An update on basis period reforms

Since writing my blog on the proposed basis period reforms, Lucy Frazer, the incoming financial secretary to the Treasury, has got stuck into her role with gusto and made a number of announcements about the future administration of tax. One of her announcements is confirmation that any change to basis periods would not come into effect before April 2024. Although this is a welcome announcement I still believe that the landscape of tax, the year-end and basis periods should be considered collectively otherwise there is the risk of making changes in isolation to the overall direction of travel.

The announcements about basis period was one of a number of delays to the concept of digitalisation and simplification of taxation that have been made. Both the professional services industry and the software development sector had called for a delay in the implementation of various aspects of the digitalisation program. This is due to concerns that the government were rushing ahead with proposals which were going to be tough for the developers of software and the users of that software to meet. It is therefore welcome that Ms Frazer made announcements which recognised the concerns of the wider tax industry.