MTDfB reporting

On a recent posting to their agent blog, HMRC invited agents to recruit clients for their MTDfB try-out. They said:

“From April we’ll start our live pilot of the changes with businesses and agents. We’ll start with small numbers but aim to have hundreds of thousands of small businesses and their agents taking part.

We’d really appreciate your help in recruiting any of your clients who may be interested and fit the profile of the sort of business we are looking to help us initially. We’ll be saying more about this in the spring.”

Apparently, spring has arrived, as HMRC’ Making Tax Digital team, yes, they have a team, has launched a formal trial. If you want to give it a go you can contact HMRC at:

Making Tax Digital for Business
Customer Readiness & External Stakeholder Team
03000 568924 / 07799 341716
Dukes Court, Duke Street, Woking, Surrey,GU21 5XR
christopher.j.kelly@hmrc.gsi.gov.uk

Cynically, this could be seen as yet another attempt to beta-test systems on the cheap as we have seen no offer from HMRC to compensate you or your clients for any time you would be required to invest. Alternatively, this could be an opportunity to get an insider viewpoint, hands on experience of the shape of things to come.

It is now less than a year until the first raft of affected, unincorporated businesses will be drawn into MTDfB reporting. In which case, maybe it would be a good idea to see what’s on offer and perhaps, influence the eventual outcome?