A former managing director with BDO in Jersey has been jailed for defrauding clients of £2.6m, with the court told he used the money to fund an ‘extravagant lifestyle’ which included buying a Formula 1 racing car and paying off debts relating to companies in which he had invested

The government is planning changes to the UK rules concerning corporation tax exit charges on certain unrealised profits or gains when companies or assets move within the EU or European Economic Area (EEA)

The government is to introduce new rules governing when capital gains tax (CGT) payments must be made to HMRC in respect of exit charges in a bid minimise cash flow problems when companies relocate with the EU

Companies involved in aggressive, cross-border tax planning arrangements will be required to notify HMRC of those arrangements under new proposed legislation aimed at removing ‘secrecy’ around complex tax avoidance strategies

MPs have lambasted the government’s approach to outsourcing, with a new select committee report claiming the collapse of Carillion earlier this year has exposed fundamental flaws in its approach to handling the £251.5bn per year spent on outsourcing and contracting

HMRC is consulting on plans to tackle tax avoidance schemes which move UK profits outside the charge of UK tax, often using offshore trusts and companies, by introducing new rules which will add these profits to the profit of the UK trade

Under new government legislation, Stamp Duty liabilities will be abolished for share capital transfers issued under the terms of the Banking Act 2009’s resolution stabilisation powers when a financial institution is danger of collapse

Following an earlier consultation, the government is proposing to allow non-corporate entities to join VAT groups, subject to certain conditions, with a measure included in draft Finance Bill 2018/19

HMRC plans to overhaul the penalties for late payments by businesses and individuals for corporation tax, income tax and self assessment, using a brand new points-based system

The government is to introduce a transferable tax history (TTH) mechanism for oil and gas companies operating on the UK Continental Shelf (UKCS), as a way of attracting new investment into North Sea late-life assets and encouraging additional production

Businesses which provide charging facilities for employees with plug-in hybrid or electric cars will be exempt from income tax and National Insurance contributions on any liability from providing this service, government has explained through draft legislation, effective from 6 April 2018

The government is to amend the loss relief rules to correct a defect that may lead to excessive relief being allowed, with draft legislation which changes the way in which restricted losses are calculated by all companies, and also how the regime applies to insurers within the Basic Life Assurance and General Annuity Business (BLAGAB)

The government will go ahead with plans to abolish receipt checking for benchmark scale rates and changes to overseas scale rates, to simplify expenses related to travel

The government has published draft legislation to change the definition of mineralogical processes used to determine which businesses can claim exemption from the climate change levy, to ensure that this exemption remains operable following the UK’s departure from the EU

HMRC is consulting on technical amendments to the corporate interest restriction (CIR) rules, which have been updated as part of the government’s package of wider changes to ensure business profits are taxed in the location in which economic activity takes place