Impact of digitalisation on smaller businesses

I write in answer to Andrew Hubbard’s final plea in his article ‘Pause for thought’ (Taxation 7 October 2021 page 8) to continue the discussion on making tax digital (MTD). I will not consider bigger businesses as they are outside my 45 years’ experience in dealing with smaller businesses with turnovers up to £85 000.

A new system must benefit everyone

Andrew raised many excellent points especially in saying that it is vitally important that any new system has to have an advantage for the taxpayer. After all if there was a system out there that benefited the taxpayer then everybody would be queuing up to buy it. It would not need to be forced on us and the government would not have to threaten us with a doubled penalty regime which will hit the poorest in our society the most. We only have to look at the...