STEP attended a meeting with HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) and HM Treasury (HMT) last month to discuss the operation of the Trust Registration Service (TRS) and its progress, and the implementation of the EU’s Fifth Anti-Money Laundering Directive (5MLD). The following feedback was provided.
Operation of TRS
The TRS GOV.UK guidance should be published by the end of June 2018. The 22 November FAQs (hosted on STEP’s website) will not be updated in the meantime.
HMRC has allocated a 15-month timeframe to enhance the online functionality and make it more efficient for future service. It will be seeking volunteers to assist with piloting the new system shortly.
In situations where non-resident trustees have bought a UK property (and paid Stamp Duty Land Tax – SDLT), but have no UK income tax or capital gains, they should not be receiving demands for four years’ tax returns from HMRC. This will be addressed.
Named beneficiaries must be identified on the TRS, which is part of the EU Directive, and HMRC is constrained on this point.
HMRC is aware of the issue where the system requires the Unique Tax Reference (UTR), trust name or postcode to be matched to HMRC’s records, and access is being denied.
Delays to UTRs being received following registration of trusts and complex estates are being investigated.
HMRC will endeavour to produce more guidance on complex estates in the GOV.UK guidance.
The paper and online system will be amalgamated as soon as is practical.
HMRC is aware of the widespread dissatisfaction around the penalties, and has confirmed that it will take a soft approach this year.
HMRC introduced dummy variables to enable registration to proceed on the TRS, but will no longer accept them.
There will be no more trust registration deadline extensions in 2018.
HMRC is considering changing the March deadline to align with the Self-Assessment deadline, 31 March or 5 April.
The 28-day period to save and return data will be reviewed, and possibly extended.
The functionality is still not available to complete Q20 on the SA900, which should be left blank.
EU 5MLD
The EU’s 5MLD will extend the TRS to all UK express trusts and non-EU trusts that own UK real estate or have a business relationship with a UK Obliged Entity. The new Directive will require HMRC to share the trust data with Obliged Entities and anyone with a ‘legitimate interest’ – the latter term will be defined in full in due course. STEP is liaising with HMT on this.
HMT is planning to publish a policy consultation in winter 2018/19* that will last for eight weeks, followed by a consultation on draft legislation in spring 2019* that will last for four weeks.
5MLD is expected to come into law at EU level later in June 2018, with a transposition deadline of around December 2019, and an implementation deadline of around February 2020.
STEP will keep members apprised of any further developments.
*corrected date
