The Chancellor of the Exchequer announced last week that this year’s Autumn Statement will take place on Wednesday 22 November 2023. As usual, the Institute will be analysing the tax announcements for members, and any subsequent developments, in Chartered Accountants Tax News.  The Office for Budget Responsibility has also been commissioned to prepare an economic and fiscal forecast to be presented to Parliament alongside the Chancellor’s Autumn Statement. 

If businesses have second-hand motor vehicles in stock that they bought in Great Britain and moved to Northern Ireland before 1 May 2023, the VAT margin scheme can only be used if those vehicles are sold by 31‌‌‌ October 2023. The Institute is discussing the impact of this deadline with HMRC, and the need to extend it.   We are aware that many second-hand car dealers have significant pre-1 May 2023 vehicles in stock which are selling very slowly due to the ongoing inflationary crisis and general economic conditions.   If sold after 31‌‌‌ October 2023, VAT must be accounted for on the full selling price of the vehicles as the conditions for the new second-hand motor vehicle payment scheme, which only applies to eligible motor vehicles moved from Great Britain to Northern Ireland after 30 April 2023, will not be met. 

This year’s Secretary General tax report has been published providing an update on the progress on the OECD’s Two-Pillar Solution. The report also provides updates on recent work on indirect tax, tax transparency, and other areas of focus for the OECD. 

This week we bring you news of an extension to the work of the HMRC taskforce on clearing post more than 12 months old, and advice for finalising 2021/22 Self-Assessment (“SA”) returns which were filed with provisional figures/estimates. HMRC has also published new guidance on “negative earnings” and the regulations which give effect to changes in transfer pricing records have been laid. A new online tool is now available to check your tax code and updated guidance has been published on basis period reform together with the online form to obtain details of overlap relief which was launched today as expected. HMRC has also announced a forthcoming change to the functionality that enables agents to copy across existing VAT clients to their Agent Services Account (“ASA”) and has updated the Agent Standard, which sets out what HMRC expect from agents representing or advising taxpayers. Update on work of HMRC taskforce clearing post more than 12 months old  In July we outlined how HMRC had begun to implement its plans for dealing with agent post more than one year old which had not been responded to, and how agents could contact HMRC to action post more than a year old. Agents are able to use the Agent Account Manager team to escalate these cases via an online form. HMRC has since reviewed progress on this and has decided to continue with this work with no end date specified at present.   We would therefore encourage agents to use this process because although HMRC is identifying such post in its post queues, cases may be missed. We understand that once sufficient progress has been made on post more than 12 months, HMRC will then be seeking to address post in the 10-12 months old category.  2021/22 SA returns with provisional figures/estimates  Last month HMRC began sending letters to agents to encourage them to finalise any 2021/22 SA returns filed with provisional/estimates figures. HMRC is asking that these be amended by 30 November 2023 if actual figures are now available, or by 31 December 2023 if they are not yet available.   It should be noted however that this request does not displace the 31 January 2024 statutory date for amending these returns. Unfortunately, the agent letter does not include a list of affected clients, however HMRC can provide this on request by the agent.  Guidance on negative earnings  For the first time, HMRC has published guidance on negative earnings and clawback of bonuses. The guidance describes how employees may be able to claim an income tax refund.   Transfer pricing regulations  The Transfer Pricing Records Regulations 2023, which give effect to the record keeping requirements in the OECD’s 2022 Transfer Pricing Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises and Tax Administrations, were laid over the summer. These regulations introduce master file and local file as UK documentation requirements for multinationals with turnover of  €750 million or more and have effect for corporation tax purposes in relation to returns for accounting periods beginning on or after 1 April 2023, and for income tax purposes from the 2024/25 tax year.  New tool to check your tax code  HMRC recently launched a new online tool “Check what your tax code means” which aims to assist taxpayers with understanding their tax code and what it means for them. To check what a tax code means, taxpayers need their tax code to hand together with an estimate of their annual income including details of any benefits and pension income. This new tool also directs taxpayers to the relevant service to change their tax code in specific instances.   As this is a new tool, HMRC is seeking feedback on user experiences via a screen at the end of the tool. Although the new tool is helpful to taxpayers, Chartered Accountants Ireland continues to advocate that HMRC should develop an online process which enables agents to amend taxpayer codes for their clients.  Basis period reform  HMRC has published an updated guidance note on the basis period reform rules which commence with the changes required as a result of the transitional year 2023/24. From 2024/25, the current year basis of assessment will change to the tax year basis. More detailed guidance on basis period reform is available in HMRC’s Business Income Manual.  HMRC has also now launched the online form which enables a taxpayer or their agent to contact HMRC and request details of unused overlap. The need for HMRC to provide taxpayers with details of unused overlap relief was a recommendation of this Institute in its response to the consultation on basis period reform in summer 2021.  Change to Agent Services Account functionality  When using their ASA, agents can currently copy over existing client relationships for VAT and Income Tax Self-Assessment (ITSA) from their old Government Gateway ID. HMRC will be removing the functionality to do so in respect of VAT from October 2023. There is no change proposed to the functionality for copying ITSA clients to the ASA which will therefore remain in place.  Agents are therefore advised to ensure that existing VAT clients are copied across to their ASA before October. Once this functionality is removed, VAT clients must be authorised using the digital handshake authorisation route available in the ASA.  

