Read the latest on Making Tax Digital and the Trust Registration Service in the latest update from HMRC for September 2020. 

Read the NI Tax Committee’s response to one of the most important consultations for many years in which HMRC explores potential options to regulate the UK tax profession. The key message of the Committee is that there should be no further regulation of qualified agents who are members of Professional Bodies with a strong, effective, and active regulatory function, such as members of Chartered Accountants Ireland.The Committee also made the following recommendations: -Under option A (which examines the potential for better use of HMRC’s powers), the Committee recommends that this is the option which should be pursued. HMRC should target rogue promoters more effectively with the comprehensive powers which they already have available to them after a review has been conducted of the collective efficiency of their use by HMRC – the Committee recommends that this review is conducted by Sir Amyas Morse; Further digitisation of the tax system should aim to remove administrative obstacles and unnecessary complexities for taxpayers but should be carried out in tandem with a defined roadmap for simplification of the UK tax system; and  The Office of Tax Simplification should be tasked with carrying out a review of income tax complexity in particular given the proposed extension of MTD to income tax from April 2023.  

HMRC has advised that it will be shortly be undertaking scheduled maintenance to HMRC’s various online services including Making Tax Digital for VAT and Income Tax Self-Assessment. This will take place between from 5pm, Friday 11 September until 9am, Monday 14 September. During this period, all MTD for VAT services will be unavailable, including:Agent service subscription;Agent authorisation;Submission of returns;Business tax account view and change;Direct debit; and Sign-up service. During this period, all MTD for Income Tax Self-Assessment services will be unavailable, including:  Agent service subscription;Agent authorisation; Submission of updated and returns;Sign up; andBusiness tax account viewer. This and other planned maintenance and upgrade activities are shown on the HMRC service availability and issues page on GOV.UK. HMRC is not making changes to individual MTD services over this period, so they will not look different or have any new functionality when they are returned on 14 September. HMRC apologises for any inconvenience this may cause.