HMRC has recently clarified the rules for Making Tax Digital (MTD) for income tax in the context of the taxpayer having completely ceased their sole trade and/or property business before April 2026. The taxpayer (or their agent) should notify HMRC by phone or webchat if their 2024/25 income means that they would otherwise be within MTD for income tax from April 2026 but they ceased both these sources in 2025/26. Cessations must also be recorded on the 2025/26 self-assessment (SA) return as normal. By way of reminder, taxpayers must use MTD for income tax from April 2026 if their combined gross income from any sole trades or property businesses (MTD sources) conducted in 2024/25 exceeded £50,000, unless they ceased all their MTD sources in that year. As set out earlier, for complete cessations in 2025/26 the taxpayer or their agent should call or use webchat to inform HMRC of the cessation which should make clear that there is a cessation of all MTD sources.  HMRC will subsequently confirm that the taxpayer is not required to use MTD income tax for 2026/27 onwards and will update the taxpayer’s record to reflect this. Written confirmation will also be sent to the person who notified HMRC of the cessation, though there may be a delay in receiving this. HMRC can also be notified of cessations by letter, though HMRC has advised that telephone or webchat are preferrable.   If all MTD sources have not ceased, taxpayers still need to use Making Tax Digital for income tax from 6 April 2026. After signing up, they will be able to enter the end date of the ceased business using HMRC’s online service and they must also report the cessation as normal in their 2025/26 SA return. HMRC has updated its guidance on cessations as follows: Work out your qualifying income for Making Tax Digital for Income Tax, Use Making Tax Digital for Income Tax - If your circumstances change – Guidance, and Use Making Tax Digital for Income Tax - Guidance - GOV.UK.

In this week’s detailed miscellaneous updates which you can read more about below, we update you on a range of matters including HMRC’s guidance recently published on the treatment of statutory sick pay (SSP) where a sickness absence includes time before and after the changes to SSP from 6 April 2026. In addition to the SSP changes, readers should also note the following updates: HMRC is holding a webinar later this week on payroll annual reports and tasks, In a recent guidance update, HMRC has confirmed that with effect for all previous and future tax years, employers are no longer required to report non-tax advantaged Employment Related Securities data if the employee is a short term business visitor who is covered by an EP Appendix 4 arrangement and no UK income tax or NIC would be due, An exemption from income tax on income earned in the UK by certain non-UK resident individuals in connection with the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games has been provided by draft secondary legislation, and The exemption from electronic filing of expenses and benefits forms for employers who cease to trade during a tax year (or insolvency practitioners who act on their behalf) has been put on a statutory footing with effect from 6 April 2026. Changes to SSP and sickness absences starting before and ending after 6 April 2025 HMRC has published guidance about the changes to SSP from 6 April 2026 and the impact this has on sickness absences which started before and end on or after the changes came into effect. From 6 April 2026, SSP: is available to all eligible employees regardless of their earnings, is payable from the first full day of sickness absence, and is paid at the lower of 80 percent of an employee’s average weekly earnings (AWE) or the weekly flat rate of £123.25. Employers are advised to: review their sickness absence policies, check their payroll provider is prepared, and share the changes with employees. Detailed guidance on how to treat SSP has also been published for sickness absences that started before and end on or after 6 April 2026.

In this week’s cross-border trading corner, we bring you the latest guidance updates and publications. The most recent Trader Support Service bulletin is also available as is the latest Brexit and Beyond newsletter from the Northern Ireland Assembly EU Affairs team. The House of Lords also recently debated the  Northern Ireland Scrutiny Committee Report ‘Northern Ireland after Brexit: Strengthening Northern Ireland’s voice in the context of the Windsor Framework’ and the House of Lords European Affairs Committee recently held an initial evidence session on its new inquiry on Dynamic Alignment. Miscellaneous guidance updates and publications This week’s miscellaneous guidance updates and publications are as follows: Community and Common Transit UK offices list, Regulated aerodrome location codes for Data Element 5/23 of the Customs Declaration Service, External temporary storage facilities codes for Data Element 5/23 of the Customs Declaration Service, Data Element 2/3: Documents and Other Reference Codes (Union) of the Customs Declaration Service (CDS), CDS Declaration Completion Instructions for Exports, Appendix 2: DE 1/11: Additional Procedure Codes, Simplified Process for Internal Market Movements (SPIMM) and UK Carrier (UKC) Scheme: Additional Procedure Codes, and Data Element 2/3: Documents and Other Reference Codes (National) of the Customs Declaration Service (CDS).

Revenue has published new guidance on the tax treatment of payments and other benefits provided by a voluntary body. The guidance highlights key areas such as the tax treatment of travel and subsistence, payments to volunteers, and expense reimbursements.

Revenue has updated its guidance on the Charitable Donation Scheme to include an appendix illustrating the interaction of medical expenses claims and an approved body’s entitlement to relief on donations under section 848A TCA 1997.

