Friday 26 March 2021

HMRC Data Breach - “They Are, at Present, Utterly Useless on Every Level on Every Tax.”


 

Last week, AccountingWEB user Cholmes first reported receiving five late penalty notices from HMRC – with only one of the five regarding their clients. The remaining notices were addressed to two other firms.

The AWEB community has been reporting these incidents for the past week, with many unsure of what to do with the notices received. Some were hesitant to forward the notices to the correct agents in fear of potential data breaches.

When Cholmes got through to HMRC after being put on hold for 40 minutes, the helpline operator seemed “disinterested” and surprised that this member had even called: 

“The only suggestion given was to return the penalty notices to HMRC.

When I asked why I had received them, I was told she didn't know and couldn't comment. No other suggestions offered nor any apologies offered.”

AccountingWEB member Blazefan also reportedly received six late filing penalty notices in a single envelope, only two of which were for their clients. The notices contained the name and address of the practices, the name of their clients, and the clients’ UTR.

Blazefan copied the incorrect notices and returned them to HMRC with a covering letter, and forwarded the copies to the correct accountancy practices: 

“I have not as yet received a response from HMRC, however the other practice has thanked me for forwarding them on.”

HMRC's agent forum has seen further complaints; Catherine Newman received a report from a member of the community who was sent six late filing penalty notices, five of which were sent in error.

HMRC’s response

AccountingWEB approached HMRC about the stories shared on Any Answers and the agent forum and was told: 

“HMRC takes its responsibilities under UK GDPR very seriously. The vast majority of privacy notices will be issued and received correctly, but if any agents receive notices or any correspondence for wrong clients, we would ask that they notify HMRC to enable us to investigate why it happened and take appropriate action.”

It was then highlighted to HMRC that many agents are unable to get through to them or are not getting a sufficient response. The spokesperson could offer no additional information but confirmed that HMRC is aware and would be looking to contact the agents.

VAT director Jason Croke summed HMRC up perfectly: 

“They are, at present, utterly useless on every level on every tax.”



Tax does have to be taxing.

Tax Investigation Insurance

Having a Solar Protect Tax Investigation Insurance policy at your disposal means that should you be one of the many 1000's of businesses or individuals that are selected by HMRC each year to look into your tax affairs your own accountant (your tax return agent) can get on and defend you robustly.

You have the peace of mind knowing that your accountant's (your tax return agent) fees will be paid by the insurance without any Excess for you to find.

Tax Investigation Insurance is an insurance policy that will fully reimburse your accountants (your tax return agent) fees up to £100,000 if you are subject to enquiry by or dispute with HMRC.

A Solar Protect policy will enable your Accountant (your tax return agent) to:
  • Deal with any correspondence from HMRC
  • Attend any meeting with HMRC
  • Appeal to the First-tier Tribunal or Upper Tribunal
  • Having the security of knowing that fees will be met in full will enable your Accountant (your tax return agent) to defend your position robustly

Please click here for details.

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 23 March 2021

Happy Tax Day! - #TaxDay


 

Today has been named Tax Day and, at around 13.00, there will be a string of tax related announcements.

HM Treasury will unveil a number of documents and consultations on future tax policies on March 23, which has been dubbed “tax day”. 

The Government has said the announcements, typically made at the Budget, will come later than usual this year to allow for greater scrutiny alongside the vast number of changes and support measures already announced. 

Much of this is expected to be about technical administration of the tax system, such as the move to online. But commentators are also bracing for Rishi Sunak to lay the groundwork for a string of possible tax changes.

One move likely to be unveiled by the Treasury is a plan to reduce the amount of paperwork many grieving families are required to fill out for inheritance tax purposes. 

More than 200,000 estates will no longer need to complete certain inheritance tax forms under the latest changes. Currently estates that do not need to pay inheritance tax are still required to fill in HMRC pre-probate forms.

Nimesh Shah of accountants Blick Rothernberg said he was preparing for “significant” announcements that were delayed because of the January lockdown. 

The Chancellor has already announced a £20bn “stealth tax” freeze on protections against income, capital gains and inheritance duties to “support the public finances” as the below graphics shows, as well as an increase to the rate of corporation tax to 25pc from 19pc by 2023. 

But the Chancellor will have to raise billions more to plug the £400bn deficit. So what else could “tax day” bring? 

Changes to inheritance tax 

Changes to the death tax regime expected to be announced on Tuesday will save hundreds of thousands of bereaved families needlessly filling out tax forms every year. 

