M Levin & Co

M Levin & Co Taxation Practitioner providing essential information (and protection) in tax - and - Accountancy,

04/09/2026

Media Tax Highlights - Friday 4 September 2026

Tax administration

HMRC to review over 100,000 tax calculations after technical errors - Daily Telegraph (Alex Marsh)

HMRC will manually review more than 100,000 of its own tax calculations after taxpayers complained they were overcharged. The issue is believed to stem from a longstanding flaw in the tax authority’s computer system which allocates some taxpayers’ income and savings allowances incorrectly. Under ‘beneficial ordering’ rules personal tax allowances should be set against whichever income gives the best tax outcome for the taxpayer but this does not always happen. HMRC first admitted in 2021 that there were errors with some of its tax calculations after taxpayers began flagging the mistakes. However, it has yet to implement a fix. An HMRC spokesman said: “We take extensive action to identify the minority of customers [sic] who may be affected and update their tax calculations as needed to ensure they pay the right tax.”
[NB Déjá vu? Haven't we known about this for ages, when one of the PTP Directors first pointed it out?]

Business taxes

‘Exit tax’ on UK entrepreneurs ruled out by business department -
- Financial Times (Jim Pickard)

Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds has reassured executives that the government will not implement an exit tax on companies leaving the UK after spinning out of universities. There had been speculation that the government would impose a new tax to discourage UK-based companies from leaving the country with intellectual property developed with taxpayer support. But Reynolds has privately reassured business leaders that the government will not be pursuing an exit levy, which is typically based on a company’s valuation if it floats abroad or is acquired by an overseas buyer.


Jenrick refuses to rule out bank tax - City AM (Mauricio Alencar)

Reform UK has refused to rule out a tax on banks should it come to power, amid speculation that the Chancellor could target the sector for additional revenue at the Budget. Treasury spokesman Robert Jenrick said the party has no current plans to increase bank taxes but said investors should "watch this space." Party leader Nigel Farage has previously backed targeting banks, saying earlier this year: “We are going to do it. Some of the banks won’t like it. Well, I don’t like the banks very much.”


John Lewis boss warns Labour against ‘terrible’ high street tax raid -
- Daily Telegraph (Jonathan Prynn and Emma Taggart)
- John Lewis warns against tax raid on High Street: Budget hikes will 'rob youth of employment opportunities' (Daily Mail – Emily Hawkins)

Outgoing John Lewis managing director Peter Ruis has warned that a further rise in business rates on large shops will damage the high street, investment and employment. Retailers fear the government will increase rates for stores with a rateable value of £500,000 or more to help fund lower bills for pubs, clubs and music venues. Ruis said higher rates would put pressure on retailers and argues that business rates reform, rather than further tax increases, would give retailers more room to hire and invest.

Wealth and property taxes

Reform promises tax-free buy-to-let homes -
- Daily Telegraph (Melissa Lawford)

Reform has promised to deliver [sic. What's wrong with "introduce"?] ‘tax-free’ new homes in an effort to revive the buy-to-let market and boost housebuilding. The party has launched a consultation on making homes built on so-called brownfield sites free of stamp duty land tax, capital gains tax and tax on rental income for a decade. Richard Tice, the party’s deputy leader, announced at Reform’s party conference yesterday. Reform also plans to scrap Section 106 contributions, which developers have to make as part of their planning applications and fund more than half of all affordable housing delivered [sic. That's physical action, try "provided"] in England. Reform estimated that the exemptions would cost just over £1 billion in lost tax receipts. The consultation paper also puts forward a tax on online deliveries to encourage shoppers to go to their local high street instead, and lifting the threshold for business rates in town centres.

Gordon Brown: Property is already ‘heavily’ taxed -
- Daily Telegraph (Emma Taggart)

Former Prime Minister Gordon Brown has cautioned Andy Burnham against imposing further wealth taxes, noting that property in Britain is already heavily taxed. Brown suggested that the government should reconsider reforms of existing taxes like SDLT and council tax. He also warned that high-net-worth individuals might leave the country to avoid wealth taxes.

