Small businesses will soon be granted the facility to file their tax returns over the telephone, following recent changes to the Government\u2019s initiative to turn tax returns digital by 2020.<\/p>\n
Previous plans of introducing digital tax accounts have been revised, after studies proved that 2 in 5 self-employed workers in the UK had no internet access, or had difficulties using digital tools.<\/p>\n
Financial Secretary to the Treasury, David Gauke, has said:<\/p>\n
\u201cGoing digital will just not be an option for some people. Businesspeople who genuinely can\u2019t use digital tools \u2013 because they can\u2019t access broadband, or don\u2019t own a computer or smartphone \u2013 will have to be offered alternatives, like nominating someone else to update their information for them, or giving information by phone. So there\u2019s nothing for businesses to fear in this new system.\u201d<\/p>\n
Before today\u2019s debate in Parliament, some 100,000 people signed a petition calling on the Government to scrap the \u2018go digital\u2019 plans, after fears that the switch would be \u2018burdensome\u2019 for struggling business owners.<\/p>\n
Under new rules, millions will now have to file up to four tax returns per year, as opposed to just one. The new telephone submission system is likely to involve the person registering their account, and then answering a series of automated questions about their business \u2013 such as details about their revenues and costs \u2013 followed by a short conversation with a member of HMRC staff over the phone.<\/p>\n
The exact information users will be required to hand over has yet to be decided, but the service should offer an efficient and hassle-free alternative to postal and online submission \u2013 assuming HMRC can find adequate manpower for their telephone offices.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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