One of the difficulties that Government have is to strike the three way balance between tax certainty, tax simplicity and tax fairness. The recent headlines around Barclays Bank’s tax structuring brings this dilemma into focus.
The UK is seen as having a tax regime which is stable (i.e. certain) and businesses are treated fairly by the taxing authorities. Despite this we have one of the, if not the, longest tax codes in the world. This does not imply simplicity.
The UK is often held as an example of a fair tax system. Many non-British nationals find it hard to believe that we have a self-assessment regime for individuals and corporate which effectively require the taxpayer to self-determine their liabilities. The tax calculation is not necessarily subject to any form of review by HMRC. Compare that with for example the recent European convention on human rights case where a shopkeeper in the Ukraine claimed that their human rights had been violated by the actions of a tax police squad who, during a premises visit, allegedly, assaulted a business employee. Even the concept of a tax police is alien to a UK national.
The UK enhances its reputation for certainty by consulting with the taxpayers before implementing wide ranging legislation and by avoiding retrospective legislation.
Fairness and certainty are two of the many reasons that the UK is an attractive place for inward investment. Our tax code attracts investment with incentives such as tax free perks for immigrating staff, the non-domicile regime, a wide network of tax treaties, the lack of dividend withholding tax and the substantial shareholding exemption. Some of these incentives have been varied in a way which reduces their impact. An example being the introduction of the remittance base user charge. Even when they are varied the changes have been well trailed by HMRC which demonstrates that it is possible to change legislation whilst still retaining the certain nature of the UK’s tax code.
Recent actions to retrospectively close down Barclays tax structuring may be understandable in the context of the tax at stake and the perceived artificiality of the arrangements. My concern is that this retrospective legislation will have a long term disadvantage of reducing the UK’s standing in the area of certainty. Only time will tell.
