In the news: October 2026

‘“There have been problems this year where taxpayers have had incorrect accounts put on their record,” said Antonia Stokes from the Low Incomes Tax Reform Group. “We’ve heard cases of little old ladies having to get the bus to a town that’s not near them to go into a branch of a bank they do not bank with in order to get the bank manager to write them a letter saying: ‘You do not bank with us.’”

The Times, 10 July

‘Our concern is people won’t know about this, won’t do it and will get penalised.’

ATT’s Emma Rawson in the Daily Telegraph on HMRC plans to require company directors to report dividend income through MTD, 5 August

‘The CIOT said the plans could lead to unfair tax bills, disputes between families and delays because of the extra administration caused to HMRC.’

Daily Telegraph on concerns about proposed inheritance tax changes affecting pensions, 11 August

‘The ATT said executors could face difficult cash-flow decisions, particularly if the pension is holding an asset that cannot quickly be sold.’

The Times on inheritance tax proposals and their practical impact on bereaved families, 19 August

‘We are concerned that the proposed offence will not create a clear enough distinction between carelessness, recklessness and deliberate conduct. Without that certainty, there is a real risk that compliant taxpayers and advisers could face the threat of criminal investigation for conduct that falls short of dishonesty.’

CIOT’s Ellen Milner in the Daily Telegraph, The Sun and other outlets on proposals to criminalise certain tax errors, 21 August

‘Joanne Walker, technical officer at LITRG, a charity, said that people without accountants and advisers, particularly those on low incomes, could also be adversely affected if the proposals become law.’

Financial Times on plans to criminalise ‘reckless’ tax mistakes, 5 September.