deal scenario. However, it is the duty of a responsible government to prepare for a range of potential outcomes, including the unlikely event of no deal. In the event of leaving the EU without a deal, legislation will be necessary to ensure the UK’s Customs, VAT and Excise regimes function as intended after the UK leaves the EU and so, on a contingency basis, HM Treasury and HM Revenue and Customs will lay a number of Statutory Instruments (SIs) under the Taxation (Cross-border Trade) Act 2018 (TCTA) and the EU Withdrawal Act 2018 (EUWA).

As these SIs are laid they, and any accompanying documentation, will be published on this page. This will include an impact assessment, draft notices and public notices that will be made before exit, under these SIs and the TCTA respectively. In addition to this, as two of the SIs incorporate a number of documents by reference, these documents are also listed and linked below, beneath the SI to which they relate.

This legislation is designed to broadly replicate the current EU legislation and minimise disruption of a no deal scenario on the UK’s international trade. To further support this there are step by step guides to importing and exporting which explain the steps that businesses can take to prepare for a no deal scenario.

Tax does have to be taxing.

Professional Cover Against the Threat of Costly TAX and VAT Investigations

Insurance to protect you against the cost of enquiry or dispute with HMRC is available from several sources including Solar Tax Investigation Insurance.

Ken Frost has negotiated a 10% discount on any polices that may suit your needs.

However, neither Ken Frost nor HMRCISSHITE either endorses or recommends their services.

What is Solar Tax Investigation Insurance?

Solar Tax Investigation Insurance is a tax-fee protection service that will pay up to £75,000 towards your accountant's fees in the event of an HM Revenue & Customs full enquiry or dispute.

To find out more, please use this link Solar Tax Investigation Insurance



HMRC Is Shite (www.hmrcisshite.com), also available via the domain www.hmrconline.com, is brought to you by www.kenfrost.com "The Living Brand"

Monday 10 December 2018

State Uses Tax Avoidance




Oh dear, it would seem that the state is not practising what it preaches.

NHS trusts are flouting orders not to use tax avoidance schemes.

The Mail reports that under a tax loophole, temporary staff are employed by financial consultants and supplied to hospitals as ‘medical services’.

It means they are exempt from the 20 per cent VAT usually levied on agency workers.

An HMRC spokesman said:
‘HMRC expects all businesses, including public bodies, to apply the tax rules correctly. Government guidance explicitly states public sector organisations should not engage in tax evasion or avoidance.’
Well of course the state should practice "evasion" (as that is illegal!). I am not sure I get why the state shouldn't use legal tax avoidance though?

Tax does have to be taxing.

Professional Cover Against the Threat of Costly TAX and VAT Investigations

Insurance to protect you against the cost of enquiry or dispute with HMRC is available from several sources including Solar Tax Investigation Insurance.

Ken Frost has negotiated a 10% discount on any polices that may suit your needs.

However, neither Ken Frost nor HMRCISSHITE either endorses or recommends their services.

What is Solar Tax Investigation Insurance?

Solar Tax Investigation Insurance is a tax-fee protection service that will pay up to £75,000 towards your accountant's fees in the event of an HM Revenue & Customs full enquiry or dispute.

To find out more, please use this link Solar Tax Investigation Insurance



HMRC Is Shite (www.hmrcisshite.com), also available via the domain www.hmrconline.com, is brought to you by www.kenfrost.com "The Living Brand"

Friday 7 December 2018

HMRC Carries On Regardless, Ignoring Warnings



Tax does have to be taxing.

Professional Cover Against the Threat of Costly TAX and VAT Investigations

Insurance to protect you against the cost of enquiry or dispute with HMRC is available from several sources including Solar Tax Investigation Insurance.

Ken Frost has negotiated a 10% discount on any polices that may suit your needs.

However, neither Ken Frost nor HMRCISSHITE either endorses or recommends their services.

What is Solar Tax Investigation Insurance?

Solar Tax Investigation Insurance is a tax-fee protection service that will pay up to £75,000 towards your accountant's fees in the event of an HM Revenue & Customs full enquiry or dispute.

To find out more, please use this link Solar Tax Investigation Insurance



HMRC Is Shite (www.hmrcisshite.com), also available via the domain www.hmrconline.com, is brought to you by www.kenfrost.com "The Living Brand"

Thursday 6 December 2018

Another HMRC Victim



Tax does have to be taxing.

Professional Cover Against the Threat of Costly TAX and VAT Investigations

Insurance to protect you against the cost of enquiry or dispute with HMRC is available from several sources including Solar Tax Investigation Insurance.

Ken Frost has negotiated a 10% discount on any polices that may suit your needs.

However, neither Ken Frost nor HMRCISSHITE either endorses or recommends their services.

What is Solar Tax Investigation Insurance?

Solar Tax Investigation Insurance is a tax-fee protection service that will pay up to £75,000 towards your accountant's fees in the event of an HM Revenue & Customs full enquiry or dispute.

To find out more, please use this link Solar Tax Investigation Insurance



HMRC Is Shite (www.hmrcisshite.com), also available via the domain www.hmrconline.com, is brought to you by www.kenfrost.com "The Living Brand"

"I Do Not Think, In My Opinion, Parliament Can Let This Continue"


Chris Leslie, a former head of investigations at HMRC, added his voice to those who know that HMRC is abusing its position wrt IR35 and the loan charge scandal.

He pointed out that as a general rule, HMRC should have exercised “reasonable discretion” when probing taxpayers caught by the charge.

