Making Tax Digital: Launch of PTAs

Newsletter issue - January 2016.

As part of a £1.3bn investment to transform HMRC into one of the most digitally advanced tax administrations in the world, HMRC have published a report and discussion paper setting out how new procedures for interacting with HMRC and paying tax will be implemented under the Making Tax Digital banner.

It is intended that by April 2016, every individual and small business will have access to their own secure digital tax account that enables them to interact with HMRC digitally. By 2020, businesses and individual taxpayers will be able to register, file, pay and update their information at any time of the day or night, and at any point in the year, to suit them. For the vast majority, there will be no need to fill in an annual tax return.

The government is also to consult on the issue of payment - on options to simplify the payment of taxes, align payment arrangements and bring payment dates closer to the time of the activity or transactions generating the tax liability. HMRC will be running a series of consultation events in January and February 2016 to discuss these issues with stakeholders.

The Making Tax Digital project has also presented the opportunity to align payment arrangements across different taxes and to provide a more joined-up service for taxpayers. The government has already brought the collection of Class 2 National Insurance Contributions (NICs) for the self-employed into the arrangements for self-assessment, which means that from April 2015, Class 2 NICs are being collected alongside Class 4 NICs for most. The government is also consulting on the abolition of Class 2 NICs and reform of Class 4 to further simplify the system (see www.gov.uk/government/consultations/consultation-on-abolishing-class-2-national-insurance-and-introducing-a-contributory-benefit-test-to-class-4-national-insurance-for-the-self-employed/the-abolition-of-class-2-national-insurance-introducing-a-benefit-test-into-class-4-national-insurance-for-the-self-employed for further details).

HMRC have now officially launched Personal Tax Accounts (PTAs), which enable UK taxpayers to manage their tax affairs online. More than a million customers completing their self-assessment electronically will be directed to their online PTA which will:

Between now and May 2016 HMRC will continue to add new services to the PTA, including:

Further information on the Making Tax Digital project can be found at www.gov.uk/government/publications/making-tax-digital.

Get a fixed quote

Fixed prices for agreed services

FAIR FEE POLICY. We believe you should always be in control of your fees with no surprises. You are entitled to a competitive fixed quote for agreed services, which is exactly what we charge, not a penny more. Most clients choose this option although if you prefer to pay an hourly rate we can arrange that too.

To receive a fixed quote for your specific circumstances either arrange a Free No Obligation Consultation or submit the form below. The form is designed for most of the routine accountancy services. If you require something more specialist, please contact us directly. If necessary we will contact you for further information.

If you are a new start up business, please use estimates. Full quotes are provided within 2 working days.

FIXED QUOTE REQUEST FORM »

Make more, keep more, work less

Get the right advice and take action

MAKE MORE

Have clear goals including long, medium and short term for what you want to achieve and develop a roadmap to get you there... read more »


KEEP MORE

Use our Tax Planning Service to ensure you don’t pay a penny more in tax than is necessary... read more »


WORK LESS

Work ON your business and not IN your business - work ON your systems so the systems run the business and your people run the systems, leaving you free to have more holidays... read more »

Start Up

Are you looking to start a new business?

Choose your business size to see how we can help you

Small

Key points for our small business clients to know

Choose your business size to see how we can help you

Medium

Help and assistance for medium sized businesses

Choose your business size to see how we can help you

Large

See our extensive range of services for your needs

Choose your business size to see how we can help you