Tax on tourism

Holiday Inn owner IHG urges Burnham to drop tourist tax -
- City AM (Felix Armstrong)

The managing director of IHG UK and Ireland, which owns Holiday Inn, has urged the Prime Minister to abandon plans for a tourist tax. Neetu Mistry warns it could deter visitors and investors. The proposed overnight levy could increase costs for families and potentially lead to the loss of 33,000 jobs in the tourism sector, according to UKHospitality.

03/09/2026

Media Tax Highlights - Thursday 3 September 2026

Business taxes

‘Exit tax’ on UK entrepreneurs ruled out by business department -
- Financial Times (Jim Pickard)

Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds has sought to dispel rumours that the government is considering an exit tax on university spin-outs that relocate overseas. Speculation had grown that ministers might introduce a levy on companies taking taxpayer-funded intellectual property abroad. However, Reynolds has privately reassured business leaders that such a measure is not under consideration. Exit taxes are typically charged when a company lists overseas or is acquired by a foreign buyer, with the levy based on its valuation.


Public finances/capital taxes

Capital gains and inheritance tax raid now more likely, experts warn - I Paper (Will Hazell)

Tax hikes targeting wealth have become more likely because of the spike in the UK’s borrowing costs, experts have said. Professor Edward Jones of Bangor University told The i Paper that “further fiscal tightening” – tax rises or spending cuts – in the Budget “is now increasingly likely if borrowing costs remain around current levels”. Capital Economics has suggested that tax increases could be “tilted” towards capital and wealth, pointing out that the government has not ruled out raising capital gains tax, increasing the bank surcharge, changing the taxation of pensions or hiking inheritance tax.

‘Large tax hikes on the way’: How the global bond rout is boxing in Healey - City A.M. (Maurício Alencar)
- Borrowing cost surge leaves Healey with £10bn headache (Telegraph – not attributed)

City A.M. notes that higher gilt yields are forecast to cut fiscal headroom from £22.7 billion to £13 billion and push debt interest costs to £135 billion by 2030, making tax rises more likely to be necessary. The paper quotes Rob Wood of Pantheon Macroeconomics saying “more large tax hikes are on the way”, while economist and former Treasury minister Lord Jim O'Neill suggested in an interview with LBC that capital gains tax could be raised.

Property tax

John Swinney urged to ditch 'eye-watering' mansion tax plans -
- The Scotsman (Alistair Grant)

The Scottish Conservatives have criticised plans for new council tax bands on properties worth more than £1 million, warning that it would do “lasting damage to the housing market” while raising only a “tiny amount”. The Scottish Programme for Government, which was announced this week, says the Council Tax (Scotland) Bill will address “a longstanding concern that the highest-value properties can currently pay the same level of council tax despite substantial differences in market value”.

Gordon Brown: Property is already ‘heavily’ taxed -
- Telegraph (Emma Taggart)

Speaking on the ‘The Rest Is Money’ podcast, former Prime Minister Gordon Brown has warned Andy Burnham against further increases in property taxes, arguing that housing is already ‘heavily’ taxed in the UK. Brown emphasised reforming existing taxes saying: “If you’re taxed on property only because it’s the council tax, or when you transfer your property, which is the stamp duty, then people may say, well, you know, is that the best way of taxing wealth? And I think that’s what the government should look at”.

Taxing investors

‘The taxman stands to inherit more than my children’ -
- The Times (Alice Wright)

A survey by Wealth Club found that 61% of investors with assets of £1 million or more have considered moving overseas, amid concerns about the UK tax burden and the prospect of further tax rises in the Budget. Almost all respondents (97%) expect taxes to increase over the coming year, while 47% cited higher taxes as the biggest threat to their wealth. Alex Davies from Wealth Club commented: “every tax rise and every policy change that makes Britain a less attractive place to save, invest and build businesses risks encouraging more wealth creators to look elsewhere”.


