‘Could do better’ is what Graham Webber would write on the taxman’s end-of-year report. Here he offers a few suggestions about where HMRC can improve.
The past two years have certainly tested the Government machine and most of those working in the tax profession would acknowledge very positively HMRC efforts in implementing and attempting to police novel, extensive and wide ranging policies with some urgency.
The Covid relief schemes were rolled out and while these attracted attention from criminal elements, the majority reached the intended target. Quite a feat.
It was unfortunate however that that most of those individuals operating in the contracting sector were excluded. A failing that has to be partly at the feet of HMRC. We did see a (slightly) more generous approach to time to pay arrangements attached to tax settlements but we are now seeing a tightening of guidelines. The effects of the pandemic are still being felt and will be for some time and we would therefore urge some discretion.
Download the full article below: