SHARING OF INFORMATION:

1
(No Transcript)
2
(No Transcript)
3
SHARING OF INFORMATION New ways of working
4
Highlight the work being undertaken
Describe the benefits to Agents, clients and HMRC
Explain how you can help
5
Brian Redford HMRC Deputy Director responsible
for agents employers
6
Context

• Agents play a vital role in the operation of the
  tax
• system
• Represent 8 million of our customers, with three
  quarters of businesses using an agent
• Agents work is key to the accuracy of the
  returns
• that we receive
• Sharing information will improve the support that
  we give
• Focus is on help to ensure that returns are
  correct,
• reducing the need for compliance activity after
  an
• error has been made

7
What are we doing?

• Gaining a better understanding of agents and how
• they deal with us
• Making it easier for agents to contact us
• Agent dedicated telephone lines
• Customer Relationship Managers
• Agent Account Managers
• Identifying opportunities for change to our
  mutual
• benefit - improving processes/joint training

8
Why are we doing this?

• Direct tax gap between 10 - 40 billion
• A substantial part is due to error
• Agents are a key group due to the sheer volume of
  
• returns that they complete
• We recognise that agents responsibility is to
  their clients
• Improving the help we give in reducing error is
  in
• everyone's interest
• Improving the experience of dealing with HMRC

9
A better understanding

• We have been working with ACCA, other
• professional bodies and a small group of agents
• To improve our understanding of the work that
• agents do
• And our understanding of how agents ensure that
• their clients returns are complete and accurate
• Opportunities for sharing more information
• about the risks and errors that we see

10
Toolkits to help

• We are developing a series of toolkits that
  agents
• might find useful
• They will provide guidance on where we see risk
  of errors
• And information to help agents identify what they
• can do to prevent these

11
What will these toolkits look like?

• Each covers a particular area of tax
• Web based, including checklist and links to
  guidance
• Identifies where we see risks and the steps that
• agents can take to prevent these
• Focus is on error, not avoidance or evasion
• The first toolkit covers CGT for Trusts Estates
• Developing further versions to cover other areas

12
Why should agents use these?

• An improved understanding of risk
• Highlights areas where errors can be reduced
• Reduces the likelihood of clients being subject
  to
• HMRC compliance activity
• Provides links to the latest guidance
• Gives confidence that work is focussed to where
  the
• highest risk of tax error occurs
• Helps demonstrate to your client that you have
  taken
• reasonable care on their behalf

13
What happens next?

• Testing with a group of volunteer agents
• during this tax year
• If goes well, intend to make them available
• to all agents early in 2010
• Eventually, if successful, will have toolkits
• covering all significant areas of risk

14
How to get involved?

• Testing began in May
• We want agents to help us test these
• You can volunteer via the HMRC website
• www.hmrc.gov.uk/prereturnpilot
• Continuing to work with ACCA and the other
• professional bodies and will provide regular
• updates on our website

15

• Clients
• A fair tax
• Reduce risk
• Act in their interest

16

• Highlighted earlier
• An improved understanding of risk
• Highlights areas where error occurs
• Reduced HMRC need for a compliance check
• Latest guidance
• Confidence that work is focused to high tax
  error areas
• Reasonable care

17

• Hope to see
• Improved productivity
• Reduction in agent client burdens - mutual
  reassurance

18

• Framework
• Highlight key risk areas
• Guidance on how the risks can be mitigated
• Ensure support is directed to clients and agents
• Update and evaluate the support
• Planned updates

19
(No Transcript)
20
HMRC need your FEEDBACK
21
(No Transcript)
22
(No Transcript)