Last week, the Institute, under the auspices of the CCAB-I, wrote to the Minister for Finance, Michael McGrath T.D., to highlight significant concerns our members have about the proposed introduction of Enhanced Reporting Requirements (ERR) which will require all employers to report to Revenue details of certain non-taxable benefits and payments to employees from 1 January 2024.   While it is accepted that employers already maintain records of the reportable benefits, integrating these records with a real-time filing requirement is a complex task and, in our view, unnecessary.   We have suggested that an annual return should be sufficient to provide Revenue with the necessary information while also taking into account the burden the reporting requirement will place on employers. Over the past number of months, we have been informing Tax News readers that employers will be required to report details of small benefits, travel and subsistence and remote working allowances paid to employees and directors from 1 January 2024. This new requirement was introduced in Finance Act 2022 and is set out in Section 897C TCA 1997.    As previously reported, in Tax News, representatives from the Institute, under the auspices of the CCAB-I, attend meetings of the Tax Administration Liaison Committee (TALC) Enhanced Reporting Requirements Subgroup and Main TALC to discuss the implementation of enhanced reporting requirements. At each meeting our representatives have raised their concerns around the practicality of real-time reporting as well as concerns with the additional costs for businesses associated with the new measures.  Revenue intends to hold information webinars on the new enhanced reporting requirements for employers commencing 14 September 2023. Invitations to attend the webinars will be delivered to the employer’s ROS inbox and an email notification is also to be provided.  CCAB-I will continue to liaise with Revenue and will inform members via Tax News. 

On 31 August 2023, Papua New Guinea deposited its instrument of ratification for the MLI (The Multilateral Convention to Implement Tax Treaty Related Measures to Prevent Base Erosion and Profit Shifting). Then on 5 September 2023, Romania confirmed the completion of its internal procedures in preparation for ratification of the MLI. 

We’d like to hear your views on HMRC’s consultation on the taxation of employee ownership trusts and employee benefit trusts. The consultation closes on 25 September 2023 and examines potential proposals to reform the tax treatment of each of these types of trust. Let us know your views before Monday 18 September 2023.  The aim of the consultation is to ensure that the tax regimes for these trusts remain focused on the targeted objectives of rewarding employees and encouraging employee ownership, whilst preventing tax advantages being obtained through use of these trusts outside of these intended purposes.   There’s also still time to let us know your views on the on the consultation examining potential new tax incentives for occupational health. We’d like to hear from you on this consultation by Friday 29 September 2023. 