Jesse Norman, the Financial Secretary to the Treasury has said: "We want to cut red tape and make the tax system as simple as possible for people to use, especially during difficult times. The change is part of our wider drive to remove unnecessary paperwork and obstacles so that taxpayers can manage their affairs with less effort." 

It was a idea suggested by the Government's tax adviser the Office of Tax Simplification, alongside a number of other policy ideas, in a series of reports on simplifying the divisive 40pc duty. 

Online sales tax

The Government is expected to give its thoughts on a number of policy proposals for reforming and even replacing business rates, including a new 2pc online sales tax to raise £1.5bn a year.

The idea, put forward by the Treasury Select Committee, an influential group of MPs, would be to ease the pressure on high-street businesses while forcing online giants to pay more.

It would help cover some of the £10bn cost of the pandemic business rate holiday. Other proposals included an overhaul of the current system to tax landowners instead of shopkeepers.

Freelancer taxes 

Reports in The Times have suggested the Government is planning to announce a new "pay-as-you-go" digital tax system, although the Treasury has played down the claim saying it "did not recognise the story". 

The system would reportedly see every taxpayer allocated a single digital tax account, which banks, workplaces and pension providers would automatically update.

Freelancers, investors and landlords would pay throughout the year rather than on set deadlines. 

Other measures could include the self-employed eventually being forced to pay more tax, if Mr Sunak decided to review the lower rates of National Insurance they pay, compared with that of employees.

The Chancellor heavily hinted he wanted everyone to pay into the system equally, when he announced income support for the self-employed back Spring 2020.

Paul Falvey of tax firm BDO said it was likely the Government would look to more closely align the tax treatment of the self-employed and employees in the coming years. 

Bigger taxes on investment profits 

None of the announcements will require legislation in this year’s Finance Bill and will not have an immediate impact on public finances, but the Chancellor could signal future changes to come in after April 2022. 

One of these could be a reform of the capital gains tax system, according to experts. They expect a response to a review into the levy carried out by the Government’s own tax adviser, the Office of Tax Simplification, and commissioned by the Chancellor himself in the middle of the pandemic. 

It proposed a raft of changes to the current regime, but its most eye catching recommendations included upping the historically low main rates – 20pc, or 28pc for residential property – and slashing the £12,300 personal allowance, which could raise £14bn a year.

Richard Wild of the trade body the Chartered Institute of Taxation said he expected to see changes to Business Assets Disposal Relief, previously called Entrepreneurs’ Relief. This discounts CGT for people selling shares in their own firms. Some have called for its abolition. 

Pensions tax relief faces cut

Fears of a bombshell tax raid on pensions are spreading in the City with the Treasury understood to be considering radical cuts to tax relief.

Officials have signalled they are debating whether to slash higher-rate tax relief on pensions contributions in private meetings with industry, The Telegraph can reveal.

Whitehall sources have ruled out proposals for a pensions tax hike on March 23.  However, it is thought reforms are being seriously considered that would be highly damaging to the finances of Middle England.

Read more: Pensions tax relief raid: how much it could co

Tax does have to be taxing.

Tax Investigation Insurance

Having a Solar Protect Tax Investigation Insurance policy at your disposal means that should you be one of the many 1000's of businesses or individuals that are selected by HMRC each year to look into your tax affairs your own accountant (your tax return agent) can get on and defend you robustly.

You have the peace of mind knowing that your accountant's (your tax return agent) fees will be paid by the insurance without any Excess for you to find.

Tax Investigation Insurance is an insurance policy that will fully reimburse your accountants (your tax return agent) fees up to £100,000 if you are subject to enquiry by or dispute with HMRC.

A Solar Protect policy will enable your Accountant (your tax return agent) to:
  • Deal with any correspondence from HMRC
  • Attend any meeting with HMRC
  • Appeal to the First-tier Tribunal or Upper Tribunal
  • Having the security of knowing that fees will be met in full will enable your Accountant (your tax return agent) to defend your position robustly

Please click here for details.

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 22 March 2021

Deadline ALERT!


Self Assessment taxpayers have just over a week to pay any outstanding tax liabilities in full or set up an online payment plan for the 2019 to 2020 financial year to avoid incurring penalty charges, HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) has urged.

Last month, HMRC said that due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, they were giving Self Assessment taxpayers more time to pay their tax or set up a payment plan without facing a 5% late payment penalty charge, as long as arrangements were in place by midnight on 1 April.

