Well at long last HMRC finally put out something about MTD for VAT directly to VAT registered businesses.
November 2018 saw the letters being sent out and with MTD for VAT starting from April 2019, talk about brinksmanship or what.
Brinksmanship is taking something dangerous to the very limit in order to gain an advantage.
So what advantage could HMRC have in leaving this to November 2018? It’s all about taking the strain off their stretched services and passing the burden off to the taxpayers themselves or most likely as the letter actually does, their Accountant.
Obviously, HMRC will respond wasn’t this what accountants wanted us to do? To keep accountants involved and remind your clients to contact you?
The answer of course is yes. Accountants did want this. But as everyone is aware accountants have been asking for this for years, ever since MTD was announced. What has happened? Well HMRC did actually act in November 2018, which we know will mean that we have to take calls from our clients to explain not only the content of the letter but also the context of the letter and all just as accountants are gearing up for the annual January hiatus that is the filing deadline.
Could this have been done sooner? Of course, it could. Should this have been done sooner? Of course, it could. But this way HMRC can still announce they have given MTD for VAT publicity and they have also tried to build bridges with Accountants by involving them in the process.
Unhappily, we have to say that the truth is something else altogether.