OTS prioritise Employee Benefits and Expenses quick wins

Following HMRC’s initial review and feedback of the Office of Tax Simplification’s (OTS) “quick win” proposals put forth in their Interim Report on Employee Benefits and Expenses published in August 2013, the OTS has published a progress report prioritising these 43 “quick win” proposals that HMRC are expected to implement, reports Harris & Co chartered accountants.

‘Quick wins’ are proposals that the OTS consider can be done quickly and easily and which would involve minimal change but would make the tax system (particularly administrative aspects) simpler for businesses and their employees in relation to benefits and expenses.

The progress report shows that some of the “quick wins” suggested in the OTS Interim Report, such as the ability for amended forms P11D and P11D(b) to be submitted online and the provision for the reimbursement of car fuel where the employee contributes by 6 July, have already been put into operation by HMRC.

The report identifies “quick wins” which the OTS will be considering further with a view to implementation, as well as a number of “quick wins” which HMRC should give priority to and implement in the short term. The latter includes voluntary payrolling of benefits in place of reporting benefits on forms P11D; publishing a list of benefits which HMRC consider to be trivial; and publicising HMRC guidance in relation to employee benefits and expenses with improved access and automatic links to relevant information.