• Research Briefing

    VAT on tourism

    This note gives a short introduction to the way VAT works, and the significance of EU VAT law has had for setting VAT rates, before discussing the campaign for a lower VAT rate on tourist services and the Government's introduction of a temporary reduced VAT rate for hospitality, holiday accommodation and attractions in July 2020.

  • Research Briefing

    The 2019 Loan Charge

    In the 2016 Budget the Government announced the introduction of the Loan Charge - a major initiative to tackle the mass marketing of tax avoidance ‘loan schemes’. Since the legislation establishing the Loan Charge was introduced, there have been many concerns as to its design and the financial difficulties facing taxpayers who used these schemes to either settle with HMRC or pay the Charge. In the 2020 Budget the Government confirmed it would implement a series of reforms to the Loan Charge, following the recommendations of an independent review, chaired by Sir Amyas Morse.

  • Research Briefing

    Corporate tax reform (2010-2020)

    This note discusses the Coalition Government’s approach to corporate tax reform since 2010, focusing on the reductions made to the main rate, the decision to set a single rate of tax, and the reforms made to tax reliefs for capital investment. It goes on to examine the debate over corporate tax avoidance and the international efforts, led by the OECD, to tackle avoidance by multinationals through ‘Base Erosion and Profit Shifting’ (BEPS). It concludes by providing an update on these issues up to the end of 2020.

  • Research Briefing

    Digital Services Tax

    This paper discusses the background to the Government's proposals, announced in the 2018 Budget, to introduce a Digital Services Tax from April 2020, in the context of wider concerns as to the challenge of taxing digital businesses and moves to agree reforms to the international tax system.

  • Research Briefing

    The Budget and the annual Finance Bill

    This paper discusses the way that Parliament scrutinises the Government's proposals for taxation, set out in the annual Budget statement. It looks at how this procedure may be affected by the timing of a General Election, and the decision in 2017 to move the Budget from the Spring to the Autumn. It also provides some suggestions for further reading.

Total results (page 1 of 19)