AAT public affairs and public policy activities: December 2021

Every month AAT summarises some of the key Public Affairs & Public Policy activities undertaken on behalf of our members.

Below you will find some key highlights for December 2021.

If you would like any further information about any of these issues, please contact Phil Hall, AAT Head of Public Affairs & Public Policy via twitter or via email.

Regulating the unregulated

AAT’s Adam Harper and Phil Hall had a constructive MS Teams meeting with the new Financial Secretary to the Treasury, Lucy Frazer QC MP, to discuss AAT’s recommendation that anyone offering paid for tax or accountancy services should be obliged to join a relevant professional body. The government will again be consulting on how to best raise standards in the tax advice market in 2022 and AAT believes compulsory professional body membership should be part of any such consultation.

Adam and Phil also met with the London Institute of Banking & Finance to discuss the same and Phil engaged with the Financial Conduct Authority, Confederation of British Industry (CBI), HMRC officials, Forrest Brown and the Finance & Leasing Association on the issue too.

2022 should be the year when we finally know whether or not government is serious about raising the standards of tax advice and protecting consumers accordingly.

Member engagement

The views of AAT licensed accountants were received in relation to HMRC’s proposed changes to Income Tax Self-Assessment (ITSA) registration for the self-employed and landlords and will be used to inform AAT’s January 2022 consultation response on the same.

Furthermore, engagement with half a dozen licensed members in relation to unregulated accountants took place; several AAT licensed members represented AAT at various HMRC forums; and a dozen AAT licensed members agreed to take part in a trial to expand HMRC’s Income Record Viewer (IRV) service.

Parliamentary engagement

Engagement with six Parliamentarians took place in December, relating to unregulated accountants; tax relief for work related training, freeports and Help to Grow.

Non-Parliamentary engagement

Engagement with 40 external stakeholders took place in December. These included other tax and accountancy professional bodies, the Entrepreneurs Network, payroll professionals at PPHE Hotels, Harrods and CIPP and tax professionals at Deloitte and the National Farmers Union as well as Tax Justice UK and the Vegetarian Society.

AAT consultations, calls for evidence & inquiry responses

AAT did not respond to any new consultations in December but if you would like to read any of the 2021 responses we have submitted, these are now available on the AAT Policy page.

Other meetings, events and engagements

• Adam Harper attended the regular Representative Bodies Steering Group (RBSG) with HMRC.
• Phil participated in the regular HMRC Virtual Communications Group (VCG).
• Phil represented AAT at the regular Trade Association Forum hosted by the Federation of Small Businesses.
• Phil attended the All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Women and Work meeting on “what good employment looks like” and was able to share AAT’s recent work on improving flexible working with attendees who included politicians and business leaders.
• Phil also represented AAT at the annual HMRC stakeholder conference.