Currently, HMRC can issue “Stop Notices” to promoters of tax avoidance schemes, preventing their sale. The government is now considering a “Universal Stop Notice” that would stop anyone from promoting similar schemes, with potential criminal sanctions. Another proposed change is removing Legal Professional Privilege, which protects confidential communications between clients and advisors, to reduce tax avoidance.
In an article for ePrivateClient, Partner Hugo Smith discusses the importance of protecting responsible advisors while questioning whether resources should be focused on tackling more common, innocent tax errors instead of targeting a small number of scheme promoters.
“It will be important to safeguard the ability of responsible advisors to advise in the best interests of their clients, especially if they could be subject to criminal sanctions.”
Hugo Smith
Partner
Read the full article on the ePrivateClient website.
