{"id":17020,"date":"2012-08-21T09:28:07","date_gmt":"2012-08-21T08:28:07","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.taxresearch.org.uk\/Blog\/?p=17020"},"modified":"2012-08-21T09:28:44","modified_gmt":"2012-08-21T08:28:44","slug":"why-shouldnt-everyone-have-tax-relief-for-the-cost-of-preparing-their-tax-return-not-just-mps","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.taxresearch.org.uk\/Blog\/2012\/08\/21\/why-shouldnt-everyone-have-tax-relief-for-the-cost-of-preparing-their-tax-return-not-just-mps\/","title":{"rendered":"Why shouldn’t everyone have tax relief for the cost of preparing their tax return – not just MPs?"},"content":{"rendered":"

There's a lot of fuss about MP's trying to claim the cost of\u00a0preparing\u00a0their\u00a0tax returns this morning<\/a>. HMRC are resisting, now Parliament says they are right to claim. I happen to think they're right to do so<\/a>. MPs have little choice but incur this cost. Why shouldn't they\u00a0have tax\u00a0relief for it if it is imposed on them to be tax compliant?<\/p>\n

But let's go a step further. Over the last few years HMRC have made life very difficult for\u00a0anyone not trained in tax to get their tax return right. They've been\u00a0shutting local tax offices as fast as they can. Only 50% of calls to their call centres have been replied to. Even fewer give rise to\u00a0accurate responses because far too little training is given to the people who work there though no fault of their own. And let's be honest, doing a tax return is not always straightforward.<\/p>\n

So why, since HMRC and the government have abandoned their responsibility for helping people get their tax right, shouldn't there be a flat rate deduction for those seeking to get their tax return right?<\/p>\n

The self employed have this relief by concession now.<\/p>\n

MPs did have it.<\/p>\n

My argument is that a flat deduction if the return is prepared by a registered and regulated tax agent who submits it electronically of say \u00a3250 plus VAT would be fair for anyone.\u00a0\u00a0And because tax\u00a0returns would be better\u00a0prepared (you would hope) then HMRC would get a\u00a0benefit too.<\/p>\n

How about it?<\/p>\n

Either that, or reopen tax offices who will really help people get the return right, face to face: that's the choice, I think.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

There’s a lot of fuss about MP’s trying to claim the cost of\u00a0preparing\u00a0their\u00a0tax returns this morning. HMRC are resisting, now Parliament says they are right
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