Saturday 31 December 2016

Arise Sir Ken!

https://twitter.com/oldmudgie/status/815106517133393920

Tax does have to be taxing.

Professional Cover Against the Threat of Costly TAX and VAT Investigations

Insurance to protect you against the cost of enquiry or dispute with HMRC is available from several sources including Solar Tax Investigation Insurance.

Ken Frost has negotiated a 10% discount on any polices that may suit your needs.

However, neither Ken Frost nor HMRCISSHITE either endorses or recommends their services.

What is Solar Tax Investigation Insurance?

Solar Tax Investigation Insurance is a tax-fee protection service that will pay up to £75,000 towards your accountant's fees in the event of an HM Revenue & Customs full enquiry or dispute.

To find out more, please use this link Solar Tax Investigation Insurance



HMRC Is Shite (www.hmrcisshite.com), also available via the domain www.hmrconline.com, is brought to you by www.kenfrost.com "The Living Brand"

Friday 30 December 2016

'Tis The Season!



Tax does have to be taxing.

Professional Cover Against the Threat of Costly TAX and VAT Investigations

Insurance to protect you against the cost of enquiry or dispute with HMRC is available from several sources including Solar Tax Investigation Insurance.

Ken Frost has negotiated a 10% discount on any polices that may suit your needs.

However, neither Ken Frost nor HMRCISSHITE either endorses or recommends their services.

What is Solar Tax Investigation Insurance?

Solar Tax Investigation Insurance is a tax-fee protection service that will pay up to £75,000 towards your accountant's fees in the event of an HM Revenue & Customs full enquiry or dispute.

To find out more, please use this link Solar Tax Investigation Insurance



HMRC Is Shite (www.hmrcisshite.com), also available via the domain www.hmrconline.com, is brought to you by www.kenfrost.com "The Living Brand"

Friday 23 December 2016

Merry Christmas


My thanks to a loyal reader for this most excellent suggestion wrt what to do to FIFA in memory of those who lost their lives in the previous world wars:
"OLD POPPIES

If you still have your old poppy please put it in an envelope and post it without a stamp or your details to

FIFA
Strasse 20
PO BOX 8044
Zurich
Switzerland

they have to pay the postage ironically
given their disgusting application of fines by claiming Poppies to be political FFS!

Members of HMRC's predecessor Departments lost their lives in 2 World Wars. A fact that puts the actions of today's HMRC management to shame.


So, seasons greetings to Ken and all his readers and FECK FIFA.
"
I would like to take this opportunity to wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a peaceful 2017.

Tax does have to be taxing.

Professional Cover Against the Threat of Costly TAX and VAT Investigations

Insurance to protect you against the cost of enquiry or dispute with HMRC is available from several sources including Solar Tax Investigation Insurance.

Ken Frost has negotiated a 10% discount on any polices that may suit your needs.

However, neither Ken Frost nor HMRCISSHITE either endorses or recommends their services.

What is Solar Tax Investigation Insurance?

Solar Tax Investigation Insurance is a tax-fee protection service that will pay up to £75,000 towards your accountant's fees in the event of an HM Revenue & Customs full enquiry or dispute.

To find out more, please use this link Solar Tax Investigation Insurance



HMRC Is Shite (www.hmrcisshite.com), also available via the domain www.hmrconline.com, is brought to you by www.kenfrost.com "The Living Brand"

Wednesday 14 December 2016

HMRC anti-money laundering supervision goes online


HMRC will be launching online anti money laundering supervision system in 2017.

In 2017 HMRC is introducing an online, digital system for anti-money laundering supervision. When it launches, businesses will be able to register and renew online.

The online system will:
  • allow all registrations, renewals, updates and payments to be made online
  • reduce errors and ‘rejected’ applications - these will be flagged instantly by the new system, avoiding forms being returned for re-submission
  • better meet customer needs - this has been possible through asking businesses to test the system and tell us how they think it should work.
Currently we ask businesses registering for the first time to complete their form online, print it off and post it to us. Businesses renewing their registration are sent a letter and asked to respond by post. We know that this causes delays.

A selection of customers have been helping us develop the system over the last year. We’re still asking customers to use the system and provide feedback, helping us refine it further.

Using the system for the first time will involve a one-off completion of your details.

This is the same if you are already registered with HMRC or if you are registering with us for the first time. Don’t worry if you don’t have everything to hand as you’ll be able to save your entries and come back to them for up to 28 days.

When you come to renew a year later, your details will be stored and the process will be quick, easy and completely paperless.

We’ll be communicating with customers when the system is ready to launch.

To use the new system you’ll need an online ID. If you don’t have an ID, you can register at Government Gateway online.



Tax does have to be taxing.

Professional Cover Against the Threat of Costly TAX and VAT Investigations

Insurance to protect you against the cost of enquiry or dispute with HMRC is available from several sources including Solar Tax Investigation Insurance.

Ken Frost has negotiated a 10% discount on any polices that may suit your needs.

However, neither Ken Frost nor HMRCISSHITE either endorses or recommends their services.

What is Solar Tax Investigation Insurance?

Solar Tax Investigation Insurance is a tax-fee protection service that will pay up to £75,000 towards your accountant's fees in the event of an HM Revenue & Customs full enquiry or dispute.

To find out more, please use this link Solar Tax Investigation Insurance



HMRC Is Shite (www.hmrcisshite.com), also available via the domain www.hmrconline.com, is brought to you by www.kenfrost.com "The Living Brand"

Tuesday 13 December 2016

HMRC Hides Behind Commercial Interests


HMRC have responded to my FOI request submitted 7 October, about DEC.

I reproduce the full text of their response below.

As you can see most of my queries have not been answered:
"we believe that disclosure would prejudice HMRC's commercial interests"
The "irony" being that they manage to not answer my queries late!

