The VAT Campaign disclosure period is drawing to a close - taxpayers have until 30 September to notify HM Revenue & Customs that they intend to make the disclosure itself by 31 December.

(However we should add that, based on how the Plumbers' Tax Safe Plan played out, it may be that HMRC will allow 'late' notifications to be made.)

We pointed out our concerns about the VAT Campaign in our news article HMRC Targeted Campaigns Move on to VAT - particularly where people have multiple sources of income, which may well come to light in later campaigns such as trading on 'e-marketplaces' such as eBay, but which might also be subject to VAT.

HMRC has warned which sectors it will be targeting in the coming months:

• Construction
• Business Services
• Hair and Beauty
• Hotels and Catering
• Retail Distribution
• Recreational Services
• Motor Vehicle Distribution and Repair
• Sanitary and Domestic Services
• Agriculture and Horticulture
• Property
• Road Haulage

Many taxpayers simply don't know that if they are self-employed and take on another source of ancillary self-employed income, the two sources of self-employed income are added together for VAT purposes to see if the VAT turnover threshold is breached and they need to register for VAT. There are several categories in the above list  which could cover the kind of work people do at weekends or in the evenings.

Bearing in mind that the future campaigns which have already been publicised also cover 'second incomes', we think HMRC could have done more 'make the link' and to publicise the risk, for some people, of exposure to VAT on ancillary income sources.

Please see the HMRC website Tell HMRC Now if You Need to Register for VAT for further information.

Article Added Tuesday, 20 September 2011 | 906 Hits

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