For bookkeepers, this contains developments and updates relating to the UK taxes HMRC collect and is broader in scope than the Employer Bulletin.
May’s edition is full of information and we highlight some of the issues covered under the headings used:
Tax
- There is a reminder that the Employment Related Securities (ERS) end of year return deadline is 06 July 2025 if this impacts you or your clients;
- There is a section ‘Statutory Neonatal Care Leave and Pay — draft communication for HMRC Stakeholders’, however, ICB has already written an article that gives links to guidance and we recommend that this is the first port of call;
- HMRC are using the Agent Update to advise that they are no longer providing Unique Taxpayer References (UTRs) over the telephone. HMRC advises that the UTR can be obtained in a number of ways, for example, using the HMRC app or the Personal Tax Account;
- HMRC advise that their new ‘Interactive Compliance Guidance tool’ is now live which consolidates existing compliance guidance and videos;
- There is a reminder that the mandation of payrolling taxable expenses and benefits has been delayed until April 2027, however, this does not mean that employers and agents should delay preparations;
- Simple Assessment is HMRC’s tax collection mechanism for taxpayers who are not part of Self-Assessment. The Update advises that letters are being sent to taxpayers from June 2025
Making Tax Digital for Income Tax (MTD IT)
As announced in the Spring Statement, the MTD ITSA phasing timetable is as follows:
- 2026 - gross income from self-employment and property over £50,000;
- 2027 - gross income from self-employment and property over £30,000; then
- 2028 - gross income from self-employment and property over £20,000
This section highlights the HMRC MTD events that are taking place as follows:
- Tuesday 3 June 2025 — Liverpool
- Thursday 3 July 2025 — Nottingham
- Wednesday 6 August 2025 — Manchester
- Tuesday 9 September 2025 — Bristol
- Monday 13 October 2025 — Birmingham
HMRC Agent Services
This section covers different topics and, perhaps, the one titled ‘Self-Assessment — early filing and top tips’ is the most interesting for agents.
There is also a section ‘Agent Forum and Engagement’ which details the closure of the HMRC online community forums from 30 June 2025, something else ICB has covered.
For Bookkeepers
As always, ICB always recommends reading the Agent Update in its entirety and the advice in May is no different. The Update is a valuable resource for members that recognises the bookkeeping role may involve more than the provision of payroll services.