"Dear Mr Frost

Freedom of Information Act 2000 (FOIA)

I am writing regarding your request for information dated 7 October 2016. I am sorry for the delay in replying. In your request you asked for the following information with regard to Digital Evidence Capability (DEC):-

1. What is Digital Evidence Capability in the context of Counter-Avoidance and can you verify its existence?
2. How much has it cost the taxpayer to date and when did development of the system begin?
3. Is it being actively used within Counter Avoidance for tracking avoidance cases and if so, how many cases are currently on the system?
4. Has the system generated any avoidance cases that have been pursued?
5. Is Mark Nellthorp responsible for managing the development of the system?

Development of the Digital Evidence Capability system (DEC) began in 2014. The objective of DEC is to provide a single IT system for litigation teams in Solicitors Office and the Counter-Avoidance Directorate to manage evidence relating to avoidance cases electronically. As the system is still in development, it is not in active use. DEC is not intended to "generate" avoidance cases. The Senior Responsible Officer for managing the development of DEC is not Mark Nellthorp.

HMRC holds the information requested on the costs of the system to date but it is being withheld. The exemption that applies is section 43(2) FOIA because we believe that disclosure would prejudice HMRC's commercial interests. This is because the requested information largely relates to work undertaken by Cap Gemini under HMRC’s Aspire contract and, combined with information possessed by IT contractors who have worked on the DEC system, might enable individuals to estimate day rates and profit margins.

Section 43 is qualified exemption so I must consider whether the balance of the public interest favours maintaining the exemption.

I accept there is a strong public interest in HMRC being accountable for its decisions and that it is as
Director: David Richardson

transparent as possible about the ways in which it makes those decisions. When a Government department enters into contracts with commercial entities, the public have a right to know that the public purse is being expended wisely and that departments are getting value for money. Disclosing the requested information would demonstrate HMRC’s wil ingness to be open about its contractual arrangements.

Whilst there is a strong public interest in HMRC being accountable for its decisions, it should be noted that the department is subject to regular scrutiny by bodies such as The National Audit Office, the Public Accounts Committee and the Treasury Select Committee. Through this scrutiny, the effectiveness of HMRC’s strategic decisions can be chal enged to ensure HMRC is accountable.

Disclosure of such commercial y sensitive information could weaken our partners’ position in a competitive environment and could also harm the relationship between them and the Department. This would in itself undermine the commercial interests of both parties and potentially the efficacy of our contracts. Furthermore it could have an inhibiting effect on other third parties currently, or potentially, doing business with the Government and therefore on the Government’s ability to secure value for money which is against the public interest. Release of information which could damage companies commercially would discourage them from dealing with the public sector and would undermine the necessary mutual trust and respect between private and public sector partners.

So, on balance I consider the public interest favours maintaining the exemption.

I can assure you though that HMRC is focused on getting value for money in the development of the IT system. Most of the IT development work is now being undertaken in-house and we are ensuring that all IT contractors working on the project provide value for money.

To be helpful, and outside of the FOIA, you might like to be aware of ‘HMRC’s digital blog’ where you can find out news about our progress and information on specific digital projects - https://hmrcdigital.blog.gov.uk/about-us/. On the 12 Feb 2016, Kristian Miller HMRC's Head of IT Strategy, shared a copy of HMRC’s long term IT vision which included a reference to DEC. This can be found at: - https://hmrcdigital.blog.gov.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/20/2016/02/HMRC-IT- Strategy-2016.pdf

If you are not happy with this reply you may request a review by emailing [email address], or by post to HMRC FOI Team, Room 1C/23, 100 Parliament Street London SW1A 2BQ. You must request a review within 2 months of the date of this letter. It would help us carry out our review if you set out the aspects of the reply that concern you and why you are dissatisfied.

If you are not content with the outcome of an internal review, you can complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO). The ICO wil not usual y consider a case unless you have exhausted the internal review procedure provided by HMRC. You can make a complaint through the ICO’s website at: www.ico.org.uk, or by post to: Information Commissioner’s Office, Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire SK9 5AF.

Yours sincerely "

Tax does have to be taxing.

Professional Cover Against the Threat of Costly TAX and VAT Investigations

Insurance to protect you against the cost of enquiry or dispute with HMRC is available from several sources including Solar Tax Investigation Insurance.

Ken Frost has negotiated a 10% discount on any polices that may suit your needs.

However, neither Ken Frost nor HMRCISSHITE either endorses or recommends their services.

What is Solar Tax Investigation Insurance?

Solar Tax Investigation Insurance is a tax-fee protection service that will pay up to £75,000 towards your accountant's fees in the event of an HM Revenue & Customs full enquiry or dispute.

To find out more, please use this link Solar Tax Investigation Insurance



HMRC Is Shite (www.hmrcisshite.com), also available via the domain www.hmrconline.com, is brought to you by www.kenfrost.com "The Living Brand"

Monday 12 December 2016

HMRC Moves To Barclays Canary Wharf


HMRC will be one of the government organisations moving staff out of Whitehall and into new offices in Canary Wharf.

The Cabinet Office announced last week that almost 6,000 full-time civil service and public sector jobs are to move from central London to 10 South Colonnade, Canary Wharf by 2018. The site will be leased from Barclays for 15 years.

Civil Service World notes that job ads posted on Civil Service Jobs in recent days make clear that HMRC will be one of those shifting staff across the capital.
"Please note that the London office (100 Parliament Street) will be moving to a transitional site in summer 2017.

The location will be 10 South Colonnade, London, E14 4PU."
Not everyone will move, an HMRC briefing note issued a while ago said:
"Of course, the work that we do means that a small number of us will always need to be near ministers.

That's why we're going to keep 100 Parliament Street, although fewer of us will work there. The space we vacate will be used by other government departments."

Fortunately, unlike other HMRC property contracts, HMRC does not face the embarrassment of dealing with a tax avoiding company. Barclays shut its tax avoidance unit in 2013.

