CEO Welcome: New year, new demands
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As we move into Spring, we reach a natural point of reflection and renewal: the close of one tax year and the beginning of the next. This April brings additional demands as Making Tax Digital for Income Tax becomes a reality for many taxpayers from 1 April. The CIOT, LITRG and ATT have developed extensive online guidance to support you and your clients in navigating the new requirements. As digital reporting beds in, clear communication and careful preparation will be essential.
As many expected, the Chancellor’s Spring Statement proved to be rather a ‘non-event’ from a tax policy perspective. The Statement still provides important context, however. Economic forecasts and fiscal projections shape future decisions, and a period of stability offers welcome space to focus on implementation rather than constant change.
If the policy landscape feels steady, the professional workload at year end can feel rather different. Many of you will be finalising planning, confirming claims and elections, reviewing remuneration strategies and ensuring that your clients are well positioned for the new year. At the same time, updated thresholds, rates and administrative requirements take effect from 6 April. The care and professionalism of our members are fundamental to both client outcomes and the effective operation of the tax system.
Interactions with HMRC can be challenging, and supporting members in those dealings remains a core priority. The ATT is therefore introducing a new process enabling members to raise systemic issues they encounter with HMRC (tinyurl.com/pa5b79pc), such as problems with digital services, agent accounts, registration processes or response times. While individual cases can often be resolved, recurring problems require co-ordinated engagement at an institutional level.
This new process is designed to capture members’ experiences in a structured, evidence-based way, so we will be better placed to identify patterns, prioritise concerns and make targeted representations to HMRC. It strengthens our ability to advocate effectively on your behalf and seek practical improvements. Please do make use of this process where appropriate.
Looking ahead, 16 April sees the CIOT Admissions Ceremony at Drapers’ Hall in London – always a highlight of the professional calendar. Welcoming new members and Fellows is a powerful reminder of the dedication required to achieve the CTA designation. We look forward to congratulating all those admitted.
CPD remains central to maintaining those standards. On 22 April, the ATT will host its Fellows webinar, offering an opportunity to connect with peers and engage in discussion sessions led by our Technical Officers. Meanwhile, mandatory agent registration with HMRC begins on 18 May. The CIOT and ATT, together with the joint professional standards team, will hold a webinar on 20 April outlining the system and providing practical guidance on meeting the new registration conditions.
The CIOT’s Spring Virtual Conference on 29 and 30 April (www.tax.org.uk/svc2026) will once again deliver a comprehensive technical update, covering crypto, BPR and APR, OMB profit extraction, property, VAT and B2B Lifetime Giving. And bookings are now open for the June ATT conferences (tinyurl.com/394wvet7), which will provide practical content for technicians in practice and industry, with events in Stirling, Liverpool and London, alongside an online option.
Finally, we mark with great sadness the passing of Richard Todd, a Past President of the ATT. We pay tribute to his significant contribution to the Association and to the wider tax profession, and to the commitment and leadership he demonstrated throughout his career. A full obituary appears on page 39.