The changes will enable HMRC to give customers the modern services they now expect at a lower cost to the taxpayer, meeting the Government’s challenge for all departments to do more with less.
Ultimately, these changes will involve the closure of 137 offices by 2027. HMRC expects the majority of staff to be able to move from their current offices to a regional centre, and is phasing the moves over ten years in order to minimise redundancies. But HMRC will aim to have fewer staff in the future as it streamlines how it works and uses the best of modern technology to reduce costs.
HMRC has published a brief which explains in more detail how they will have fewer, more modern offices where highly-skilled staff will provide customers with better services.
Policy update on double taxation agreements and tax information exchange agreements 19 November 2015
The UK double taxation agreements are regularly reviewed to guide the programme of work for the coming year.
As part of the regular review of the UK’s double taxation agreement (DTA) and tax information exchange agreement (TIEA) priorities, HMRC has received representations from interested bodies and as a result of these representations, HMRC will begin negotiations on double taxation agreements with:
Nepal
Romania
Trinidad and Tobago
Uzbekistan
Full details of the countries that HMRC plan to work on DTAs and protocols with can be found at GOV.UK . The collection of tax treaties can also be found at GOV.UK.
Personal Tax Account - Agent Strategy Group 3 December 2015
A new digital service giving people a better understanding over their tax affairs is now available to individual customers.
The Personal Tax Account brings information together in one place, making it easier for people to access their personal tax affairs online.
The new service won't change the way agents interact with HMRC. Agents can continue to file SA returns using the existing portal service. Agents’ clients will find a range of benefits by using their PTA. They can choose to receive electronic rather than paper communications (agents will still receive paper copies for clients who go paperless) and they can also use their account to: view and update their personal address access a range of iForms which they can complete and submit online view and amend an estimate of the income tax they’re likely to pay in the current tax year tell HMRC about changes to certain taxable benefits from their employer. ‘Non business' Digital Self Assessment (SA) customers will move from Your Tax Account to the Personal Tax Account giving them the opportunity to use these additional services. SA customers who are self-employed or pay business taxes such as VAT or Corporation Tax, will in future also be given access to their Personal Tax Account. HMRC will continue to develop the account based on user feedback and in depth customer research.
Please note that the Personal Tax Account isn’t currently designed for use by agents. HMRC will be improving the service to provide agents access, until then agents should not try to access it on behalf of a client. Also if agents log on to submit a client return using their client's credentials, this can create security alerts which HMRC staff need to investigate. This can delay clients receiving their repayments.
HMRC continues to develop online services for agents through Agent Online Self Serve (AOSS). AOSS is being developed with input from agents to ensure that services best meet agents’ needs. Agents who meet the criteria
CIPP Policy News Journal
25/04/2016, Page 211 of 453
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