Those who have yet to settle their liabilities for the 2019 to 2020 financial year can pay their tax bill or set up a monthly payment plan online at GOV.UK. They can pay online, via their bank, or by post. Alternatively, setting up a Time to Pay arrangement allows taxpayers to spread the cost of their Self Assessment tax bill into monthly instalments until January 2022.

Anyone worried about paying their tax and unable to set up a payment plan online should contact HMRC for help and support on 0300 200 3822.

Almost 117,000 taxpayers have set up a self-serve Time to Pay arrangement online, totalling more than £437 million.

There is no change to the payment deadline and other obligations are not affected. This means that:

The payment deadline remains 31 January 2021 and interest will be charged on late payment. The current rate of late payment interest is 2.6%

A 5% late payment penalty will be charged if tax remains outstanding, and a payment plan has not been set up, by midnight on 1 April 2021. Further late payment penalties are charged at 6 and 12 months (August 2021 and February 2022 respectively), on tax outstanding where a payment plan has not been set up

Self Assessment taxpayers who are required to make Payments on Account and know their 2020 to 2021 tax bill is going to be lower than in 2019 to 2020 – for example due to loss of earnings because of COVID-19 – can reduce their payments. Visit GOV.UK to find out more about Payments on Account and how to reduce them.


Tax does have to be taxing.

Tax Investigation Insurance

Having a Solar Protect Tax Investigation Insurance policy at your disposal means that should you be one of the many 1000's of businesses or individuals that are selected by HMRC each year to look into your tax affairs your own accountant (your tax return agent) can get on and defend you robustly.

You have the peace of mind knowing that your accountant's (your tax return agent) fees will be paid by the insurance without any Excess for you to find.

Tax Investigation Insurance is an insurance policy that will fully reimburse your accountants (your tax return agent) fees up to £100,000 if you are subject to enquiry by or dispute with HMRC.

A Solar Protect policy will enable your Accountant (your tax return agent) to:
  • Deal with any correspondence from HMRC
  • Attend any meeting with HMRC
  • Appeal to the First-tier Tribunal or Upper Tribunal
  • Having the security of knowing that fees will be met in full will enable your Accountant (your tax return agent) to defend your position robustly

Please click here for details.

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 17 March 2021

Eye Eye - Covid Fraud Inspectors

Image

Tax does have to be taxing.

Tax Investigation Insurance

Having a Solar Protect Tax Investigation Insurance policy at your disposal means that should you be one of the many 1000's of businesses or individuals that are selected by HMRC each year to look into your tax affairs your own accountant (your tax return agent) can get on and defend you robustly.

You have the peace of mind knowing that your accountant's (your tax return agent) fees will be paid by the insurance without any Excess for you to find.

Tax Investigation Insurance is an insurance policy that will fully reimburse your accountants (your tax return agent) fees up to £100,000 if you are subject to enquiry by or dispute with HMRC.

A Solar Protect policy will enable your Accountant (your tax return agent) to:
  • Deal with any correspondence from HMRC
  • Attend any meeting with HMRC
  • Appeal to the First-tier Tribunal or Upper Tribunal
  • Having the security of knowing that fees will be met in full will enable your Accountant (your tax return agent) to defend your position robustly

Please click here for details.

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 12 March 2021

Finance Bill Published - Let Joy Be Untrammelled!



Tax does have to be taxing.

Tax Investigation Insurance

Having a Solar Protect Tax Investigation Insurance policy at your disposal means that should you be one of the many 1000's of businesses or individuals that are selected by HMRC each year to look into your tax affairs your own accountant (your tax return agent) can get on and defend you robustly.

You have the peace of mind knowing that your accountant's (your tax return agent) fees will be paid by the insurance without any Excess for you to find.

Tax Investigation Insurance is an insurance policy that will fully reimburse your accountants (your tax return agent) fees up to £100,000 if you are subject to enquiry by or dispute with HMRC.

A Solar Protect policy will enable your Accountant (your tax return agent) to:
  • Deal with any correspondence from HMRC
  • Attend any meeting with HMRC
  • Appeal to the First-tier Tribunal or Upper Tribunal
  • Having the security of knowing that fees will be met in full will enable your Accountant (your tax return agent) to defend your position robustly

Please click here for details.

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 10 March 2021

HMRC "Apparently Clueless"


 



Tax does have to be taxing.