Tax does have to be taxing.

Professional Cover Against the Threat of Costly TAX and VAT Investigations

Insurance to protect you against the cost of enquiry or dispute with HMRC is available from several sources including Solar Tax Investigation Insurance.

Ken Frost has negotiated a 10% discount on any polices that may suit your needs.

However, neither Ken Frost nor HMRCISSHITE either endorses or recommends their services.

What is Solar Tax Investigation Insurance?

Solar Tax Investigation Insurance is a tax-fee protection service that will pay up to £75,000 towards your accountant's fees in the event of an HM Revenue & Customs full enquiry or dispute.

To find out more, please use this link Solar Tax Investigation Insurance



HMRC Is Shite (www.hmrcisshite.com), also available via the domain www.hmrconline.com, is brought to you by www.kenfrost.com "The Living Brand"

Thursday 8 December 2016

New FOI Submitted Re DEC Communications


The progress (or otherwise) of the new FOI can be viewed here:

DEC Communications Records


Tax does have to be taxing.

Professional Cover Against the Threat of Costly TAX and VAT Investigations

Insurance to protect you against the cost of enquiry or dispute with HMRC is available from several sources including Solar Tax Investigation Insurance.

Ken Frost has negotiated a 10% discount on any polices that may suit your needs.

However, neither Ken Frost nor HMRCISSHITE either endorses or recommends their services.

What is Solar Tax Investigation Insurance?

Solar Tax Investigation Insurance is a tax-fee protection service that will pay up to £75,000 towards your accountant's fees in the event of an HM Revenue & Customs full enquiry or dispute.

To find out more, please use this link Solar Tax Investigation Insurance



HMRC Is Shite (www.hmrcisshite.com), also available via the domain www.hmrconline.com, is brought to you by www.kenfrost.com "The Living Brand"

Wednesday 7 December 2016

MTD and Concentrix - Appalling Human Consequences


Unsurprisingly the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) has expressed serious concerns about HMRC's digital policy.

Digitising the Tax System (MTD)


PAC is quoted by Accountancy Age:
HMRC is staking a great deal on the success of its plans to digitise the tax system, but once again it lacks an adequate plan if demand for its call centres does not reduce as quickly as it hopes.” 
MTD “must” meet the challenges of cutting spending, restructuring its business, dealing with Brexit, relocating staff, and replacing a major IT contract.

Also, HMRC must agree on a contingency plan with HM Treasury in case its projections are inaccurate. Meg Hillier, MP, chair of the PAC, added:
Contingency planning should not be an optional extra.

HMRC plays a vital role, it is disconcerting that again we must raise concerns about customer service and transparency in the tax system. The lack of a convincing fall-back plan to safeguard service remains a looming threat.” 

“Complete failure” of Concentrix


The Concentrix farce also came in for a well desrved kicking.

There has been “unnecessary hardship and suffering” due to the “complete failure” of the contract of HMRC with Concentrix. The actions of Concentrix resulted in many tax claimants being wrongly accused of fraudulent claims and lost their payments.

Hillier added:
We look forward to meaningful action to prevent a repeat of the failings embodied by its contract with Concentrix, a venture with appalling human consequences.”
Let's see what the future will bring!

Tax does have to be taxing.

Professional Cover Against the Threat of Costly TAX and VAT Investigations

Insurance to protect you against the cost of enquiry or dispute with HMRC is available from several sources including Solar Tax Investigation Insurance.

Ken Frost has negotiated a 10% discount on any polices that may suit your needs.

However, neither Ken Frost nor HMRCISSHITE either endorses or recommends their services.

What is Solar Tax Investigation Insurance?

Solar Tax Investigation Insurance is a tax-fee protection service that will pay up to £75,000 towards your accountant's fees in the event of an HM Revenue & Customs full enquiry or dispute.

To find out more, please use this link Solar Tax Investigation Insurance



HMRC Is Shite (www.hmrcisshite.com), also available via the domain www.hmrconline.com, is brought to you by www.kenfrost.com "The Living Brand"

Tuesday 6 December 2016

Transparent HMRC Salaries



Tax does have to be taxing.

Professional Cover Against the Threat of Costly TAX and VAT Investigations

Insurance to protect you against the cost of enquiry or dispute with HMRC is available from several sources including Solar Tax Investigation Insurance.

Ken Frost has negotiated a 10% discount on any polices that may suit your needs.

However, neither Ken Frost nor HMRCISSHITE either endorses or recommends their services.

What is Solar Tax Investigation Insurance?

Solar Tax Investigation Insurance is a tax-fee protection service that will pay up to £75,000 towards your accountant's fees in the event of an HM Revenue & Customs full enquiry or dispute.

To find out more, please use this link Solar Tax Investigation Insurance



HMRC Is Shite (www.hmrcisshite.com), also available via the domain www.hmrconline.com, is brought to you by www.kenfrost.com "The Living Brand"

Monday 5 December 2016

ICO Tightens HMRC FOI Deadline


This recently in from the Information Commissioner's Office:
"Dear Mr Frost

Thank you for bringing your complaint to the Commissioner's attention.

I have spoken to HMRC today and advised them that a response should be issued within the next ten working days.

In the event that you do not receive a response by close of business on Tuesday 13 December 2016 please contact me by email or on the number below.


Yours sincerely

****
Lead case officer"

Tax does have to be taxing.

Professional Cover Against the Threat of Costly TAX and VAT Investigations

Insurance to protect you against the cost of enquiry or dispute with HMRC is available from several sources including Solar Tax Investigation Insurance.

Ken Frost has negotiated a 10% discount on any polices that may suit your needs.

However, neither Ken Frost nor HMRCISSHITE either endorses or recommends their services.

What is Solar Tax Investigation Insurance?

Solar Tax Investigation Insurance is a tax-fee protection service that will pay up to £75,000 towards your accountant's fees in the event of an HM Revenue & Customs full enquiry or dispute.

