The Tax Factor - Episode 98 - From Ribena to Reeves, No Laughing Matter

This week Gabby Donald and Stefanie Tremain look at what we genuinely know so far!? After what feels like the longest build-up in years, Stephanie puts it simply: “Expect everything, expect nothing.” Just when it seemed the Budget couldn’t bring any more gloom, another idea surfaces: the Milkshake Tax. With retail already wrestling with complexity, do we really need another layer of rules for such a marginal gain? They also look at the House of Lords’ latest debate on growth and the effect of economic and tax policy on jobs and prosperity. The UK just isn’t currently attractive enough to entrepreneurs, businesses, or wealthy individuals - and that has to change.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week Tom Goddard and Paul Haywood-Schiefer look at the Government’s possible attempts at fiscal choreography with the potential Income Tax and NICs see-saw. One goes up, one goes down… but as they explain, that doesn’t always mean a neutral outcome for taxpayers. They then discuss what a cap on salary-sacrifice pension contributions would mean: a measure that could be highly attractive to the Treasury while many taxpayers barely feel a ripple. And while pension savers might lose out, families with more than two children could gain significantly if the Child Benefit cap is lifted - though the policy could carry a £4bn price tag. Finally, news of a possible adoption by HMRC of a US-style whistleblower reward scheme, offering up to 30% of tax recovered. A bold, creative and undoubtedly controversial, idea.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Gabby Donald and Paul Noble return to one of our favourite topics – The Budget! Following the Chancellor’s rather unusual breakfast briefing -  did it really tell us anything new? With Bonfire Night still in the air, Gabby wonders if this was the moment when the manifesto pledges finally went on the bonfire. Paul turns to the world of tax and gambling - while your winnings might be tax-free, it’s still worth keeping a record, just in case the taxman fancies a look at your lucky streak. With limited guidance and new rules arriving under the Crypto Asset Reporting Framework the taxation of crypto assets is fast evolving, Gabby and Paul warn this will result in more questions for people with Crypto assets.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

For the 100th episode of The Tax Factor, Robert Salter and Malli Kini take a look back over two rather turbulent years. 2 Prime Ministers, 2 Chancellors of the Exchequer: 2, 3 Major fiscal statements and an election. Robert and Malli then explore how HMRC is using Artificial Intelligence to identify discrepancies and catch out taxpayers, what possible changes could be coming to the taxation of partnerships and LLPs, and why the Revenue’s approach to compliance might make it the “Christmas Grinch” of the season.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on The Tax Factor, we have a special episode featuring Max Schofield from Devereux Chambers, a leading indirect tax Barrister and VAT litigator. Max has worked on some of the very VAT cases we’ve discussed on the show, bringing a rare insider perspective to the stories that often make the headlines. Heather and Max dive into the world of VAT -  the tax everyone pays but few fully understand. From the quirky, headline-grabbing cases to the lessons they reveal about the future of this major revenue-raising tax, Max helps make sense of the complex rules and what they mean for businesses and taxpayers alike.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week, Neil Insull and Matt Crawford look at the IFS Green Budget and its warning to Rachel Reeves to avoid “half-baked” tax fixes ahead of the next Budget. They discuss what this could mean for future policy and the pressures facing the Chancellor. They also cover a rare court ruling allowing a judicial review against HMRC five years late, and the Treasury’s plans to tighten the sugar tax,  a move that could see drinks like Ribena and Lucozade changing their recipes once again. And in a final twist, they look at a VAT dispute involving laughing gas that proves there’s nothing funny about tax classification.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on The Tax Factor, Annie Hughes and Sarah Stenton look at the stories making headlines in tax and business. Annie looks at Revolut founder Nik Storonsky’s move from the UK to the UAE, part of a wider trend of wealthy individuals changing their tax residency since the non-dom regime ended. Sarah highlights HMRC’s warning to pensioners about withdrawal schemes that sound too good to be true, while across the Atlantic, Donald Trump’s threat of new truck tariffs adds more uncertainty to global trade.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Robert Salter and Tom Goddard look at the now infamous “donkey field” connected to Keir Starmer. With politicians’ tax affairs under the spotlight yet again, Robert explains why the arrangement looks more like straightforward trust planning than a scandal, and sometimes what makes the front page isn’t really much of a tax dodge at all. The pair explore what this story says about public attitudes to politicians and tax — and whether the criticism is fair or just noise. Then it’s over to the NFL’s return to London, where visiting players could find themselves facing a very different kind of tackle: the UK tax system. Filing returns and paying into the UK’s fiscal black hole might not feature in the playbook, but it’s all part of the rules. Finally, Robert and Tom discuss HMRC’s recent stakeholder conference. Promises of closer working with advisers sound great on paper but as changes regarding National Insurance show, HMRC’s actions don’t always match the words.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week Matt Crawford and Suzanne Briggs discuss the Resolution Foundation’s Budget proposals including a new salt and sugar tax and what that could mean for already rising food prices. Matt also runs through some draft legislation that’s been published, which some may find heavy-handed given how tricky the rules can be. Suzanne takes us through a case in the Upper Tribunal, Executors of Elborne & others v HMRC, where HMRC suffered a rare loss. But she cautions that anyone in a similar position should still take advice, as the story may not end here. And finally, a case that left one taxpayer on a very sticky wicket.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on The Tax Factor, Malli Kini and Stefanie Tremain show why precision matters in both politics and tax with Nigel Farage learning the hard way that there’s a big difference between “I” and “we.” The conversation then turns to the ICAEW’s warning about Government plans to regulate tax agents. While the idea might sound straightforward, could it actually make the system less effective rather than more secure? And finally, the National Audit Office reports that HMRC is losing billions to small business tax evasion including more than £800 million through the practice of phoenixing but it also warns there doesn’t seem to be an effective strategy to deal with it!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.