Loan Charge 2019 2020-02-11
2020-02-11
TAGS
Response quality
Questions & Answers
Q1
Direct Answer
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Context
The question arises from the Government's response to Sir Amyas Morse's review concerning individuals affected by the loan charge.
How many people will be affected by the 2019 loan charge after the Government have implemented the recommendations of Sir Amyas Morse's review?
Of the estimated 50,000 individuals affected by the loan charge, more than 30,000 are expected to benefit from changes. This includes about 11,000 people who will be taken out of paying altogether and those settled or settling their tax liability with HMRC.
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Assessment & feedback
Response accuracy
Q2
Partial Answer
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Context
The MP raises concerns about the clarity of the loan charge for self-employed individuals and proposes changes to address retrospective application.
Will the Financial Secretary do the obvious thing, get rid of all retrospection and apply the loan charge from when the law was clear and applied to everyone, including the self-employed, and clamp down on those who promoted these disguised renumeration schemes?
At the Budget, we will introduce measures to crack down on promoters. However, this is not a retrospective measure; Sir Amyas Morse found that the loan charge was an appropriate response to tax avoidance and suggested December 2010 as the legal date.
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Assessment & feedback
request for revision in retrospection
This Is Not A Retrospective Measure
Response accuracy
Q3
Partial Answer
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Context
The MP questions why HMRC did not act earlier if the law was clear since 2010.
But even 2010 is 10 years ago, so if the law was clear then, as the report suggests, why did HMRC not act then? Surely this matter is its responsibility.
HMRC pursued these cases quite vigorously. Sir Amyas found that the law was clear then, and HMRC believed people would accommodate it. It has also been pursuing those avoiding tax through disguised renumeration schemes for many years before 2010.
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Assessment & feedback
reason for delayed action by HMRC
Hmrc Pursued These Cases Quite Vigorously
Response accuracy
Q4
Partial Answer
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Context
A constituent is unsure about their position post-loan charge review despite Treasury's acceptance of Sir Amyas Morse's recommendations.
The Treasury has accepted some of Sir Amyas Morse's recommendations, but there is confusion about some of them. A constituent got caught in a disguised renumeration scheme before 2010 and remains unsure if they are in the clear.
We accepted all but one of Sir Amyas's recommendations, rejecting it as already well-handled within the system. If there is a specific concern, the MP can raise it with tax commissioners or me anonymously.
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Assessment & feedback
position for those affected pre-2010
We Accepted All But One Recommendation
Issue Was Already Being Handled
Response accuracy