“New £2.6bn tax compliance crackdown can’t work if existing tools are barely being used”: TaxWatch Budget analysis
The Budget’s third-largest tax pledge relies on a UK tax authority that is suffering from recruitment delays and unfinished IT systems. Just 26 of 6,700 extra compliance/debt staff promised by Chancellor are so far in post. A key tax to counter digital giants’ profit-shifting will remain despite Trump pressure, but the Budget has missed opportunities to tackle abused corporate reliefs now as large as the child benefit budget.
Rayner tax error: government must stop dragging its feet on regulating tax advice
Successive governments have rejected calls for a tax advice regulator and minimum professional standards, which exist in many other countries from Australia to Germany. It’s high time that UK taxpayers got similar protections.
New weapons, same problems?
Stronger powers against ‘enablers’ – those who design and enable aggressive tax avoidance and evasion – are back on the table once again. But new figures show that existing powers are still not being used.
“With hindsight, the wrong way to do it”
Why aren’t enablers of tax abuse being penalised? HMRC’s powers to sanction delinquent tax advisers have roadblocks built in, and there are still gaps in naming and shaming.
Back to the drawing board
The government wants to step up the fight against enablers of tax abuse (again). New powers and better information can help. But HMRC is barely using the powers and penalties it already has.
UK tax advice market needs urgent reform: TaxWatch’s new report highlights dangers of unregulated advisers and calls for change
TaxWatch launches new report illustrating the damage that a lack of regulatory oversight causes taxpayers seeking help to comply with their obligations & advocating for urgent widespread reform.
Raising Standards in the UK Tax Advice Market: The Government’s next steps appear to be a march into the long grass
The Government’s next steps to regulate and improve standards in the UK tax advice market betray the aims and findings of the recent consultation and demonstrate a lack of political will on the issue.
Latest Government consultation grapples with how to regulate tax advisers
TaxWatch introduces the latest Government consultation into regulating tax advice market.
TaxWatch launches regulatory complaint against Mr Douglas Barrowman
TaxWatch has lodged a formal complaint to the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Scotland in respect of its member, Douglas Barrowman.