In this week’s EU exit corner, we bring you the latest guidance updates and publications relevant to EU exit. Further guidance was published last week in relation to the Windsor Framework and the latest Trader Support Service bulletin is also available. And finally, we bring you more on the announcement last week that the UK has agreed a deal to associate to Horizon Europe.  Windsor Framework updated guidance  Last week HMRC published the following updated guidance documents (which includes guidance on moving parcels to and from Northern Ireland):-  The Windsor Framework - further detail and publications; Sending parcels to and from Northern Ireland;  Moving parcels from Great Britain to Northern Ireland under the Windsor Framework from 30 September 2024; and  The Customs (Northern Ireland) (EU Exit) (Amendment) Regulations 2023.  Horizon Europe  Last week the UK agreed a deal to associate to Horizon Europe, the EU's key funding programme for research and innovation. From 7 September 2023, UK researchers can bid into Horizon, certain that all successful UK applicants will be covered through the UK’s association (or through the guarantee) for the remainder of the programme. All calls in Work Programme 2024 will be covered by association and the UK guarantee scheme will be extended to cover all calls under Work Programme 2023.  For more information, see:- UK joins Horizon Europe under a new bespoke deal; and  Joint Statement by the European Commission and the UK Government on the UK’s association to Horizon Europe and Copernicus.  Miscellaneous updated guidance and publications   The following guidance, and publications relevant to EU exit are available:-  Customs declaration completion requirements for Great Britain;  Customs, VAT and excise UK transition legislation from 1 January 2021;  Reference Documents for The Customs Tariff (Preferential Trade Arrangements) (EU Exit) Regulations 2020;  Reference documents for The Customs (Reliefs from a Liability to Import Duty and Miscellaneous Amendments) (EU Exit) Regulations 2020;  Reference Documents for The Customs (Tariff Quotas) (EU Exit) Regulations 2020;  Reference document for authorised use: eligible goods and authorised uses;  Check simplified procedure value rates for fresh fruit and vegetables;  Apply for an Advance Origin Ruling;   Classifying edible fruit, vegetables and nuts for import and export;  Valuing imported fruit and vegetables using simplified procedure values with Method 4;  Check if a business holds Authorised Economic Operator status;  Notices made under the Customs (Import Duty) (EU Exit) Regulations 2018; and  Maritime ports and wharves location codes for Data Element 5/23 of the Customs Declaration Service. 

In Irish news this week, the Minister for Finance has welcomed growth in the domestic economy and Revenue has updated VAT guidance to reflect the application of the 13.5 percent rate of VAT from 1 September 2023. In UK news, HMRC interest rates increased again last month, and, in our lobbying update, read our letter to the Financial Secretary to the Treasury on changes to the geographical scope of agricultural property relief. In International news, the OECD has published a paper on the taxation of labour and capital.  Ireland While welcoming growth in Modified Domestic Demand in the second quarter of the year, the Minister for Finance noted that there were ‘several headwinds’ including constraints in infrastructure and slower growth among trading partners, and that it would be against this backdrop that Budget 2024 would be framed. Following the cessation of the temporary 9 percent VAT rate applying the goods and services in the tourism and hospitality sector on 31 August 2023, Revenue has updated several VAT Tax and Duty Manuals to reflect the application of the 13.5 percent rate of VAT from 1 September 2023. UK HMRC interest rates have increased again. In our lobbying update, read the Northern Ireland Tax Committee’s letter to the Financial Secretary to the Treasury on changes to the geographical scope of agricultural property relief. International The OECD has published a paper comparing the tax treatment of labour and capital income. Keep up to date with all the latest Irish, UK, and international tax developments through Chartered Accountants Ireland’s Tax Newsletter. Subscribe to the Tax News by updating your preferences in MyAccount. You can also read this week’s EU exit corner here which features news of the phasing in of exports moving from CHIEF to the Customs Declarations Service and a delay to the implementation of the new UK Border Target Operating Model for imports into the UK, including Ireland.          

The new Border Target Operating Model (BTOM), which was due to commence on a phased basis from the end of October 2023 for imports into the UK from the EU (excluding Northern Ireland), is being delayed, the UK Government is holding a series of sector specific online training sessions to prepare traders.  These include a session on 21 September 2023 dealing with exports from Ireland. More information on these events and how to register can be found at  https://www.eventbrite.com/cc/the-btom-what-are-the-sps-border-controls-2144279.

Revenue has updated the Tax and Duty Manual that deals with company reconstructions without change of ownership. Paragraphs 1 and 6 now reflect amendments made to section 400 TCA 1997 following the introduction of the Interest Limitation Rules in Part 35D in Finance Act 2021.

Revenue has updated the Tax and Duty Manual on the treatment of capital allowances where property is acquired jointly by spouses/civil partners and the expenditure is incurred by one spouse/civil partner. The guidance has been updated to confirm that this treatment is available where a property is purchased in joint names by a married couple or civil partners who are jointly assessed.