The Lords found HMRC to be guilty of a “failure to pursue taxpayers proportionately to their circumstances”, so much so that it caused them “anguish”.

Leslie is quoted by ContractorUK:
The extent and nature of the investigations should be proportionate to tax risk.

The inequality of arms and costs are well-illustrated [by the Lords in their report].

[While] there is a balance to be struck and HMRC are tasked to achieve results, with newly trained investigators with substantial regulatory powers, the matter is ‘concerning.’ I do not think, in my opinion, parliament can let this continue.”
Quite!

Tax does have to be taxing.

Professional Cover Against the Threat of Costly TAX and VAT Investigations

Insurance to protect you against the cost of enquiry or dispute with HMRC is available from several sources including Solar Tax Investigation Insurance.

Ken Frost has negotiated a 10% discount on any polices that may suit your needs.

However, neither Ken Frost nor HMRCISSHITE either endorses or recommends their services.

What is Solar Tax Investigation Insurance?

Solar Tax Investigation Insurance is a tax-fee protection service that will pay up to £75,000 towards your accountant's fees in the event of an HM Revenue & Customs full enquiry or dispute.

To find out more, please use this link Solar Tax Investigation Insurance



HMRC Is Shite (www.hmrcisshite.com), also available via the domain www.hmrconline.com, is brought to you by www.kenfrost.com "The Living Brand"

Tuesday 4 December 2018

HMRC's Response To Lord Forsyth - It Doesn't Give a Fuck!



Tax does have to be taxing.

Professional Cover Against the Threat of Costly TAX and VAT Investigations

Insurance to protect you against the cost of enquiry or dispute with HMRC is available from several sources including Solar Tax Investigation Insurance.

Ken Frost has negotiated a 10% discount on any polices that may suit your needs.

However, neither Ken Frost nor HMRCISSHITE either endorses or recommends their services.

What is Solar Tax Investigation Insurance?

Solar Tax Investigation Insurance is a tax-fee protection service that will pay up to £75,000 towards your accountant's fees in the event of an HM Revenue & Customs full enquiry or dispute.

To find out more, please use this link Solar Tax Investigation Insurance



HMRC Is Shite (www.hmrcisshite.com), also available via the domain www.hmrconline.com, is brought to you by www.kenfrost.com "The Living Brand"

Lord Forsyth Savages HMRC's Retrospective Tax


Powers given to HMRC to tackle tax avoidance and evasion are undermining the rule of law and justice.

This is devastating the lives of middle and lower income individuals, from the private and public sector (including the National Health Service) who used disguised remuneration schemes, in many cases being required to do so by their employers.


Tax does have to be taxing.

Professional Cover Against the Threat of Costly TAX and VAT Investigations

Insurance to protect you against the cost of enquiry or dispute with HMRC is available from several sources including Solar Tax Investigation Insurance.

Ken Frost has negotiated a 10% discount on any polices that may suit your needs.

However, neither Ken Frost nor HMRCISSHITE either endorses or recommends their services.

What is Solar Tax Investigation Insurance?

Solar Tax Investigation Insurance is a tax-fee protection service that will pay up to £75,000 towards your accountant's fees in the event of an HM Revenue & Customs full enquiry or dispute.

To find out more, please use this link Solar Tax Investigation Insurance



HMRC Is Shite (www.hmrcisshite.com), also available via the domain www.hmrconline.com, is brought to you by www.kenfrost.com "The Living Brand"

Monday 3 December 2018

Chancellor Takes Excess Comfort From One Company's MTD Progress


At a small business reception at 11 Downing Street, Philip Hammond asked Gary Turner, managing director at software company Xero, about Making Tax Digital and Xero’s preparations to which Turner confirmed that Xero are ‘all sorted’ and are working with HMRC on the project.

From 1 April 2019, VAT registered businesses earning above the current VAT threshold of £85,000 are mandated to keep digital records and submit VAT returns using MTD-compatible software.

Xero is one of many software providers who are providing compatible software for businesses to use come April 2019.


Now whilst this is all well and good, as far as the Chancellor hearing what he wanted to hear, there is rather a large fly in Hammond's ointment, as espoused by Damon Anderson, director, partner and product at Xero, who told Accountancy Daily:
Our research has shown that 25% of small businesses currently are not even aware of Making Tax Digital and these that are only 23% realise it’s compulsory, so it is important for us to make sure that everyone is aware that it is coming up very soon.

People have been able to file VAT in Xero for a long time, but we have taken the opportunity to upgrade the experience and have added 30 new features so Making Tax Digital for VAT is taken care of. We are not worried about our ability to prepare for Making Tax Digital we are more concerned about people realising that it is something they have to do.
Yup, there are a lot of businesses that are not ready for MTD...is HMRC?

Tax does have to be taxing.

Professional Cover Against the Threat of Costly TAX and VAT Investigations

Insurance to protect you against the cost of enquiry or dispute with HMRC is available from several sources including Solar Tax Investigation Insurance.

Ken Frost has negotiated a 10% discount on any polices that may suit your needs.

However, neither Ken Frost nor HMRCISSHITE either endorses or recommends their services.

What is Solar Tax Investigation Insurance?

Solar Tax Investigation Insurance is a tax-fee protection service that will pay up to £75,000 towards your accountant's fees in the event of an HM Revenue & Customs full enquiry or dispute.

To find out more, please use this link Solar Tax Investigation Insurance



HMRC Is Shite (www.hmrcisshite.com), also available via the domain www.hmrconline.com, is brought to you by www.kenfrost.com "The Living Brand"