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TaxationWeb is pleased to promote HMRC's week of online support for new and growing businesses. Jim Harra, HM Revenue & Customs' Director-General for Business Tax, hopes new businesses will benefit.

HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) will for the whole of this week be offering new and growing businesses an opportunity to ask us questions via Twitter.

As the Exchequer Secretary, David Gauke, has said, small businesses and start-ups are the lifeblood of the economy, and HMRC is dedicated to reducing the burden on them and to making the tax system simpler, more efficient and fairer.

There are 4.6 million small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the UK, and HMRC recognises the crucial role they play in creating growth, which is why we work hard to support them to get their tax right quickly and easily.

We want to support small businesses so that:

• they find tax easier to understand, and become more confident about what they need to do, when and how, and
• it is simpler and quicker for them to do what they need to do (register, keep records, file, pay), with greater certainty and accuracy.

In addition, HMRC recognises that more and more people prefer to do their business online, and therefore we are continually improving our online services and providing dedicated digital help. We calculate that the "tax gap" attributable to SME error and failure to take reasonable care is almost £6 billion a year. We are therefore increasing the reach and range of our support.

Our week-long Twitter Q&A session is part of this suite of assistance and will give SMEs and those considering setting up a business the opportunity to ask tax-related questions. Our experts will be on hand to offer help and advice on a wide range of issues, including keeping records, VAT registration, National Insurance, starting up a limited company and PAYE Real Time Information.

HMRC support includes:

• A programme of live webinars, with online copies that SMEs can access 24/7.
• Bite-sized info-videos and signposting to detailed help on HMRC’s YouTube channel;
• An Education Email service for which SMEs can sign up.
• Sessions on Twitter fielding Q&As on specific, advertised subjects.
• Tailored e-learning packages for specific trades and professions.
• A free, subscription-based partnering service through which partners can receive:
  • A SME Tax Widget - an online application housing a selection of basic tax guides in video and written format which allows partners to display the latest tax guidance from HMRC on their own website.
  • Key monthly message alerts.
• HMRC editorials - relevant HMRC news alerts or short briefs on hot topics - e.g. notification of consultations, introduction of new legislation etc.

The Starting in Business week will take place between 25 February and 1 March and to take part or ask a question, businesses should follow @HMRCgovuk on Twitter, and use the hashtag #biztaxhelp.

Further information about starting up and running a business in the UK, including for the self-employed and sole traders, is at Businesses and Self Employed.