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Investigations find good practices
HMRC have failed to gather clear evidence of allegedly poorly performing self assessment (SA) advisers, following the completion of the first stage of the delayed “agent and clients statistics” (ACS) initiative.
A pilot of the scheme previously known as “agent view” – which was put on hold for three months last year because of concerns from professional bodies – found many of the firms visited demonstrated good practices including keeping clients informed of tax liabilities and due dates for payment.
The investigations were inconclusive as tests of the benefits and reliability of ACS in spite of the subjects’ filing, payment and compliance levels having been significantly below the expected level of quality, the Revenue announced.
The department said no further SA trials will take place until a full evaluation has been carried out with the professional bodies to determine how the investigatory initiative should be progressed to 2015.
Similar schemes are being prepared by the taxman: one will look into the link between client’s corporation tax compliance and that of their agents, while the other is set to focus on advisers with construction industry scheme (CIS) repayment clients.
The latter pilot is set to start later this month as a number of voluntary meetings, not compliance interventions. HMRC have selected low-risk CIS repayment advisers who generate higher-than-expected repayment claims, according to the ICAEW Tax Faculty.
