HMRC’s latest Stakeholder Digest (30 January 2024) picks up on a joint campaign by HMRC and the Advertising Standards Authority to clamp down on advertisements which could mislead ineligible individuals and businesses into claiming tax refunds or reliefs. In December 2023, both bodies issued an enforcement notice to promoters of tax repayment agent services providing guidance which, if not followed, could lead to sanctions. HMRC’s Claiming expenses – don’t get caught out is running alongside the potential enforcement action to draw public attention to some of the issues around using repayment agents.
At the launch of the enforcement notice, Shahriar Coupal, Secretary of the Committee of Advertising Practice (which is responsible for writing the ASA’s advertising codes), said: ‘We’ve seen repeat issues with how tax repayment agencies are being advertised, failing to include necessary information, and we’re taking action.
‘Consumers need to have all the facts before making decisions about whether to use a tax repayment agent. This Enforcement Notice, alongside the ongoing work from HMRC, will make it clear that advertisers need to carefully follow our rules or face sanctions.’
The Stakeholder Digest also rounds up selected other recent developments, noting the changes to paternity leave and pay which it says will come into effect from 8 March 2024 (but which will actually apply for practical purposes where the child is born after 6 April 2024 or, in adoption cases, where the child is placed for adoption on or after that date).
HMRC’s latest Stakeholder Digest (30 January 2024) picks up on a joint campaign by HMRC and the Advertising Standards Authority to clamp down on advertisements which could mislead ineligible individuals and businesses into claiming tax refunds or reliefs. In December 2023, both bodies issued an enforcement notice to promoters of tax repayment agent services providing guidance which, if not followed, could lead to sanctions. HMRC’s Claiming expenses – don’t get caught out is running alongside the potential enforcement action to draw public attention to some of the issues around using repayment agents.
At the launch of the enforcement notice, Shahriar Coupal, Secretary of the Committee of Advertising Practice (which is responsible for writing the ASA’s advertising codes), said: ‘We’ve seen repeat issues with how tax repayment agencies are being advertised, failing to include necessary information, and we’re taking action.
‘Consumers need to have all the facts before making decisions about whether to use a tax repayment agent. This Enforcement Notice, alongside the ongoing work from HMRC, will make it clear that advertisers need to carefully follow our rules or face sanctions.’
The Stakeholder Digest also rounds up selected other recent developments, noting the changes to paternity leave and pay which it says will come into effect from 8 March 2024 (but which will actually apply for practical purposes where the child is born after 6 April 2024 or, in adoption cases, where the child is placed for adoption on or after that date).
