HMRC standard for agents endorses PCRT

HMRC has updated its standard for agents to confirm it does not override duties set out by an agent’s professional body. It specifies that it does not impose additional requirements on agents who meet Professional Conduct in Relation to Tax (PCRT) standards.

HMRC’s standard sets out how it expects tax agents to behave in their dealings with the tax authority. The 2023 update of the standard sought to address a number of issues HMRC has been dealing with in relation to agents but in doing so some inconsistencies arose with the standards set out in PCRT and the supporting ethical codes of the seven PCRT bodies – AAT ACCA ATT CIOT ICAEW ICAS and STEP.

The PCRT bodies have since been working with HMRC on amendments to its standard. In a...