UK startups need UK backing - City A.M. (Nicholas Hyett)

Nicholas Hyett of Hargreaves Lansdown says the UK struggles to support start-ups, with only 38% surviving five years after incorporation, compared with 46% in the EU and 51% in the US. He argues that domestic venture capital's share of funding has fallen from 33% in 2015 to 25% in 2025, increasing reliance on overseas investors. Hyett highlights the important role of venture capital trusts, while adding: “If we want the economic growth, jobs and tax revenues that come with a buzzing entrepreneurial economy we need to back our businesses”.

Tax compliance

HMRC cannot be trusted with our bank accounts -
- Telegraph (Dia Chakravarty)

In an opinion piece for the Telegraph, the former political director of the TaxPayers' Alliance, discusses the government consultation on extending HMRC's powers to recover smaller unpaid tax debts directly from bank accounts (potentially affecting debts of up to £5,000 for individuals and £10,000 for businesses). Dia Chakravarty considers the proposal risky given concerns about HMRC's data breaches, poor customer service and tax errors affecting millions of taxpayers. She suggests expanding these powers could undermine trust in the tax system and expose vulnerable individuals and businesses to serious financial consequences if mistakes are made.

02/09/2026

Media Tax Highlights - Wednesday 2 September 2026

Inheritance tax

Labour inheritance tax raid ‘holding back job creation -
- The Telegraph (Emma Taggart and Eleanor Harmsworth)

Family businesses say inheritance tax changes are restricting investment and job creation. A Family Business UK survey found that one in four firms had paused or cancelled investment, while more than half had been “negatively affected”. Ahead of the autumn Budget, the group is urging the government to restore full business and agricultural property relief. A Treasury spokesperson responded that they had listened and raised the business relief threshold to £2.5 million to protect small family businesses.

Scotland

Programme for Government 2026 to 2031: First Minister's speech -
- Gov Scotland (unattributed)
- Swinney to cut number of mainland health boards from 11 to two (BBC News Online)
- Food price cap and public sector reform: Five things from the programme for government (BBC News Online)

The Scottish First Minister has delivered [sic. What's wrong with "presented"?] the Programme for Government 2026-31. John Swinney said the government would focus on addressing the cost of living crisis and making Scotland the best place to do business. He criticised UK government energy policy and said the Scottish government would press for the Energy Profits Levy to be replaced (it is currently expected to remain in place until 2030), while continuing to argue for greater Scottish control over energy policy.



Business rates



M&S and Tesco warn Burnham against high street tax raid -
- The Telegraph (Tom Haynes)

Major retailers including Marks & Spencer and Tesco have warned Prime Minister Andy Burnham against further tax increases, arguing that the sector already pays 21% of business rates while contributing 5% of GDP. In a letter coordinated by the Retail Jobs Alliance, they said higher taxes would put pressure on prices, investment and jobs.


The London office, the empty boxes and the £1bn tax loophole -
- The Guardian (Nick Sommerlad)

The Guardian reports that a court ruling has ended a tax avoidance scheme that has cost local authorities over £1 billion. The scheme, known as “box shifting”, enabled commercial property owners to claim empty property relief by temporarily placing boxes in vacant premises. The court found that such ‘occupation’ does not meet statutory requirements. The City of London Corporation has welcomed the court decision, saying: “This landmark ruling closes one of the most widely used tax avoidance schemes in the country”.


VAT

Return of tax-free shopping ‘would give UK economy £11.5bn boost’ - The Times (Modupe Omitola)

According to a report by the Centre for Economics and Business Research, restoring VAT-free shopping could add £11.5 billion to economic output, support 153,000 jobs and attract 2.35 million additional international visitors annually. Sir Sadiq Khan, the Mayor of London, labelled the decision to remove tax-free shopping a “huge mistake”, adding that the government should consider using the autumn Budget to reinstate tax-free shopping and “make it clear to the world” that London and the UK are open for business.


Public finances

Middle classes ‘face tax rises to fund defence boost’ -
- The Telegraph (Emma Taggart)

The Resolution Foundation has warned that boosting defence spending is likely to require broader tax rises, including on middle earners. Its analysis found countries with similar tax systems to the UK have struggled to increase defence spending without placing a greater burden on middle-income taxpayers. James Smith, the chief economist at the Resolution Foundation, said: “There is a strong case that any benefits of increased defence spending will be broadly shared, so the tax rises needed to fund this should be too, including higher rates on middle earners”.

