
A roundup of current consultations from HMRC, with a summary of the key Making Tax Digital documents, which are set to close for feedback on 7 November
Bringing business tax into digital age
Issue date: 15 August
Closing date: 7 November
The first of six Making Tax Digital consultations considers how digital record keeping and regular updates should operate. It also considers the impact of changes on those who use spreadsheets for accounting, rather than dedicated software.
Simplifying tax for unincorporated businesses
Issue date: 15 August
Closing date: 7 November
Changes to how the self-employed map accounting periods onto the tax year; extending cash basis accounting to larger businesses and removing the link to the VAT threshold; and eliminating the need to distinguish between capital and revenue for businesses using cash basis accounting.
Cash basis for unincorporated property businesses
Issue date: 15 August
Closing date: 7 November
A proposal to extend the cash basis for trading income to unincorporated property businesses - providing an option for landlords to be taxed on the cash basis, rather than using the accruals accounting basis.
Voluntary pay as you go (PAYG)
Issue date: 15 August
Closing date: 7 November
Proposal looking at options for taxpayers covered by the requirement for digital record keeping to make and manage their voluntary payments, allowing them to make payments at a point of their choosing towards an expected tax liability.
Tax administration
Issue date: 15 August
Closing date: 7 November
This covers aspects of the tax administration framework that need to change to support MTD. It also sets out proposals to align aspects of the tax administration framework across taxes, including the simplification of late filing and late payment sanctions, with the introduction of a traffic light system for penalties.
Transforming tax system through better use of information
Issue date: 15 August
Closing date: 7 November
Consultation focusing on how HMRC will make better use of the information it currently receives from third parties to provide a more transparent service designed to reduce end of year under-and over-payments.