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HMRC have made another call for the benefit of smartphone-owning taxpayers: a series of mobile apps.
They are aimed at small firms and self-employed individuals who trade below the VAT threshold and estimate their own tax liability.
The apps – most of which are free of charge and can be used with all popular opwerating systems – are designed to complement the Revenue's guidance and tools covering record-keeping for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).
Their launch follows February's change of approach by the taxman to smartphones, which are no longer taxable benefits under ITEPA 2003, s 319 in respect of the provision of one per employee without transfer of ownership.
The list of new apps is expected to grow over coming months. The initial offerings were created by a number of independent developers following collaboration between HMRC and the Business Application Software Developer Association industry body. But users should note that the department has not carried out testing or security checks of the mobile tools.
‘These apps help take forward [the government's] commitment to tax transparency in a very direct and practical way,’ said Exchequer secretary David Gauke.
‘They can help SMEs feel more confident about their record-keeping and provide a direct link to... finances, freeing up time that can be better spent on the day-to-day running of the business.’
The Revenue last month put a stay on its business record checks initiative, to revamp it after widespread criticism from within the tax profession.