Vehicle taxation

Sadiq Khan convicted of failing to tax car he ‘does not own’ -
- The Telegraph (not attributed)

The Mayor of London has been fined after being convicted of keeping an untaxed 24-year-old Nissan Micra that he claims he does not own. Last month, a magistrate ordered Khan to pay a £220 fine, £85 in costs and £35.84 in unpaid vehicle tax. City Hall maintains that neither the Mayor nor Transport for London owns the car.
[NB It would be good ro see the EVIDENCE via the Vehicle Registration Document]

01/09/2026

Media Tax Highlights -
Saturday 29 August to Tuesday 1 September 2026

Shadow Cabinet reshuffle

Kemi Badenoch sacks Mel Stride as shadow chancellor -
- Financial Times (Jim Pickard)
- Badenoch sacks Mel Stride as shadow chancellor (Daily Telegraph – Daniel Martin)

Andrew Griffith has replaced Sir Mel Stride as shadow chancellor after Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch established a new Conservative Economic Unit to change the party’s approach to economic policy. Badenoch also replaced Dame Priti Patel with Tom Tugendhat as shadow foreign secretary, while Claire Coutinho will become shadow business secretary once her maternity leave concludes. The Conservatives said Badenoch had moved to shake up her team because of the possibility of an early general election, although the prime minister has said he will not be calling an early election.

Tax and pensions

Over one million pensioners hit by higher income tax rates -
- City AM (Maisie Grice)
- Pensioners warned as 1m face highest rates of income tax (Daily Express – Katie Harris)

The number of pensioners paying higher income tax rates has doubled in five years, passing one million this tax year, according to LCP. Additional rate taxpayers have also tripled, rising to 115,000 from 39,000. The increase follows the decision by former chancellor Rachel Reeves to extend the freeze on income tax thresholds until 2030/31. The higher rate threshold has remained at £50,270 since 2021/22. The Treasury estimates the decision to extend the income tax threshold freeze will generate £12 billion in extra revenue.

Wealthy families turn to ‘high-risk’ investments to dodge death duties - Daily Telegraph (Alex Marsh)

Wealthy families are increasingly using high risk business relief investments to mitigate the effects of inheritance tax changes, which will bring pensions into scope from April 2027. By purchasing volatile shares in smaller, unlisted companies and holding them for at least two years, individuals can exempt up to £2.5 million from inheritance tax. Any excess is taxed at 20% rather than the standard 40%. Despite the risks of investing in illiquid firms, 75% of financial advisers report a rise in clients adopting these strategies following the announcement of the policy in October 2024.


Corporate and business taxes

Apple and Google rake in more from 'app tax' on Britons than they pay in corporation tax, study finds - Daily Mail (David Churchill)

Apple and Google are generating more revenue from their "app tax" on UK consumers than they contribute in corporation tax, reports the Mail. In 2025, Apple paid £322 million, while Google paid £146 million in 2024. The "app tax" levied on in-app purchases is estimated to raise £700 million annually, projected to increase to £1.2 billion in five years. The Competition and Markets Authority is considering measures to ensure fairer pricing for consumers.

Healey tax grab ‘would inflict lasting damage on North Sea’, business chiefs warn - Daily Telegraph (Jonathan Leake)
- Healey eyes windfall tax on banks and oil companies (Daily Telegraph – Camilla Turner and Tony Diver)

UK energy chiefs have warned that further tax rises on the North Sea would harm investment and accelerate job losses. Following reports that John Healey is considering a windfall tax on banks and oil and gas majors, Russell Borthwick, the chief executive of the chamber of commerce in Aberdeen, wrote to the Chancellor to make clear that fresh changes to the fiscal regime would "severely undermine investor confidence and energy security" and would cripple an industry "which Britain cannot afford to lose".



