Pre-Budget Report
27/11/2008
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27/11/2008
In the last full Budget statement the Treasury announced the start of a consultation process on Tax relief for travel expenses: temporary workers and overarching employment contracts. The consultation lasted until 13 October with all Umbrella companies contributing to the debate either directly or via nominated representative bodies. One of the Treasury's stated options was to remove the right of currently site-based temporary workers to treat travel and subsistence expenses as tax allowable.
The result of the consultation process is embodied in Section 104 of Chapter 5 of the pre-Budget report issued by HM Treasury on Monday 24 November, as follows:
5.104 Following the consultation Tax relief for travel expenses: temporary workers and overarching employment contracts, the Government has decided to leave the current rules unchanged. However, in the light of evidence from the consultation confirming poor levels of compliance in this area HMRC will refocus its efforts to ensure that the current regime is properly applied. If compliance does not improve, the Government may return to this at a later date.
The result of the consultation process is embodied in Section 104 of Chapter 5 of the pre-Budget report issued by HM Treasury on Monday 24 November, as follows:
5.104 Following the consultation Tax relief for travel expenses: temporary workers and overarching employment contracts, the Government has decided to leave the current rules unchanged. However, in the light of evidence from the consultation confirming poor levels of compliance in this area HMRC will refocus its efforts to ensure that the current regime is properly applied. If compliance does not improve, the Government may return to this at a later date.
As you might imagine, the Umbrella industry is delighted with the result of the consultation process. However, the Treasury have instructed HMRC to crack down on rogue Umbrella companies who flout the rules, particularly on expenses. As a fully compliant Umbrella company, we welcome the Government's approach which can only assist those of us who obey the tax rules by removing non-compliant Umbrella companies from the market place.
With this in mind, we continue our dialogue with HMRC to ensure that our policies and procedures are fully compliant and that our interpretation of tax law accords with theirs.