To find out more, please use this link Solar Tax Investigation Insurance



HMRC Is Shite (www.hmrcisshite.com), also available via the domain www.hmrconline.com, is brought to you by www.kenfrost.com "The Living Brand"

Friday 2 December 2016

HMRC Takes Over The Gateway


The UK Government Gateway that drives online tax filing and numerous other interactions, ranging from pension scheme returns to child maintenance records, has been put to HMRC’s hands.

Theresa May confirmed that “responsibility for the government gateway will transfer from the Department for Work and Pensions to Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs. This change will be effective immediately.”

A spokesman for the tax department told AccountingWeb:
Nine out of 10 gateway transactions relate to HMRC, so it makes sense for us to have ownership of it.
Oh, and by the way, the gateway fell over on Wednesday morning (30 November)!

Tax does have to be taxing.

Professional Cover Against the Threat of Costly TAX and VAT Investigations

Insurance to protect you against the cost of enquiry or dispute with HMRC is available from several sources including Solar Tax Investigation Insurance.

Ken Frost has negotiated a 10% discount on any polices that may suit your needs.

However, neither Ken Frost nor HMRCISSHITE either endorses or recommends their services.

What is Solar Tax Investigation Insurance?

Solar Tax Investigation Insurance is a tax-fee protection service that will pay up to £75,000 towards your accountant's fees in the event of an HM Revenue & Customs full enquiry or dispute.

To find out more, please use this link Solar Tax Investigation Insurance



HMRC Is Shite (www.hmrcisshite.com), also available via the domain www.hmrconline.com, is brought to you by www.kenfrost.com "The Living Brand"

Thursday 1 December 2016

HMRC's View of Due Process



Tax does have to be taxing.

Professional Cover Against the Threat of Costly TAX and VAT Investigations

Insurance to protect you against the cost of enquiry or dispute with HMRC is available from several sources including Solar Tax Investigation Insurance.

Ken Frost has negotiated a 10% discount on any polices that may suit your needs.

However, neither Ken Frost nor HMRCISSHITE either endorses or recommends their services.

What is Solar Tax Investigation Insurance?

Solar Tax Investigation Insurance is a tax-fee protection service that will pay up to £75,000 towards your accountant's fees in the event of an HM Revenue & Customs full enquiry or dispute.

To find out more, please use this link Solar Tax Investigation Insurance



HMRC Is Shite (www.hmrcisshite.com), also available via the domain www.hmrconline.com, is brought to you by www.kenfrost.com "The Living Brand"

Tuesday 29 November 2016

HMRC Moves To India



Place North West reports that HMRC has selected India Buildings as the preferred location for its new Liverpool home, leasing the majority of the office space within the 350,000 sq ft landmark property.

In Liverpool, HMRC currently occupies Graeme House, Regian House, Imperial Court and The Triad in Bootle.

The grade two-listed India Buildings was sold in January by Green Property to Shelborn Asset Management for £17m, and at the time was 80% vacant.

India Buildings dominates Liverpool’s traditional office district and occupies an entire block at Water Street and Brunswick Street in the heart of the commercial centre. The gross internal floor area is 500,000 sq ft and includes the Holt’s shopping arcade on the ground floor.

Quoted rent at India Buildings is £16.50/sq ft. However, the building would be extensively refurbished both internally and externally in advance of HMRC taking occupancy.

Worthington Owen is the agent for India, while JLL is advising the Government on its estate strategy.

Tax does have to be taxing.

Professional Cover Against the Threat of Costly TAX and VAT Investigations

Insurance to protect you against the cost of enquiry or dispute with HMRC is available from several sources including Solar Tax Investigation Insurance.

Ken Frost has negotiated a 10% discount on any polices that may suit your needs.

However, neither Ken Frost nor HMRCISSHITE either endorses or recommends their services.

What is Solar Tax Investigation Insurance?

Solar Tax Investigation Insurance is a tax-fee protection service that will pay up to £75,000 towards your accountant's fees in the event of an HM Revenue & Customs full enquiry or dispute.

To find out more, please use this link Solar Tax Investigation Insurance



HMRC Is Shite (www.hmrcisshite.com), also available via the domain www.hmrconline.com, is brought to you by www.kenfrost.com "The Living Brand"

Monday 28 November 2016

HMRC's Snoopers' Charter



Under the The Investigatory Powers Bill (recently approved by the House of Lords) internet providers will be forced to keep a full record of every site that each one of its customers has visited.

Amongst the plethora of government departments that then will be able to snoop on our activities is HMRC.

Consumers’ internet connections records (ICRs) will be kept for 12 months and law enforcement agencies will be allowed to access them during that period, giving them the ability to check if a suspect has accessed illegal services online.

Doubtless any snooping by HMRC will be perfectly legitimate etc. However, the risk of hacking is high.

James Blessing, chairman of the Internet Service Providers' Association, is quoted in economia:
It only takes one bad actor to go in there and get the entire database.

You can try every conceivable thing in the entire world to [protect it] but somebody will still outsmart you.”
Let's see how this all works out then!

Tax does have to be taxing.

Professional Cover Against the Threat of Costly TAX and VAT Investigations

Insurance to protect you against the cost of enquiry or dispute with HMRC is available from several sources including Solar Tax Investigation Insurance.

Ken Frost has negotiated a 10% discount on any polices that may suit your needs.

However, neither Ken Frost nor HMRCISSHITE either endorses or recommends their services.

What is Solar Tax Investigation Insurance?

Solar Tax Investigation Insurance is a tax-fee protection service that will pay up to £75,000 towards your accountant's fees in the event of an HM Revenue & Customs full enquiry or dispute.