Revenue has published new and updated guidance on the treatment of leases for stamp duty. The guidance notes on the schedules and appendices to the Stamp Duties Consolidation Act 1999 (SDCA 1999) have also been updated and incorporate all subsequent legislation changes up to and including Finance Act 2025. The updates to the stamp duty manuals include: Updated guidance on Part 5 TDM: Provisions applicable to particular instruments. New guidance on Part 5: Provisions applicable to particular instruments - Leases Updated guidance on Schedule 1 TDM: Stamp Duties on Instruments. New guidance on Schedule 1: LEASE Head of Charge.  

Revenue has published updated guidance on farm consolidation relief and the repayment of stamp duty where land is used for residential development to reflect amendments introduced by Finance Act 2025. The amendments include an extension of the reliefs to 31 December 2029 and 31 December 2030 respectively. The following Finance Act 2025 changes have been reflected in the guidance on the repayment of stamp duty where land is used for residential development: An extension of the relevant time limits on acquisition to commencement, and commencement to completion from 30 months to 36 months for large-scale residential developments (LRDs), To allow for a full repayment of stamp duty to be claimed in respect of a multi-phase development once the first phase commences, To provide that Revenue will be precluded from repaying stamp duty if any of the conditions to avoid a clawback of a repayment are not met, and To provide that where a residential development is carried out in phases and a repayment is claimed in respect of the entire residential development, the last phase must be completed within 30 months of the date of the commencement to avoid a clawback (36 months in the case of LRDs). Finance Act 2025 also provided for the farm consolidation relief to be extended to include transfers of non-commercial woodland in cases where the person acquiring the land intends to retain ownership of it, and use it for conservation purposes, for a period of five years. In addition, the examples in the guidance have been updated to provide greater clarity on how the relief operates in respect of multiple transactions.  

Revenue has published updated pension guidance relating to employer contributions providing clarification on ‘special’ contributions, contribution refunds and the minimum contribution requirements under the  Automatic Enrolment Retirement Savings Scheme. Where a contribution is a special contribution, generally there is a requirement for the relevant allowance to be spread over a period of years. The guidance now states that spreading the allowance is not required where an employer’s special contributions in a chargeable period do not exceed its ordinary annual contributions. The guidance also confirms that pension schemes may refund employer contributions paid in error without Revenue approval, provided the period over which the overpayment occurred was less than a year. However, if an employer has taken a tax deduction for the amount overpaid, any amount repaid will be taxable under section 782 TCA 1997. The table in paragraph 4.1 of the guidance outlines the minimum pension contribution levels required to ensure an employee is not enrolled in the Automatic Enrolment Retirement Savings System.

The Department of Finance and the Department of Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation have published the Fiscal Monitor for March 2026 which confirms an exchequer deficit of €0.2 billion in the first quarter of 2026. This compares to a surplus of €4.1 billion recorded for the same period last year. Although the underlying Exchequer balance fell by €1.2 billion (excluding Apple State Aid receipts), this decline is largely attributable to transfers to the Future Ireland Fund and the Infrastructure, Climate and Nature Fund. The combined tax receipts collected in the first quarter of 2026 were €22.6 billion. While this was €1.0 billion lower than the same period last year, if the once off receipts arising from the Apple case are excluded, then total tax receipts were up on last year by €0.7 billion. Income tax receipts for the quarter were €8.7 billion which was an improvement of €0.5 billion (6.1 percent) on the same period in 2025. Corporation tax receipts of €2.1 billion were collected in the month of March which was an increase on the same month last year by €0.1 billion. On a cumulative basis, receipts of €2.9 billion were marginally lower than the first quarter in 2025, down by €0.1 billion. VAT receipts for the first quarter of 2026 were €8.0 billion ahead of the same period last year by €0.4 billion. Commenting on the figures, Tánaiste and Minister for Finance, Simon Harris said: “All in all, the performance of tax revenues in the first quarter of the year was robust. The continued strength in income tax and VAT is a testament to the fundamental resilience of the Irish economy. This is of course a period of profound uncertainty. The uncertainty in the international environment also underlines the importance of keeping our approach to overall budgetary policy balanced and sustainable. This is the best way to ensure we have the necessary resources to respond swiftly and decisively to future challenges”

Revenue issued a press release last week confirming that it will work with taxpayers that have been adversely impacted by the rise in fuel and other costs to ensure that good compliance records can be maintained. In the press release, Revenue outlined its strong track record in successfully agreeing flexible and appropriate payment arrangements where businesses are facing temporary cash flow difficulties. Taxpayers are encouraged to continue filing returns on time and to engage with Revenue early if they are experiencing or anticipating difficulties in paying tax, so that mutually suitable arrangements can be agreed. Revenue’s Collector-General Division can be contacted on 01 738 3663, or through MyEnquiries.

The FISC Subcommittee will discuss a draft report on the feasibility of a 28th tax regime and its potential to support EU competitiveness on Thursday 16 April 2026. The focus will be on considering taxation aspects that could be included in the EU Commission’s recently proposed 28th regime corporate legal framework - ‘EU INC.'

On Thursday 16 April 2026 the FISC Subcommittee will discuss proposed amendments to the draft report on a coherent tax framework for the EU's financial sector. The draft report considers the competitiveness implications of fragmentation arising from the VAT exemption for financial services in the EU.