The Tax Factor - Episode 93 - Rayner’s Resignation, Wealth Taxes and the Dog Ate My Homework (Almost)

This week on The Tax Factor, Rehana Earle and Ele Theochari talk about the fallout from Angela Rayner’s resignation and what it says about the complexity of the UK tax system. Was it a simple SDLT mistake or something more? They also look at Labour’s revived debate on wealth taxes and Rachel Reeves’ cautious approach to reform ahead of November’s Budget. HMRC has an increasing focus not just on the users of avoidance schemes but also on the individuals promoting them – including a barrister now in the spotlight and footballers facing hefty tax bills. And at a tribunal, one taxpayer tried the excuse that “rodents ate my receipts.” A creative attempt, but no cigar – just like the old “dog ate my homework,” it didn’t wash.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Tax Factor is back for its second episode of the season. This week, Neil Insull is joined by Annie Hughes for her debut appearance, as they look at the top tax stories making the news: we finally have a date for the Autumn Budget. But the real question is what the Chancellor might have in store. Could inheritance tax be in the firing line? Will we see changes to the VAT threshold or even VAT rates themselves? And with stamp duty complexity hitting the headlines, is now the moment for long-discussed reforms to property tax?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Tax Factor is back after its summer break! In this episode, Blick Rothenberg CEO Nimesh Shah is joined by Tom Goddard for his debut appearance on the podcast. Together, they discuss how frozen tax thresholds and fiscal drag have quietly become one of the Government’s most powerful tools for raising revenue. The conversation also looks ahead to the upcoming Autumn Budget, exploring the options and levers the Chancellor may use to plug the UK’s growing fiscal black hole. Stay tuned for an insightful discussion that kicks off our biggest season yet.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Turn the dial to the 1980s for a special FM broadcast of The Tax Factor. Styled on London’s famous talk radio station The Capital Gains Breakfast Show takes you through one of the most transformative decades for tax policy. With bold reforms, headline-grabbing Budgets, and the economic legacy of the Thatcher years, we bring the eighties tax landscape to life - complete with the feel of local radio news and updates.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It’s the 1960s - the Beatles are topping the charts, London is swinging, and tax is making headlines. Join us for a lively "pirate radio-inspired" edition of The Tax Factor broadcasting from just off the Frinton coat and tune in to the decade of change on Swinging Radio Tax Factor. From the introduction of new tax rules to the cultural shifts that shaped finance and society, this episode captures the energy of the sixties while uncovering the tax issues of the day.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Step back to the 1940s with our special "newsreel edition" of The Taxation Factor. To mark Blick Rothenberg’s 80th anniversary, we revisit the year of Blick Rothenberg’s founding that shaped modern taxation in post-war Britain. Presented in the style of a cinema newsreel, this episode explores the policies, challenges, and innovations that defined the era - from rebuilding the economy to the birth of the welfare state.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As the current series of The Tax Factor draws to a close, Nimesh Shah and Heather Self serve up a final episode looking back over the last 12 months. From the arrival of a new Labour government to the twists and turns of the Chancellor’s fiscal manoeuvrings, it’s been a year of tax drama, policy pivots, and HMRC under the microscope. There’s a sense of déjà vu as we head into the summer break - more questions than answers, and a tax landscape still in flux. Plus, in honour of Wimbledon week, we can’t resist a final rally with the VAT query of the season: the M&S strawberries and cream sandwich.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on The Tax Factor Neil Insull and Suzanne Briggs look at Reform’s controversial proposal for a 'Britannia Card' that would let wealthy foreigners pay a £250k fee to move to the UK and live exempt from all tax, and a significant rise in HMRC investigations into high earners, signalling a more aggressive compliance strategy. Elsewhere, the tax gap among SMEs is growing - what’s causing it, and how might it be closed? Plus, in estate planning news, Glastonbury founder Michael Eavis may have struck the right chord with tax planning that could legally bypass £80 million in inheritance tax. And finally, as Wimbledon serves up bigger prize pots, Neil and Suzanne reveal how it’s also serving HMRC a bigger slice of the winnings.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on The Tax Factor Rehana Earle and Ele Theochari look at possible U-turns on the non-dom regime, with Rachel Reeves reportedly reconsidering inheritance tax on global assets amid City concerns. They also discuss the High Court ruling that allows VAT on private school fees, rising tax receipts including a 14% hike in IHT, and a delayed Tax Freedom Day as fiscal drag bites. Plus, we revisit Making Tax Digital, with new guidance ahead of the  rollout is HMRC going to be helpful to tax payers and agents around the new tax reporting framework?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week Roger Holman and Neil Insull discuss the Chancellor's Spending Review and pose the critical question on everyone's mind: "Where is the money coming from?" As opposition parties warn of a "cruel summer" filled with speculation. Roger and Neil also examine the logic and fairness of recovering Winter Fuel payments from pensioners through the tax system. Will HMRC really pursue thousands of small debts? They also look at the case of former darts world champion Rob Cross, who has been disqualified from serving as a company director after failing to pay over £450,000 in taxes. With no further penalties imposed, is this the level of enforcement the public expects?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.