tax

The Office of Tax Simplification is here at last, but is their idea of simplification the same as the profession’s, asks Simon Sweetman.

The European Commission wants to impose a levy on banks to cope with future financial crises, but the UK wants to hang on to the money it raises for itself.

The United Kingdom and the United States rank fifth and sixth, respectively, among tax-friendly countries, according to KPMG’s recently released Competitive Alternatives 2010, Special Report: Focus on Tax.

Tax is firmly on the 2010 election agenda, with the emergence of clear differences between the parties according to John Whiting, the tax policy director at the Chartered Institute of Taxation.

Economic recovery in 2010 will be sluggish says the CBI and warns the government not to make things worse with tax rises.

With a Budget date now set for 24 March, advisers are warning UK plc not to expect much in the way of surprises, with the real detail likely to emerge in a second outing of the Red Box several months after the General Election, regardless of which party gets into power.

The Budget could be a time for decisive tax action to restore business confidence – unless the government bottles it, says Baker Tilly’s George Bull.

Current trends and the lessons of the past indicate that a 2.5% rise in VAT is almost inevitable after the general election no matter which party win...

A new ‘crackdown’ on wealthy tax exiles could be on the cards after a landmark victory for HMRC at the Court of Appeal over its interpretation of residency laws.