Arise Sir Ken!

https://twitter.com/oldmudgie/status/815106517133393920

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"

'Tis The Season!

1,994 individuals submitted #tax returns on Xmas day. Don't forget the 31 Jan filing deadline otherwise penalties apply @HarbourKey pic.twitter.com/mUQ26eXk13

— Phil Mitchell (@PhilMitchell4) December 30, 2016

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"

Merry Christmas

My thanks to a loyal reader for this most excellent suggestion wrt what to do to FIFA in memory of those who lost their lives in the previous world wars:

"OLD POPPIES

If you still have your old poppy please put it in an envelope and post it without a stamp or your details to

FIFA
Strasse 20
PO BOX 8044
Zurich
Switzerland

they have to pay the postage ironically
given their disgusting application of fines by claiming Poppies to be political FFS!

Members of HMRC's predecessor Departments lost their lives in 2 World Wars. A fact that puts the actions of today's HMRC management to shame.

So, seasons greetings to Ken and all his readers and FECK FIFA."

I would like to take this opportunity to wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a peaceful 2017.

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"

HMRC anti-money laundering supervision goes online

HMRC will be launching online anti money laundering supervision system in 2017.

In 2017 HMRC is introducing an online, digital system for anti-money laundering supervision. When it launches, businesses will be able to register and renew online.

The online system will:

• allow all registrations, renewals, updates and payments to be made online
• reduce errors and ‘rejected’ applications - these will be flagged instantly by the new system, avoiding forms being returned for re-submission
• better meet customer needs - this has been possible through asking businesses to test the system and tell us how they think it should work.

Currently we ask businesses registering for the first time to complete their form online, print it off and post it to us. Businesses renewing their registration are sent a letter and asked to respond by post. We know that this causes delays.

A selection of customers have been helping us develop the system over the last year. We’re still asking customers to use the system and provide feedback, helping us refine it further.

Using the system for the first time will involve a one-off completion of your details.

This is the same if you are already registered with HMRC or if you are registering with us for the first time. Don’t worry if you don’t have everything to hand as you’ll be able to save your entries and come back to them for up to 28 days.

When you come to renew a year later, your details will be stored and the process will be quick, easy and completely paperless.

We’ll be communicating with customers when the system is ready to launch.

To use the new system you’ll need an online ID. If you don’t have an ID, you can register at Government Gateway online.



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"

HMRC Hides Behind Commercial Interests

HMRC have responded to my FOI request submitted 7 October, about DEC.

I reproduce the full text of their response below.

As you can see most of my queries have not been answered:

"we believe that disclosure would prejudice HMRC's commercial interests"

The "irony" being that they manage to not answer my queries late!

"Dear Mr Frost

Freedom of Information Act 2000 (FOIA)

I am writing regarding your request for information dated 7 October 2016. I am sorry for the delay in replying. In your request you asked for the following information with regard to Digital Evidence Capability (DEC):-

1. What is Digital Evidence Capability in the context of Counter-Avoidance and can you verify its existence?
2. How much has it cost the taxpayer to date and when did development of the system begin?
3. Is it being actively used within Counter Avoidance for tracking avoidance cases and if so, how many cases are currently on the system?
4. Has the system generated any avoidance cases that have been pursued?
5. Is Mark Nellthorp responsible for managing the development of the system?

Development of the Digital Evidence Capability system (DEC) began in 2014. The objective of DEC is to provide a single IT system for litigation teams in Solicitors Office and the Counter-Avoidance Directorate to manage evidence relating to avoidance cases electronically. As the system is still in development, it is not in active use. DEC is not intended to "generate" avoidance cases. The Senior Responsible Officer for managing the development of DEC is not Mark Nellthorp.

HMRC holds the information requested on the costs of the system to date but it is being withheld. The exemption that applies is section 43(2) FOIA because we believe that disclosure would prejudice HMRC's commercial interests. This is because the requested information largely relates to work undertaken by Cap Gemini under HMRC’s Aspire contract and, combined with information possessed by IT contractors who have worked on the DEC system, might enable individuals to estimate day rates and profit margins.

Section 43 is qualified exemption so I must consider whether the balance of the public interest favours maintaining the exemption.

I accept there is a strong public interest in HMRC being accountable for its decisions and that it is as
Director: David Richardson

transparent as possible about the ways in which it makes those decisions. When a Government department enters into contracts with commercial entities, the public have a right to know that the public purse is being expended wisely and that departments are getting value for money. Disclosing the requested information would demonstrate HMRC’s wil ingness to be open about its contractual arrangements.

Whilst there is a strong public interest in HMRC being accountable for its decisions, it should be noted that the department is subject to regular scrutiny by bodies such as The National Audit Office, the Public Accounts Committee and the Treasury Select Committee. Through this scrutiny, the effectiveness of HMRC’s strategic decisions can be chal enged to ensure HMRC is accountable.

Disclosure of such commercial y sensitive information could weaken our partners’ position in a competitive environment and could also harm the relationship between them and the Department. This would in itself undermine the commercial interests of both parties and potentially the efficacy of our contracts. Furthermore it could have an inhibiting effect on other third parties currently, or potentially, doing business with the Government and therefore on the Government’s ability to secure value for money which is against the public interest. Release of information which could damage companies commercially would discourage them from dealing with the public sector and would undermine the necessary mutual trust and respect between private and public sector partners.