Lord Walker calls for Healey to cut business taxes -
- City AM (Mauricio Alencar)

Supermarket boss Lord Richard Walker has urged the Prime Minister and Chancellor to prioritise tax cuts for businesses over cost of living concerns. Lord Walker, who runs Iceland, warned that "warm words towards business won't be enough" and called for the government to bring down the cost of employment, business rates and investment.

Ministers plot exit tax for university spinouts moving abroad -
- The Sunday Times (Olivia Surguy)

Ministers are considering an exit tax for businesses that relocate abroad after benefiting from UK taxpayer funding. The proposed levy aims to prevent university spin-outs or start-ups supported by state grants from taking intellectual property and jobs overseas. Lord Vallance, chair of the A.I. Taskforce, is leading the initiative. The tax would be based on a company's valuation if it sells or floats abroad after receiving public money. Critics say the move would only make it more difficult for companies to leave, not prevent it, and universities would end up with a smaller stake.


Property taxes

‘Mansion tax police’ to target homes with nice views and driveways - Sunday Telegraph (Nick Gutteridge)
- Mansion tax inspectors are a step too far (The Sunday Times – Johanna Noble)

The Sunday Telegraph reports on the criteria that will be used to establish the value of a property for the new High Value Council Tax Surcharge, which will see properties worth more than £2 million hit with a charge of between £2,500 and £7,500 per year. Significant features affecting value include the number of parking spaces, countryside views, swimming pools or paddocks, an annex, or whether the property is a penthouse or has access to a roof terrace. The number of bedrooms and bathrooms will also be considered by agents from the Valuation Office Agency, a part of HMRC, who will have the right to demand entry into the property. Writing in the Sunday Times, Johanna Noble argues that, unlike independent valuers, government agents will have an incentive to make sure properties are valued as high as possible to increase tax yields.

30,000 landlords sell up as rent reforms spook property investors -
- Daily Telegraph (Robert White)

The number of small landlords in the UK has dropped for the first time in five years, with critics warning this is due to tax increases and concerns about new rights for tenants. Around 30,000 exited the market in the year to April 2025 after former chancellor Rachel Reeves increased stamp duty land tax on additional residential properties from 3% to 5%. Paul Shamplina, founder of campaign group Landlord Action, said that since the Renters' Rights Act came into force in May this year, even more landlords have been selling up, with this acceleration expected to be seen in future statistics.

Energy taxes

Carbon tax rebate could cut household gas and electricity prices -
- The Times (Emily Gosden)

The Energy Competitiveness Unit (ECU) suggests that the government could reduce household energy bills by requiring older low-carbon power plants to return profits gained from carbon taxes. The ECU's report indicates that these plants benefit from increased electricity prices due to taxes on gas plants. Implementing a "decarbonisation rebate" could save £7.3 billion from 2027 to 2030, saving the average household an estimated £31 next year.

Holidaymakers clobbered with record £4.6billion flying taxes under Labour, official figures show - Daily Mail (David Churchill)

Holidaymakers faced Air Passenger Duty (APD) charges totalling £4.6 billion in the last financial year, according to HMRC data. This is a £500 million increase from the previous year, driven by a 15% APD rise introduced in April 2025. Families of four can now incur tax bills exceeding £400 for economy flights, reports the Mail.


VAT

VAT is a problem and Britain’s hospitality businesses are paying the price, warns top chef Tom Kerridge - Daily Mail (Emily Hawkins)

Chef Tom Kerridge has urged the Prime Minister to introduce a permanent VAT cut for the hospitality sector. His plea follows the end of a temporary VAT reduction from 20% to 5% for children's meals and family attraction tickets. Kerridge argues that the hospitality industry needs a lower VAT rate to survive and thrive, citing rising costs and competition from European countries with lower rates.


Wealth and capital taxes

Nearly 70 per cent of Britons think high-earners pay fair share of tax in blow to Labour - GB News (Peter Stevens)

Research from the Adam Smith Institute reveals that nearly 70% of people believe the wealthiest 1% pay their fair share of taxes. The study indicates that two-thirds of respondents think that ordinary workers' taxes would rise if wealthy individuals left the country, as the number of millionaires in the UK has decreased to 442,000, the lowest since 2008. The Prime Minister has been urged to abolish inheritance tax and reform capital gains tax, which currently stands at 18% for basic rate taxpayers.

