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ATT: We can influence Making Tax Digital

30th Sep 2016
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The changes around Making Tax Digital (MTD) are going to happen, but we can influence them, was one of the key messages from the Association of Taxation Technicians’ (ATT) president’s luncheon this week.

AccountingWEB.co.uk was honoured to be asked to attend the prestigious event at Drapers’ Hall in London. Robert Lovell reports back on one of the key themes of the day.

Ralph Pettengell, president of the association, addressed the large assembled crowd with news that the ATT was growing in numbers, remained influential and was inclusive for both old and new members.

Given the rising numbers and growing authority, Pettengell reflected on the association’s influence on the ‘big issues’ in the media and how it had brought about changes to the most recent Finance Bill.

“We value our relationship with HMRC,” Pettengell said. “But we’re on the fast-track on the road to the brave new world of Making Tax Digital. These changes are going to happen, but we can influence them.”

On tax digitisation he said the balance of work for practitioners will change because of MTD, shifting from less tax return work into a more advisory direction.

The ATT has also urged the government not to rush the implementation of MTD.

The current timetable for consulting on MTD ahead of the publication of draft legislation for Finance Bill 2017 leaves the Revenue little time to reflect on the responses.

The ATT cautioned against introducing the programme without sufficient consideration of its full implications for businesses, software developers, agents and HMRC itself.

Pettengell also commented on the challenge of Brexit: “This actually creates opportunity for practitioners; it will require our skills and judgement to get through this and the ability to respond to these changes as they happen.”

 

What are you doing to influence Making Tax Digital? Will you be responding to the con docs? To respond, Rebecca Benneyworth has put together a resource pack

Replies (4)

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By RobertD
01st Oct 2016 07:09

Shifting to more advisory. No. Shifting to bookkeeping. It is clear that the people in power at HMRC, the associations and government have no clue as to the real effect that MTD will have. The real people who it will affect and distress are the small businesses. Most of them don't even know it's going to happen and HMRC's budget has only extended to press releases and a YouTube video. If my practice of 100 clients of whom one uses accounting software is an indicator for rural businesses we have trouble ahead. I am not going to be herding my clients off to be preyed on by greedy software vultures. I would rather pack it all in and have no part of this whole disgusting affair.

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By vinylnobbynobbs
03rd Oct 2016 11:27

Why does it have to happen?

I reiterate what I have posted elsewhere on this website. Enough is enough and let ATT listen to its frontline members and tell HMRC that we do not intend to cooperate and that we do not accept the inevitability of "Making Tax Digital".
Too much spin and not enough substance.

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the sea otter
By memyself-eye
04th Oct 2016 09:14

What is an 'advisory direction'?
I can just imagine my clients reaction when I say, sorry I won't be processing any of your records but I can now 'advise' (on what I'm not sure). Or, worse if I say sorry I now have to process your paperwork/records four times a year instead of once and that's double my fee thanks...
Time to retire methinks.

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By Cyrille1987
04th Oct 2016 22:09

Quite clearly then the ATT is not listening to its members on MTD. Pathetic.

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