So, on balance I consider the public interest favours maintaining the exemption.

I can assure you though that HMRC is focused on getting value for money in the development of the IT system. Most of the IT development work is now being undertaken in-house and we are ensuring that all IT contractors working on the project provide value for money.

To be helpful, and outside of the FOIA, you might like to be aware of ‘HMRC’s digital blog’ where you can find out news about our progress and information on specific digital projects - https://hmrcdigital.blog.gov.uk/about-us/. On the 12 Feb 2016, Kristian Miller HMRC's Head of IT Strategy, shared a copy of HMRC’s long term IT vision which included a reference to DEC. This can be found at: - https://hmrcdigital.blog.gov.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/20/2016/02/HMRC-IT- Strategy-2016.pdf

If you are not happy with this reply you may request a review by emailing [email address], or by post to HMRC FOI Team, Room 1C/23, 100 Parliament Street London SW1A 2BQ. You must request a review within 2 months of the date of this letter. It would help us carry out our review if you set out the aspects of the reply that concern you and why you are dissatisfied.

If you are not content with the outcome of an internal review, you can complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO). The ICO wil not usual y consider a case unless you have exhausted the internal review procedure provided by HMRC. You can make a complaint through the ICO’s website at: www.ico.org.uk, or by post to: Information Commissioner’s Office, Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire SK9 5AF.

Yours sincerely "

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"

HMRC Moves To Barclays Canary Wharf

HMRC will be one of the government organisations moving staff out of Whitehall and into new offices in Canary Wharf.

The Cabinet Office announced last week that almost 6,000 full-time civil service and public sector jobs are to move from central London to 10 South Colonnade, Canary Wharf by 2018. The site will be leased from Barclays for 15 years.

Civil Service World notes that job ads posted on Civil Service Jobs in recent days make clear that HMRC will be one of those shifting staff across the capital.

"Please note that the London office (100 Parliament Street) will be moving to a transitional site in summer 2017.

The location will be 10 South Colonnade, London, E14 4PU."

Not everyone will move, an HMRC briefing note issued a while ago said:

"Of course, the work that we do means that a small number of us will always need to be near ministers.

That's why we're going to keep 100 Parliament Street, although fewer of us will work there. The space we vacate will be used by other government departments."

Fortunately, unlike other HMRC property contracts, HMRC does not face the embarrassment of dealing with a tax avoiding company. Barclays shut its tax avoidance unit in 2013.

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"

New FOI Submitted Re DEC Communications

The progress (or otherwise) of the new FOI can be viewed here:

DEC Communications Records

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"

MTD and Concentrix - Appalling Human Consequences

Unsurprisingly the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) has expressed serious concerns about HMRC's digital policy.

Digitising the Tax System (MTD)

PAC is quoted by Accountancy Age:

“HMRC is staking a great deal on the success of its plans to digitise the tax system, but once again it lacks an adequate plan if demand for its call centres does not reduce as quickly as it hopes.” 

MTD “must” meet the challenges of cutting spending, restructuring its business, dealing with Brexit, relocating staff, and replacing a major IT contract.

Also, HMRC must agree on a contingency plan with HM Treasury in case its projections are inaccurate. Meg Hillier, MP, chair of the PAC, added:

“Contingency planning should not be an optional extra.

HMRC plays a vital role, it is disconcerting that again we must raise concerns about customer service and transparency in the tax system. The lack of a convincing fall-back plan to safeguard service remains a looming threat.” 

“Complete failure” of Concentrix

The Concentrix farce also came in for a well desrved kicking.

There has been “unnecessary hardship and suffering” due to the “complete failure” of the contract of HMRC with Concentrix. The actions of Concentrix resulted in many tax claimants being wrongly accused of fraudulent claims and lost their payments.

Hillier added:

“We look forward to meaningful action to prevent a repeat of the failings embodied by its contract with Concentrix, a venture with appalling human consequences.”

Let's see what the future will bring!

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"

Transparent HMRC Salaries

👀 Take a look at the salaries for some of the top #tax roles at #HMRC, published online as part of their transparency policy.
📸: etaxjobs pic.twitter.com/4EUiaaRsQz

— Alex Mann (@alexmannHJ) December 6, 2016

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"

ICO Tightens HMRC FOI Deadline

This recently in from the Information Commissioner's Office:

"Dear Mr Frost

Thank you for bringing your complaint to the Commissioner's attention.

I have spoken to HMRC today and advised them that a response should be issued within the next ten working days.

In the event that you do not receive a response by close of business on Tuesday 13 December 2016 please contact me by email or on the number below.

Yours sincerely

****
Lead case officer"

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"

HMRC Takes Over The Gateway

The UK Government Gateway that drives online tax filing and numerous other interactions, ranging from pension scheme returns to child maintenance records, has been put to HMRC’s hands.

Theresa May confirmed that “responsibility for the government gateway will transfer from the Department for Work and Pensions to Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs. This change will be effective immediately.”

A spokesman for the tax department told AccountingWeb:

“Nine out of 10 gateway transactions relate to HMRC, so it makes sense for us to have ownership of it.”

Oh, and by the way, the gateway fell over on Wednesday morning (30 November)!

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"

HMRC's View of Due Process

#APN s, in #HMRC s own words (circa 2014). Due process? Those plebs don't need that! pic.twitter.com/fu2W2e70GB

— DotasScandalDotOrg (@dotasscandal) November 30, 2016

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"