Raising standards for tax advice

HMRC has published a summary of responses from the call for evidence on raising standards in the market for tax advice.

Among its initial plans is to improve awareness of its standard for agents. Most respondents considered this was not as comprehensive as the professional bodies’ Professional conduct in relation to taxation (PCRT) but believed the HMRC standard provided an adequate baseline. But there was more HMRC could do to bring it to advisers’ attention in particular to unaffiliated advisers who do not transact directly with HMRC. Further HMRC could better manage adviser behaviour by using the powers it has more effectively.

In light of this HMRC plans to take action to raise awareness of the standard for agents with target audiences. It will also conduct and publish the results of an internal review of the powers now available to HMRC that help enforce that...