Andy Burnham warned over ‘stupid’ tax raid on capital gains -
- The Times (Steven Swinford)

Lord O'Neill of Gatley has told the Times that Andy Burnham would be unwise to increase taxes on wealth in the Budget, arguing that it would drive entrepreneurs abroad and harm growth. As allies of the Prime Minister call for capital gains tax rises, O'Neill warns that this would reduce revenue for the Treasury as business owners would defer selling companies or move money abroad to avoid the tax.



Tax compliance

Secret honours ‘blacklist’ of 400 celebs who can’t get gongs over their tax affairs is revealed - The Sun (Andy Buckwell)

More than 400 public figures are on a blacklist due to controversial tax affairs. HMRC has categorised 33 individuals as "high risk" and 377 as "medium risk" for honours like knighthoods. In the past two years, 135 high-profile individuals were added to these categories, reports the Sun. A government spokesperson said: “Our role is to provide a low, medium or high tax-risk assessment, when requested, to inform the honours process. The main honours committee takes into account the risk rating alongside other information to decide whether to recommend the award of an honour.”


Devolution

Andy Burnham U-turns on local income tax ‘rebates’ -
- The Sunday Times (David Collins)

The Prime Minister will allow mayors to implement tax rebates for local workers and businesses, reversing his previous stance. Ben Houchen, the Conservative mayor of Tees Valley, is collaborating with No 10 North on a rebate scheme, the Sunday Times reports. This follows the Prime Minister's announcement that mayors could retain a portion of income tax and business taxes for local investment.

28/08/2026

Media Tax Highlights - Friday 28 August 2026

Scottish council tax

SNP mansion tax could lead to thousands of valuation appeals -
- The Herald (Kathleen Nutt)

Plans to bring in a “mansion tax” in Scotland could lead to thousands of people challenging valuations which puts their properties into the new higher council tax bands, reports the Herald. Former finance secretary Shona Robison, who was succeeded in May by Jenny Gilruth, announced plans in January for two new council tax bands, bands I and J, on homes worth more than £1 million and £2 million respectively, affecting around 15,000 residential properties. But the Association of Taxation Technicians warns that many of those affected could contest their valuations. "The number of challenges is likely to be higher in Band I where the estimated number of properties is between 12,680 and 16,740, compared with between 760 and 1,070 households in Band J," said Chris Campbell, ATT technical officer. "But the stakes are higher regarding Band J which is £3,600 more tax than the current Band H, compared with £720 more tax for Band I.” In their submission to the government's consultation, ATT said, ministers should seek political consensus for a revaluation of all residential properties in Scotland as part of a wider process of council tax reform.


Capital gains tax


HMRC reports record capital gains tax haul after Reeves’ rate rise -
- Financial Times (Nicou Asgari)
- Capital gains tax haul soars as 181,000 more investors pay up (Daily Telegraph – Charlotte Gifford)
- Capital gains tax take soars to record high of £24.2bn (Daily Mail – Angharad Carrick)

The Government collected a record £24.2 billion in capital gains tax (CGT) for the 2024 to 2025 tax year, an 89% increase from the previous year. The number of individuals paying CGT also rose by 45% to hit a record high of 584,000. Rachel Reeves, the former chancellor, increased rates for basic-rate taxpayers from 10% to 18% and for higher-rate taxpayers from 20% to 24% in her October 2024 Budget. Experts say speculation about tax rises ahead of the Budget encouraged investors to sell.

Treasury analysis ‘shows wealth tax would lose money’ -
- Daily Telegraph (Tim Wallace)

Conservative analysis of Treasury data suggests that increasing the top rate of CGT could lead to reduced tax receipts. Former chancellor Rachel Reeves raised the rate from 20% to 24%, while her successor, John Healey, has faced calls to increase it further. However, the Conservative analysis of internal government data concludes that the “tipping point” for CGT is 22%. The government claims the analysis is based on partial information, but Anna Leach, chief economist at the Institute of Directors, said that raising taxes on capital becomes self-defeating and risked discouraging international investment in the UK.

