HMRC’s new guidance strategy forum

CIOT, LITRG and ATT joined the first meeting of HMRC’s Guidance Strategy Forum in September. 

CIOT, LITRG and ATT attended the first meeting of HMRC’s newly established Strategic Guidance Forum, aimed at bringing together representative bodies and other stakeholders to: inform and influence the direction of HMRC’s guidance strategy; test thinking on guidance direction and plans; increase understanding of different users’ needs; and help gauge the effectiveness of solutions put in place. The forum will convene every six months and concentrate on HMRC’s high-level guidance strategy, with existing HMRC forums continuing to focus on guidance in particular areas of tax.

The forum supports one of the Office of Tax Simplification’s (OTS) recommendations in the 2018 guidance report – to establish an advisory panel on guidance. CIOT and LITRG have met regularly with HMRC’s central guidance team, following the publication of the OTS report to discuss issues with guidance and the OTS recommendations. One of the areas for discussion has been how best to provide feedback on HMRC’s manuals as there are a few different routes. HMRC’s article explaining how to do that, depending on what you want to say and whether you need a reply, is on the CIOT website (www.tax.org.uk/HMRCmanuals) and ATT website (www.att.org.uk/HMRCmanuals).