Press releases

The Low Incomes Tax Reform Group (LITRG) has given a qualified welcome to a new ‘penalty point’ model for late submission of tax returns, contained in draft legislation published today. The group thinks the penalty point approach should be easy for taxpayers to understand, but is concerned that other aspects of the new regime may prove more complex.

Commenting on the appointment of Kate Forbes MSP as Minister for Public Finance and Digital Economy, with a remit that includes responsibility for supporting the Finance Secretary on the management of tax policy, Moira Kelly, chair of the Chartered Institute of Taxation's Scottish Technical Committee, said:

The Chartered Institute of Taxation (CIOT) and Association of Taxation Technicians (ATT) would be concerned at any move to reduce the £85,000 VAT threshold without additional help for businesses to smooth their transition to becoming VAT registered.

The CIOT has argued in written evidence to the Treasury Sub-Committee’s Tax Avoidance and Tax Evasion Inquiry that HMRC should direct more resources to tackling illegal tax evasion activity given its persistence in Tax Gap figures, rather than simply pile on legislative changes.