UK Spring Budget: key updates for STEP’s members

The Chancellor’s Spring Budget coincided with a challenging set of global circumstances. The collapse of Silicon Valley Bank just days prior emphasised the need for economic confidence, investment and growth here in the United Kingdom. Coined as the ’back-to-work’ Budget, the Chancellor’s focus was on incentivising the skilled workforce to remain in work longer. Among… Read More UK Spring Budget: key updates for STEP’s members

HMRC releases report on its review of powers to uphold its standard for agents

The UK’s HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) has recently published a review of its powers to tackle poor agent behaviour and uphold standards for its agents. This follows an HMRC call for evidence in 2020 about raising standards in the tax advice market, which STEP responded to. STEP also replied to the consultation through the… Read More HMRC releases report on its review of powers to uphold its standard for agents

The five most common reporting errors for trusts to avoid

HM Revenue & Custom’s (HMRC) compliance team has identified the five most common errors made by UK administered trusts which are Financial Institutions (FIs) when fulfilling their obligations under the International Tax Compliance Regulations 2015. These obligations relate to Automatic Exchange of Information (AEOI) which includes the Common Reporting Standard (CRS) and the Foreign Account… Read More The five most common reporting errors for trusts to avoid

STEP attends Global Tax Advisers Platform conference in Turin

STEP attended the Global Tax Advisers Platform (GTAP)’s inaugural conference ‘Tax & the Future’ in Turin, Italy last week, alongside many leading European tax advisors. The event was hosted by the foundation of Confédération Fiscale Européenne (CFE) Tax Advisers Europe, which was celebrating its 60th anniversary (press release). The GTAP was set up by the… Read More STEP attends Global Tax Advisers Platform conference in Turin

House of Lords report criticises HMRC’s treatment of taxpayers

The House of Lords Economic Affairs Committee has found that HMRC is failing to guarantee fairness for taxpayers by failing to differentiate between users of sophisticated tax avoidance schemes and ordinary citizens who break the law through uninformed or naive actions. In its report, The Powers of HMRC: Treating Taxpayers Fairly (PDF), the committee found… Read More House of Lords report criticises HMRC’s treatment of taxpayers

OTS report supports STEP’s calls for simplification

The UK Office of Tax Simplification (OTS) has published its first report of its review into inheritance tax (IHT).  The report, in which STEP is widely quoted, finds that the process for completing IHT forms is too complex and old fashioned, and that too many people are having to fill them in unnecessarily. The OTS… Read More OTS report supports STEP’s calls for simplification

STEP Annual Tax Conference looks at deemed domiciliaries

STEP hosted the last in this autumn’s series of Annual Tax Conferences on 21 October in London. Some outstanding STEP members spoke on topical matters including John Barnett TEP, Emma Chamberlain TEP, Robert Jamieson TEP, Edward Stone TEP, Paula Tallon and Chris Whitehouse TEP. Emma Chamberlain provided a much needed update on deemed domiciliaries –… Read More STEP Annual Tax Conference looks at deemed domiciliaries