Tax Investigation Insurance

Having a Solar Protect Tax Investigation Insurance policy at your disposal means that should you be one of the many 1000's of businesses or individuals that are selected by HMRC each year to look into your tax affairs your own accountant (your tax return agent) can get on and defend you robustly.

You have the peace of mind knowing that your accountant's (your tax return agent) fees will be paid by the insurance without any Excess for you to find.

Tax Investigation Insurance is an insurance policy that will fully reimburse your accountants (your tax return agent) fees up to £100,000 if you are subject to enquiry by or dispute with HMRC.

A Solar Protect policy will enable your Accountant (your tax return agent) to:
  • Deal with any correspondence from HMRC
  • Attend any meeting with HMRC
  • Appeal to the First-tier Tribunal or Upper Tribunal
  • Having the security of knowing that fees will be met in full will enable your Accountant (your tax return agent) to defend your position robustly

Please click here for details.

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 8 March 2021

HMRC Staff Vote To Accept 13% Pay Rise and Contract Reform

 


Members of ARC and Keystone have voted overwhelmingly to accept the HMRC pay and contract reform, which will see the majority of members receive approximately 13% consolidated increase over the lifetime of the offer.

The results are as follows:
ARC                                                          
Accept: 99.16%                                
Reject: 0.84%                                
% of members voting: 88.3%                  

Keystone
Accept: 99.2%
Reject: 0.8%
% of members voting: 87.4%

Responding to the vote, ARC President Loz Hutton said: 

“A huge thank you to all the members who participated in the consultation process attending and contributing to our pay meetings and for casting your vote. We had over 50% of the membership dial in to our pay sessions.

“We have had an incredible response to vote on this forward looking pay and conditions offer. The majority of members voting in favour clearly demonstrates how much the offer means to members.”

In addition to the above inflation pay rise, the offer also included a range of family-friendly policies and new approach to flexible working. New flexitime arrangements will be made available, giving HMRC staff up to Grades 6 and 7 the contractual right to take 28 days flexi-leave a year on top of their annual leave entitlement. This will address longstanding concerns about the inconsistent application of the TOIL policy and is hopefully a positive step to address the excessive working hours culture in parts of the department.

We also negotiated enhanced paternity pay, increasing from two to four weeks from 1 September 2021, alongside special leave entitlement to support colleagues when a child arrives prematurely and also ensuring both parents receive paid time off to attend antenatal appointments.

As a result of the pandemic, members made it clear that in the future they would like a more flexible approach to working, including the ability to continue working from home if this is no longer the default. Taking these views onboard, we negotiated that members will have the opportunity to work a minimum of two days from home, with the potential for more if their role allows.

The pay deal has been achieved following detailed negotiations with ARC, which commenced in July 2020. HMRC has engaged with unions and worked constructively to take a proposal to the Treasury, which has allowed the department to award staff with an above inflation pay rise that they well and truly deserve.

