A case on interpreting penalty notices can be found in Spring Capital Limited v HMRC [2017] UKUT 0215 (TCC) where the Upper Tribunal (UT) had to decide whether a penalty notice extended the time limit for supplying information.
SME Tax News
In David Benton, Steve Jackson, Paul Hudson v HMRC [2017] participants in tax schemes tried to bar HMRC from their penalty appeals on the basis that Follower Notices were invalid.
HMRC have updated the terms and conditions for direct debit agreements relating to VAT payments: if your direct debit is inactive for 13 months, it will automatically be cancelled under the Dormancy Period rules.
HMRC have agreed to continue to participate in a trial of VAT ruling requests for complex cross-border transactions until 30 September 2018.
The European Parliament have voted heavily in favour of amending the EC Directive 2006/112/EC, which is the leading law for VAT across Europe, to grant all Member States the right to treat electronically supplied publications in the same way as printed publications.
In Errol Almond v HMRC [2017] TC05889 concerned discovery assessments covering 13 years and associated penalties for failure to notify. The assessments were reduced to 5 years and the penalties were discounted once the tribunal had reviewed the evidence, although full abatement was not given.
The Uber taxi business' UK VAT affairs are coming under close scrutiny. Jolyon Maugham QC is challenging Uber London Ltd in the High Court on the fact that he considers that the company should have issued him with a VAT receipt for his journey.
The Pensions Regulator has netted more than £6 million in fines following compulsory pensions auto-enrolment for employers.
In Grenade (UK) Limited v Grenade Energy Limited & ANR, the ‘corporate veil’ did not protect a director from being held jointly liable with his company for the tort of passing off.