New MTD agent toolkit
HMRC has published a Making Tax Digital (MTD) for income tax toolkit aimed at agents. It explains the requirements of, and start dates for MTD income tax, and gives practical guidance on planning and preparing for MTD income tax. It also includes links to detailed guidance and other information on GOV.UK.
Learn more about MTD income tax
Enrolling VAT into the Business Tax Account
ICAEW has been informed by HMRC that businesses may now be required to provide their VAT registration application reference number when enrolling VAT into their Business Tax Account. The reference number is sent to the email address used during registration and will also appear on registration approval letters.
HMRC says that the measure is necessary to prevent fraud and that further information will be provided in the February 2026 edition of Agent Update.
Residency of pension scheme administrators
In the latest edition of its Pension Schemes Newsletter, HMRC reminds pension schemes that, with effect from 6 April 2026, all pension scheme administrators of a UK registered pension scheme must be UK resident. The newsletter explains the actions non-UK pension scheme administrators should take before 6 April 2026 to remain compliant.
Inheritance tax for pensions
As part of the reforms to inheritance tax (IHT), HMRC is looking for volunteers to participate in user research around the design of a new digital service that allows pension scheme administrators and practitioners to report the details of an IHT payment notice.
Contact HMRC to sign up
Land transaction tax event
The Welsh Revenue Authority is hosting a free tax forum for solicitors and conveyancers in Wrexham on Wednesday, 18 March 2026. The forum will cover land transaction tax topics, including tax administration and multiple dwellings relief.
Book your place
New guidance on mutual agreement procedures
The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) has published a new edition of its manual on effective mutual agreement procedures (MAP). The OECD says that the manual “includes practical guidance, best practices and templates to support consistent and effective international tax dispute resolution”. The OECD will deliver a webinar on 10 February 2026 to launch the updated manual.
Research into HMRC online services
HMRC has published a report based on research undertaken in March and April 2025 with the intention of exploring how businesses manage access to HMRC online services. A key finding from the research was that “businesses commonly felt that managing HMRC online services was easy, but there were challenges with navigating and understanding the website and helplines, leading businesses to rely on agents for support”.
Tax Faculty
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