To find out more, please use this link Solar Tax Investigation Insurance



HMRC Is Shite (www.hmrcisshite.com), also available via the domain www.hmrconline.com, is brought to you by www.kenfrost.com "The Living Brand"

Friday 25 November 2016

FOI Response Expected By 19 December 2016

 
 
Those of you following my FOI request to HMRC wrt DEC, may be interested to know that some form of response will emerge from the HMRC bunker by 19 December:
"HM Revenue and Customs
Thank you for your correspondence requesting an internal review of a request made to HMRC under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (reference FOI 2016/00034).

A review will be carried out and we expect to provide the review response by 19 December 2016

Thank you

HMRC
Freedom of Information Act Team


show quoted sections"

Tax does have to be taxing.

Professional Cover Against the Threat of Costly TAX and VAT Investigations

Insurance to protect you against the cost of enquiry or dispute with HMRC is available from several sources including Solar Tax Investigation Insurance.

Ken Frost has negotiated a 10% discount on any polices that may suit your needs.

However, neither Ken Frost nor HMRCISSHITE either endorses or recommends their services.

What is Solar Tax Investigation Insurance?

Solar Tax Investigation Insurance is a tax-fee protection service that will pay up to £75,000 towards your accountant's fees in the event of an HM Revenue & Customs full enquiry or dispute.

To find out more, please use this link Solar Tax Investigation Insurance



HMRC Is Shite (www.hmrcisshite.com), also available via the domain www.hmrconline.com, is brought to you by www.kenfrost.com "The Living Brand"

Thursday 24 November 2016

HMRC To Respond To MTD Consultation in January 2017


"In January 2017, the government will publish its response to the Making Tax Digital consultations and provisions to implement the previously announced changes."

Source The Autumn Statement

My question is this:

Do you think that the MTD deadline of April 2018 is achievable?

Tax does have to be taxing.

Professional Cover Against the Threat of Costly TAX and VAT Investigations

Insurance to protect you against the cost of enquiry or dispute with HMRC is available from several sources including Solar Tax Investigation Insurance.

Ken Frost has negotiated a 10% discount on any polices that may suit your needs.

However, neither Ken Frost nor HMRCISSHITE either endorses or recommends their services.

What is Solar Tax Investigation Insurance?

Solar Tax Investigation Insurance is a tax-fee protection service that will pay up to £75,000 towards your accountant's fees in the event of an HM Revenue & Customs full enquiry or dispute.

To find out more, please use this link Solar Tax Investigation Insurance



HMRC Is Shite (www.hmrcisshite.com), also available via the domain www.hmrconline.com, is brought to you by www.kenfrost.com "The Living Brand"

Wednesday 23 November 2016

The Autumn Statement Live



Tax does have to be taxing.

Professional Cover Against the Threat of Costly TAX and VAT Investigations

Insurance to protect you against the cost of enquiry or dispute with HMRC is available from several sources including Solar Tax Investigation Insurance.

Ken Frost has negotiated a 10% discount on any polices that may suit your needs.

However, neither Ken Frost nor HMRCISSHITE either endorses or recommends their services.

What is Solar Tax Investigation Insurance?

Solar Tax Investigation Insurance is a tax-fee protection service that will pay up to £75,000 towards your accountant's fees in the event of an HM Revenue & Customs full enquiry or dispute.

To find out more, please use this link Solar Tax Investigation Insurance



HMRC Is Shite (www.hmrcisshite.com), also available via the domain www.hmrconline.com, is brought to you by www.kenfrost.com "The Living Brand"

Tuesday 22 November 2016

OTS Gives MTD a Sound Kicking


The Office of Tax Simplification is somewhat underwhelmed by HMRC's MTD plans:
"1.7 Overall, it is difficult to see the benefits to business owners. They are merely delivering the same (or possibly more) information digitally. 

The incentive appears to be the oft - repeated benefit of accuracy and clarity in their affairs but this isn’t proven. Although an earlier indication of tax liabilities will be helpful to some, it is unlikely to be seen as a major benefit. 

1.8 We have always argued that systems should be developed on a carrot rather than stick basis, i.e. that the pressure should be on HMRC to design a system that people want to use rather than (in effect) using sticks to force taxpayers to ma ke the best of it. Compulsion is fine if the software, tools and so on are in place, tested and working and people are showing they are engaging with the system and finding it is indeed easier. 

1.9 In many ways the biggest concern is: i s the MTD timescale really realistic? The project looks more like a 3 - 5 year plan rather than 18 months - 2 years."
Well then!

Tax does have to be taxing.

Professional Cover Against the Threat of Costly TAX and VAT Investigations

Insurance to protect you against the cost of enquiry or dispute with HMRC is available from several sources including Solar Tax Investigation Insurance.

Ken Frost has negotiated a 10% discount on any polices that may suit your needs.

However, neither Ken Frost nor HMRCISSHITE either endorses or recommends their services.

What is Solar Tax Investigation Insurance?

Solar Tax Investigation Insurance is a tax-fee protection service that will pay up to £75,000 towards your accountant's fees in the event of an HM Revenue & Customs full enquiry or dispute.

To find out more, please use this link Solar Tax Investigation Insurance



HMRC Is Shite (www.hmrcisshite.com), also available via the domain www.hmrconline.com, is brought to you by www.kenfrost.com "The Living Brand"

Monday 21 November 2016

Freedom


Dear HM Revenue and Customs,

Please pass this on to the person who conducts Freedom of Information reviews.

I am writing to request an internal review of HM Revenue and Customs's handling of my FOI request 'DEC'.

Please also provide me with details of when any cases now on DEC were transferred from other systems and why the FoI was delayed and who was handling it.

Thank you.

A full history of my FOI request and all correspondence is available on the Internet at this address: https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/dec

Yours faithfully,

ken frost

Tax does have to be taxing.

Professional Cover Against the Threat of Costly TAX and VAT Investigations

Insurance to protect you against the cost of enquiry or dispute with HMRC is available from several sources including Solar Tax Investigation Insurance.

Ken Frost has negotiated a 10% discount on any polices that may suit your needs.