Britain’s 240 crypto millionaires revealed in official tax data -
- The Times (Chris Dorrell)

HMRC figures show more than 17,000 people paid capital gains from crypto investments in the past year, worth £1.38 billion. Around 240 investors gained more than £1 million and accounted for £717 million in tax. Phil Kinzett-Evans, partner at UHY Hacker Young, said the gains were "remarkable" but added: "HMRC suspects that there are a lot of undeclared gains still out there. It is stepping up its investigations into cryptocurrency investors over suspected tax evasion."

Tax compliance

Jamie Carragher: HMRC petitions for Sky Sports star to be declared bankrupt - City AM (Frank Dalleres)
- Carragher facing bankruptcy petition over unpaid tax claim (BBC News – Dan Roan)

HMRC has filed a bankruptcy petition against Jamie Carragher, the Sky Sports pundit and former England footballer, due to an unpaid tax bill. The case was submitted at the High Court in London. Carragher is also a director of five companies, including one currently in liquidation. HMRC said it did not comment on individual cases but a spokesperson added: “We take a supportive approach to dealing with customers [sic. HMRC is a monopoly; and so we don't have a CHOICE] who have tax debts and do everything we can to help those who engage with us to get out of debt, such as offering instalment plans.”

27/08/2026

Media Tax Highlights - Thursday 27 August 2026

HMRC performance

Reform pledges £30 rebate for taxpayers stuck on hold to HMRC -
- Daily Telegraph (Dominic Penna and Genevieve Holl-Allen)
- Reform proposes £30 tax rebate for HMRC phone delays (BBC News – Brian Wheeler)
- Reform to slash HMRC officials’ pay if taxpayers wait too long (City AM – Mauricio Alencar)

Reform UK has announced that individuals who wait over half an hour for HMRC to answer their calls will get a £30 credit off their tax bill if the party gets in to government. The credit will be limited to two claims per tax year. Robert Jenrick, the party's Treasury spokesman, said the initiative would provide HMRC with an incentive to enhance customer service, while tax officials would also see their pay linked to customer service performance.

Tax compliance

New HMRC tax rules could criminalise ‘reckless’ errors – what you need to know - Which? (Ruby Flanagan)

Which? is the latest outlet to cover a new proposed law which would make it a criminal offence to submit false information on tax returns through “reckless behaviour”. It said this is defined as knowing information might be wrong, but filing it anyway without proper checks. HMRC says those who make a genuine mistake won't meet the legal threshold for recklessness and won’t be prosecuted. However, the Chartered Institute of Taxation warns that the current proposals lack clear boundaries between careless mistakes, reckless behaviour and deliberate wrongdoing.


Scotland

Millions of Scots ‘paying the price’ for tax allowance freeze –
- Evening Standard (Rachel Keenan)
- Hypocrisy! High-tax SNP condemn UK government... for failing to cut income tax (Daily Mail – Michael Blackley)

Families across Scotland “are paying the price” for the UK Government’s freeze on the tax-free personal allowance, the SNP has said. The party said research by the House of Commons Library, commissioned by the SNP, shows millions of workers across Scotland and the UK are paying an additional £700 a year in income tax. However, SNP Westminster leader Dave Doogan has been criticised by rival parties for hypocrisy as SNP ministers control income tax in Scotland and have implemented tax rises, affecting those earning over £33,500.

Tax on banks

Lloyds and Natwest flaunt social credentials as fears grow of Burnham tax grab - City AM (Samuel Norman)

Lloyds and NatWest are enhancing their community investment initiatives to prove they can help with the Prime Minister's community and cost-of-living agenda. NatWest has pledged increased support for farmers affected by drought, while Lloyds announced a £100 million investment to help young people acquire job skills. It comes amid calls for bank profits to be taxed more to bolster the public finances.

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