Key points of the offer

  • The offer is a three-year deal giving an average pay award of 13% across the term.  A 3% increase would be awarded in March 2021 (backdated to June 2020), followed by a 5% increase in June 2021 and a 5% increase in June 2022.  These increases will be consolidated and therefore pensionable until you reach the maximum of the new ranges. Any additional amounts will then be paid as a non-consolidated lump sum.
  • Employees will get the full pay award each year, but where that would take someone beyond the max it will be paid as a non-consolidated bonus.
  • The increase to the min and max has been capped at 1%. This was  a non-negotiable condition set by HMT and Cabinet Office – we are working with the FDA and HMRC to fight to fix it in future years.
  • HMRC has committed to urgently with ARC at the end of this pay deal to find the right pay model to enable members to move through their pay ranges.
  • HMRC Trainees on a scheme to G7 (Band T and Legal Trainees) will be moved to the HMRC HO and SO ranges during the pay award period, securing higher future pay and ensuring fair access to future pay awards rather than being treated differently, which has historically led to their pay lagging behind.  For TSP, we are working with Tax Academy to finalise which trainees will move onto the SO range (Training schemes retain their special status and ARC continues to represent all trainees).
  • Flexitime arrangements will now be available to Grade 6 & 7 and will be contractual. The arrangements will allow members a contractual right to take up to 28 days flexi-leave a year on top of their annual leave entitlement. This will address longstanding member concerns about the inconsistent application of the TOIL policy and is hopefully a positive step to address the excessive working hours culture in parts of the department.
  • Working hours will move to 37 hours per week for everyone, and this will be pro-rated for part time members of staff.
  • Annual leave entitlement will be a maximum of 30 days per year, with the starting entitlement being 25 days, increasing by one day per year of service.  Previous qualifying service either in HMRC or in another Civil Service department will count towards increasing your allowance.  In addition to annual leave entitlement everyone will receive a privilege day for the Queen’s Birthday which can be taken at any point in the year.
  • A single contract and terms and conditions will be introduced and for most people this will mean no change to their current working arrangements.
  • We are not changing to 5 over 7 contracts – they will no longer exist.
  • Where a directorate needs to introduce different working arrangements, including, for example regular evening or weekend working, this will be subject to a mandatory enhanced consultation process with the unions before it can be implemented through a new directorate working arrangement. 
  • As part of this offer the working arrangements for staff in Customer Service Group will be changed.
  • Other directorates have confirmed that they do not want to change their current working arrangements at this time.
  • A limited number of specific personal working patterns such as term time working and part year working, and certain condensed hours arrangements, will now be subject to a 5 year time limit at which point an application can be made to renew.  This does not affect part time or working patterns in general – and the purpose is to ensure that more people are able to access these arrangements when they need them as a limited number can be supported at any one time.
  • There will be longer notice periods for G7 and G6, 8 and 12 weeks when they resign from a job to ensure a proper handover can take place.  This does not affect rights in other policies like redundancy or the Civil Service Management Code.
  • For those who have legacy sickness pay rights i.e. 6 months full pay, 6 months half pay, these will not alter as a result of this deal, unless you are promoted, at which point you will move to the new sickness pay arrangements.
  • We have negotiated new family policies to improve the offer for colleagues who are becoming parents.  From 1 September we will see paternity pay enhanced from 2 weeks to 4 weeks, provide special leave entitlement to support colleagues when a child arrives prematurely and also ensuring both parents receive paid time off to attend antenatal appointments.
  • There are some changes to Daily Travel Assistance policy from 1 June which may affect staff as a result of the Locations Programme.  It will now be calculated on the actual difference in weekly costs rather than daily commuting costs and will be available for 3 years.
  • HMRC will have a standard leave year of 1 September to 31 August with effect from 1 September 2021.
  • There will be some changes to mark time, overtime and premia payments.
Seemingly this is coming from existing budgets (rather than from extra money dished out by the Treasury), and staff have accepted changes to their terms and conditions of employment.

Tax does have to be taxing.

Tax Investigation Insurance

Having a Solar Protect Tax Investigation Insurance policy at your disposal means that should you be one of the many 1000's of businesses or individuals that are selected by HMRC each year to look into your tax affairs your own accountant (your tax return agent) can get on and defend you robustly.

You have the peace of mind knowing that your accountant's (your tax return agent) fees will be paid by the insurance without any Excess for you to find.

Tax Investigation Insurance is an insurance policy that will fully reimburse your accountants (your tax return agent) fees up to £100,000 if you are subject to enquiry by or dispute with HMRC.

A Solar Protect policy will enable your Accountant (your tax return agent) to:
  • Deal with any correspondence from HMRC
  • Attend any meeting with HMRC
  • Appeal to the First-tier Tribunal or Upper Tribunal
  • Having the security of knowing that fees will be met in full will enable your Accountant (your tax return agent) to defend your position robustly

Please click here for details.

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 3 March 2021

#Budget2012 Live



Tax does have to be taxing.

Tax Investigation Insurance

Having a Solar Protect Tax Investigation Insurance policy at your disposal means that should you be one of the many 1000's of businesses or individuals that are selected by HMRC each year to look into your tax affairs your own accountant (your tax return agent) can get on and defend you robustly.

You have the peace of mind knowing that your accountant's (your tax return agent) fees will be paid by the insurance without any Excess for you to find.

Tax Investigation Insurance is an insurance policy that will fully reimburse your accountants (your tax return agent) fees up to £100,000 if you are subject to enquiry by or dispute with HMRC.

A Solar Protect policy will enable your Accountant (your tax return agent) to:
  • Deal with any correspondence from HMRC
  • Attend any meeting with HMRC
  • Appeal to the First-tier Tribunal or Upper Tribunal
  • Having the security of knowing that fees will be met in full will enable your Accountant (your tax return agent) to defend your position robustly

Please click here for details.

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"