However, neither Ken Frost nor HMRCISSHITE either endorses or recommends their services.

What is Solar Tax Investigation Insurance?

Solar Tax Investigation Insurance is a tax-fee protection service that will pay up to £75,000 towards your accountant's fees in the event of an HM Revenue & Customs full enquiry or dispute.

To find out more, please use this link Solar Tax Investigation Insurance



HMRC Is Shite (www.hmrcisshite.com), also available via the domain www.hmrconline.com, is brought to you by www.kenfrost.com "The Living Brand"

Friday 18 November 2016

Hodge Doesn't Understand Tax




Welcome to our world Margaret!


Tax does have to be taxing.

Professional Cover Against the Threat of Costly TAX and VAT Investigations

Insurance to protect you against the cost of enquiry or dispute with HMRC is available from several sources including Solar Tax Investigation Insurance.

Ken Frost has negotiated a 10% discount on any polices that may suit your needs.

However, neither Ken Frost nor HMRCISSHITE either endorses or recommends their services.

What is Solar Tax Investigation Insurance?

Solar Tax Investigation Insurance is a tax-fee protection service that will pay up to £75,000 towards your accountant's fees in the event of an HM Revenue & Customs full enquiry or dispute.

To find out more, please use this link Solar Tax Investigation Insurance



HMRC Is Shite (www.hmrcisshite.com), also available via the domain www.hmrconline.com, is brought to you by www.kenfrost.com "The Living Brand"

Thursday 17 November 2016

Complaints To HMRC Soaring


Right then moving on from yesterday's cock up, where I went back in time and published an article from 2003, I am trying to be a little more up to date and write about something happening in 2016!

It seems that complaints to HMRC have almost reached their highest level since 2008/09, according to data obtained by Saffery Champness through a Freedom of Information Act request

According to Saffery Champness, HMRC handled a total of 81,066 complaints in 2015/16, over 7,000 more than the previous year (73,646) and an increase of more than 16,000 on 2013/14 (64,313).

This is the closest the figure has gotten to the record high level of 83,917 complaints in 2008/09 during the financial crisis.

The volume of complaints upheld also increased steadily from 2008/09 to 2015/16 with over half of complaints partially and fully upheld last year, compared to 37% in 2012/13.

James Hender, partner and head of the private wealth group at Saffery Champness, is quoted by economia as saying that HMRC “has bitten off more than it can chew”.
By cutting back resources and rolling out a complex digital system at the same time, taxpayers and businesses have been left with real concerns and grievances; the numbers speak for themselves.

Hender said suspicions could be raised that “frontline staff are being dragged away from their day jobs to deal with the ever growing mountain of complaints received”.

Lucy Brennan, partner at Saffery Champness, said:
Over three million taxpayers used an online personal tax account this year and, with HMRC aiming to go fully digital by 2020, more and more people are coming into contact with the new digital services and are inevitably coming up against obstacles.”
Brennan added:
As HMRC has sought to get to grips with its new strategy, many taxpayer services have been withdrawn, guidance on key issues such as on non-dom policy has been largely absent and Making Tax Digital itself has already faced significant delays.

Ironically, there is also the possibility that in seeking such large quantities of data, the administrative costs of the rising number of complaints and investigations will cost HMRC more, rather than raising additional revenue more efficiently.”
No surprises there then!

Tax does have to be taxing.

Professional Cover Against the Threat of Costly TAX and VAT Investigations

Insurance to protect you against the cost of enquiry or dispute with HMRC is available from several sources including Solar Tax Investigation Insurance.

Ken Frost has negotiated a 10% discount on any polices that may suit your needs.

However, neither Ken Frost nor HMRCISSHITE either endorses or recommends their services.

What is Solar Tax Investigation Insurance?

Solar Tax Investigation Insurance is a tax-fee protection service that will pay up to £75,000 towards your accountant's fees in the event of an HM Revenue & Customs full enquiry or dispute.

To find out more, please use this link Solar Tax Investigation Insurance



HMRC Is Shite (www.hmrcisshite.com), also available via the domain www.hmrconline.com, is brought to you by www.kenfrost.com "The Living Brand"

Wednesday 16 November 2016

HMRC Hounds Innocent Man To Insanity and Bankruptcy


As per the Guardian Patrick Cullinane's life has been ruined by the Inland Revenue. The government department has bankrupted him, kicked him out of his home, and driven him to a mental breakdown. His brothers and sisters have walked away from him and he has been unable to find work.

His crime? You might think he had committed a major white-collar tax fraud or an offshore scam depriving the Revenue of millions. But Mr Cullinane was simply an ordinary working man, earning around £18,000 a year in the 1980s largely as a casual in the film industry.

Mr Cullinane's case is so disturbing that this week Barry Gardiner, the MP for Brent North, says he will be calling for an adjournment debate in the House of Commons questioning the "governance" of the Inland Revenue and its ability to investigate complaints made by taxpayers.

Read the full account of HMRC's dirty tricks via the Guardian link.

Tax does have to be taxing.

Professional Cover Against the Threat of Costly TAX and VAT Investigations

Insurance to protect you against the cost of enquiry or dispute with HMRC is available from several sources including Solar Tax Investigation Insurance.

Ken Frost has negotiated a 10% discount on any polices that may suit your needs.

However, neither Ken Frost nor HMRCISSHITE either endorses or recommends their services.

What is Solar Tax Investigation Insurance?

Solar Tax Investigation Insurance is a tax-fee protection service that will pay up to £75,000 towards your accountant's fees in the event of an HM Revenue & Customs full enquiry or dispute.

To find out more, please use this link Solar Tax Investigation Insurance



HMRC Is Shite (www.hmrcisshite.com), also available via the domain www.hmrconline.com, is brought to you by www.kenfrost.com "The Living Brand"

Tuesday 15 November 2016

HMRC Terminates Concentrix Contract Early


As expected, HMRC has confirmed that it is bringing an early end to its tax credits fraud and error contract with Concentrix, after a collapse in customer service levels over the summer.

