NEWS

The HMRC is set to announce plans to introduce mandatory tax registration checks for public sector licensing.

Last December the HMRC consulted on these proposals in their “Tackling the hidden economy: public sector licensing” public consultation.

The Chancellor last week announced as part of the Autumn Budget: “Following the consultation ‘Tackling the hidden economy: public sector licensing’ published in December 2017, the government will consider legislating at Finance Bill 2019 to introduce a tax registration check linked to licence renewal processes for some public sector licences. Applicants would need to provide proof they were correctly registered for tax in order to be granted licenses. This would make it more difficult to trade in the hidden economy, levelling the playing field for compliant businesses.”

A representative from the HMRC’s Hidden Economy Policy & Strategy Team has confirmed to the Institute that the Government will publish its summary of responses on the 7th of November.

The public sector licence types that will be affected by the Government’s proposals will include:

- SIA
- Scrap metal dealers
- Taxi/PH driver and operators
- HMOs
- Street/market trading
- Massage and special treatment premises licences

The HMRC said these licence types have been selected because: “existing licence conditions align reasonably well with tax-compliance measures; they apply to sectors vulnerable to hidden economy activity; and there are broader potential benefits to be realised in driving up wider regulatory standards.”

Source: HMRC