VAT

JOHN PRICE considers the advantages of filing an electronic VAT return and paying electronically and advises that this is an offer too good to be missed.

SUBMITTING VAT RETURNS electronically is one of the best offers that HM Revenue & Customs have ever made to traders and tax professionals. Five good reasons come to mind.

PHILLIP HENWOOD of 4 Eyes Ltd provides VAT advice on property issues to the construction sector.

A CHARITY DEDICATED to promotion of the performing arts is based in a large 1930s building, comprising offices, meeting rooms, studios, practice rooms, a theatre and a café. The charity lets the facilities to performing artists and provides management, training and mentoring services to artists, as well as distributing bursaries on behalf of other institutions such as the Arts Council.

JULIE BUTLER provides a practical guide to the tax implications of the new single payment scheme.

THE INTRODUCTION OF the Single Farm Payment is considered by many to be the most fundamental change to farming since the repeal of the 'corn laws'. It essentially means that farming subsidies are no longer 'coupled' to production, but are based on area and historical entitlement. The burning question has been: how will this impact upon the taxation of farmers and landowners?

DAVE JORDAN considers the effect of the European Court of Justice's recent ruling in EC v UK on road fuel expenses.

PATRICK CANNON considers the opinion of the Advocate General in the Halifax , BUPA Hospitals and University of Huddersfield cases.

MIKE THEXTON MA, FCA, CTA examines the proposals and changes relating to VAT contained in the Budget.

ALL THE VAT content of the first Finance Bill 2005 was dropped for the rapid passage of the Finance (No 2) Bill on 6 April. However, some of the measures have already been implemented by statutory instrument, but those which were in the original Bill will be delayed (or possibly lost altogether, depending on the election). The references given below are to the original Bill.

JOLYON MAUGHAM, barrister at 11 New Square, sets out the principles governing hardship applications in the VAT tribunal.

OF THE MANY curiosities with which an adviser must wrestle in litigating an assessment to VAT, perhaps the oddest is the statutory requirement that the appellant stump up the disputed sum as the price of pursuing its appeal, unless it can show that to do so would cause it 'hardship'.