HMRC's chief executive Jon Thompson has already announced that the tax authority will not be not be renewing its payment-by-results deal (set for expiry in May 2017) with Concentrix, after what he called a “fundamental failure of basic customer service”.

Thompson said last month that the tax authority was "in the late stages" of "a legal conversation about how this contract essentially finishes", and HMRC has now confirmed that both sides have agreed an early end to the deal.

In a message to HMRC staff, seen by CSW, director general for transformation Nick Lodge said HMRC and Concentrix had "worked together" to bring existing tax credits work in-house.

"Meanwhile, we thought it would be appropriate to look at the position of the contract and, following further discussions with Concentrix, we felt we could better serve our customers by ending the contract early, rather than continuing it through to the scheduled expiry in May 2017."
Lodge confirmed that the tax authority had now transferred "around 250" Concentrix staff in-house, and said the former private sector staff were "working with experienced teams and managers to help them fit into HMRC" at HMRC's Belfast sites.
"Overall, the agreement to end this contract early is the best outcome for HMRC, tax credits customers and for the taxpayer, allowing us to continue to bear down on error and fraud, and to provide the levels of service our customers expect".
In a statement issued to the press, Thompson said:
"HMRC’s dedicated staff have cleared all of the cases transferred from Concentrix while striking the right balance in both providing the standards of service that customers rightly expect and bearing down on error and fraud in the tax credits system.

This is the right outcome for customers and for the taxpayer. I’m also pleased to receive 250 Concentrix staff, who will help us to deliver our priorities, offering job security to them well beyond the scheduled expiry of the contract in May 2017.”
HMRC said all 181,000 cases it had taken back from Concentrix had now been dealt with, and said staff moving over from the private provider had "received further training and support to help HMRC strike the right balance in ensuring good customer service and bearing down on error and fraud in the tax credits system".

Right then, how much has this early termination cost the taxpayer?

Tax does have to be taxing.

Professional Cover Against the Threat of Costly TAX and VAT Investigations

Insurance to protect you against the cost of enquiry or dispute with HMRC is available from several sources including Solar Tax Investigation Insurance.

Ken Frost has negotiated a 10% discount on any polices that may suit your needs.

However, neither Ken Frost nor HMRCISSHITE either endorses or recommends their services.

What is Solar Tax Investigation Insurance?

Solar Tax Investigation Insurance is a tax-fee protection service that will pay up to £75,000 towards your accountant's fees in the event of an HM Revenue & Customs full enquiry or dispute.

To find out more, please use this link Solar Tax Investigation Insurance



HMRC Is Shite (www.hmrcisshite.com), also available via the domain www.hmrconline.com, is brought to you by www.kenfrost.com "The Living Brand"

Monday 14 November 2016

HMRC's Collateral Damage


Under proposed legislation, companies will be fined if they trade with companies that commit VAT fraud, even where they know nothing about it.

How the hell is that fair, or right?

UHY says the penalties (of up to 30% of the VAT due) will also apply to companies that don’t trade directly with fraudulent businesses but happen to be in the same supply chain.

Simon Newark, head of UHY’s VAT group is quoted by economia:
HMRC risks turning legitimate businesses that get unwittingly caught up in VAT fraud into collateral damage in its war on fraud.

Fining businesses that had the bad luck to be unknowingly involved in a supply chain with a fraudster wouldn’t be a proportionate punishment, particularly if normal due diligence checks were carried out, and ‘naming and shaming’ them would risk unfairly turning them into pariahs. 

How many businesses can guarantee that VAT has been paid correctly at every stage in a supply chain, when success in business frequently depends on not disclosing your suppliers or customers?

There is a real risk that HMRC could slip into using a ‘shoot first, ask questions later’ approach.” 
To repeat, how the hell is this fair or right?

Tax does have to be taxing.

Professional Cover Against the Threat of Costly TAX and VAT Investigations

Insurance to protect you against the cost of enquiry or dispute with HMRC is available from several sources including Solar Tax Investigation Insurance.

Ken Frost has negotiated a 10% discount on any polices that may suit your needs.

However, neither Ken Frost nor HMRCISSHITE either endorses or recommends their services.

What is Solar Tax Investigation Insurance?

Solar Tax Investigation Insurance is a tax-fee protection service that will pay up to £75,000 towards your accountant's fees in the event of an HM Revenue & Customs full enquiry or dispute.

To find out more, please use this link Solar Tax Investigation Insurance



HMRC Is Shite (www.hmrcisshite.com), also available via the domain www.hmrconline.com, is brought to you by www.kenfrost.com "The Living Brand"

Friday 11 November 2016

HMRC's Selfish MTD


The ICAEW nails the issue with HMRC's Making Tax Digital (MTD)

Namely, as I have already noted on this site, it is currently being designed around what will work best for HMRC and not around the needs of taxpayers.

In its response to the six MTD consultation documents published in August, the ICAEW tax faculty makes it clear that it supports the move to a digital tax system in principle. However, any digital system has to be “designed as a taxpayer-centric system”.
“Taxpayers,” it says, “should not be disadvantaged as compared to the current tax system and it is important that safeguards are built in to ensure this is the case.
“The move to MTD should be driven by business adopting it because it is cheaper and more efficient not because they are compelled to do so.”
It is clear that the costs of MTD to taxpayers, and in particular businesses, have not been identified in anything like sufficient detail to justify this change

Currently, it says, the proposals seem to be designed for HMRC’s convenience, “with taxpayers and their agents largely expected to fit around the proposed system”.
However, we believe that the costs to businesses of MTD are far higher than suggested. Taxpayers are being asked to fund a £1.3bn investment that will cost them somewhere between £3bn and £7bn to implement, with ongoing costs on top of that."

Tax does have to be taxing.

Professional Cover Against the Threat of Costly TAX and VAT Investigations

Insurance to protect you against the cost of enquiry or dispute with HMRC is available from several sources including Solar Tax Investigation Insurance.

Ken Frost has negotiated a 10% discount on any polices that may suit your needs.

However, neither Ken Frost nor HMRCISSHITE either endorses or recommends their services.

What is Solar Tax Investigation Insurance?

Solar Tax Investigation Insurance is a tax-fee protection service that will pay up to £75,000 towards your accountant's fees in the event of an HM Revenue & Customs full enquiry or dispute.

To find out more, please use this link Solar Tax Investigation Insurance



HMRC Is Shite (www.hmrcisshite.com), also available via the domain www.hmrconline.com, is brought to you by www.kenfrost.com "The Living Brand"

Thursday 10 November 2016

Behold The Portal!


HMRC Consultation Dialogue

Welcome to Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs dialogue. 
To get involved you must be registered. You can do this by following these 4 steps:
  1. Click "Register" in the menu bar above
  2. Complete all of the relevant boxes in the form using your work email and then click "Agree and register"
  3. Click on your username in the menu bar above, then click "Get verified"
  4. Follow the instructions in the email sent to you
This website is run by HMRC staff. Moderators will be online between 9am and 5pm, Monday to Friday. During this time all posts will be live, when moderators are offline new posts will be locked.

You can find out more about HMRC on GOV.UK 


Tax does have to be taxing.

Professional Cover Against the Threat of Costly TAX and VAT Investigations

Insurance to protect you against the cost of enquiry or dispute with HMRC is available from several sources including Solar Tax Investigation Insurance.

Ken Frost has negotiated a 10% discount on any polices that may suit your needs.

However, neither Ken Frost nor HMRCISSHITE either endorses or recommends their services.

What is Solar Tax Investigation Insurance?

Solar Tax Investigation Insurance is a tax-fee protection service that will pay up to £75,000 towards your accountant's fees in the event of an HM Revenue & Customs full enquiry or dispute.

To find out more, please use this link Solar Tax Investigation Insurance



HMRC Is Shite (www.hmrcisshite.com), also available via the domain www.hmrconline.com, is brought to you by www.kenfrost.com "The Living Brand"

Tuesday 8 November 2016

HMRC Rigs Staff Survey


In news that will not surprise any loyal reader of this site, The Sunday Herald reports that HMRC has rigged its staff survey.

HMRC is under fire for putting pressure on employees to score the organisation highly in its internal staff survey.

A manager at HMRC linked good marks to future investment at his office, while the head of the tax avoidance unit urged colleagues against using the survey as a “protest vote”.

Emails obtained by the Sunday Herald reveal managers have been encouraging staff to grade HMRC positively, in contrast to previous surveys.

A senior manager in Dundee emailed his colleagues last month:
I really need your support to not only encourage colleagues to complete the survey but to also promote the reasons why completion and scoring highly are important.”
He also explicitly linked the results to future resources at the site:
Senior leaders will use the results to judge how engaged we are and this can play a part when looking at investment in terms of resources and new work – selecting highly-engaged sites for new opportunities would suggest the greatest chance for success.”
Dave Richardson, the director of HMRC’s counter-avoidance directorate, also contacted staff last month:
I know it can be tempting to use the Survey as a protest vote. But to be able to respond to your concerns, and ensure that your successes and commitment are recognised, it is most helpful to me in representing Counter-Avoidance if you use the range of scores, without over- or under-egging.

For instance, most people in Counter-Avoidance go the extra mile. But in last year's survey less than 30 per cent of people said that they were inspired to do their best in their job, or were motivated to help achieve the Department's objectives."
In another email, a staff member alleged that team leaders had been told to use chocolates as an inducement when employees filled out the survey.

A spokesperson for HMRC said:
"Workforce planning and our future locations are categorically not determined or even influenced by feedback from our People Survey. We want our staff to be completely open and honest in their responses and anything that suggests otherwise is wrong”.
Given that previous surveys have put HMRC at the bottom of the pile, the fact that they were rigged makes this even more pathetic!

If you are going to rig a vote, at least make sure you come out on top!

Tax does have to be taxing.

Professional Cover Against the Threat of Costly TAX and VAT Investigations

Insurance to protect you against the cost of enquiry or dispute with HMRC is available from several sources including Solar Tax Investigation Insurance.

Ken Frost has negotiated a 10% discount on any polices that may suit your needs.

However, neither Ken Frost nor HMRCISSHITE either endorses or recommends their services.

What is Solar Tax Investigation Insurance?

Solar Tax Investigation Insurance is a tax-fee protection service that will pay up to £75,000 towards your accountant's fees in the event of an HM Revenue & Customs full enquiry or dispute.

To find out more, please use this link Solar Tax Investigation Insurance



HMRC Is Shite (www.hmrcisshite.com), also available via the domain www.hmrconline.com, is brought to you by www.kenfrost.com "The Living Brand"

Monday 7 November 2016

Happy Making Tax Difficult Day!



Tax does have to be taxing.

Professional Cover Against the Threat of Costly TAX and VAT Investigations

Insurance to protect you against the cost of enquiry or dispute with HMRC is available from several sources including Solar Tax Investigation Insurance.

Ken Frost has negotiated a 10% discount on any polices that may suit your needs.

However, neither Ken Frost nor HMRCISSHITE either endorses or recommends their services.

What is Solar Tax Investigation Insurance?

Solar Tax Investigation Insurance is a tax-fee protection service that will pay up to £75,000 towards your accountant's fees in the event of an HM Revenue & Customs full enquiry or dispute.

To find out more, please use this link Solar Tax Investigation Insurance



HMRC Is Shite (www.hmrcisshite.com), also available via the domain www.hmrconline.com, is brought to you by www.kenfrost.com "The Living Brand"