Hello,

It's been a busy week on the tax front, with HMRC's 'Tax Update 2026' delivering a raft of tax policy announcements and consultations. While simplification and modernisation have been cited as driving the changes, there also seems to be a theme of tightening compliance in a bid to shrink the tax gap, currently estimated at £59.2 billion. 

On 23 June 2026, the government made several tax policy announcements as part of HMRC's 'Tax Update 2026'. Several consultations were launched, including ones exploring more timely payments for Self Assessment taxpayers, the company distributions rules and a proposal to require payment of PAYE and VAT by Direct Debit.  

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The confirmed timetable for the introduction of Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) on agent accounts leads this week's updates. We also have news of HMRC’s relaunched agent webchat service, a new government AI chatbot that can answer tax questions and a case involving goodwill alleged to be owned personally after the incorporation of a business.

Hello,

There are several important updates this week, despite the world of tax having been slightly quieter. As we previously reported, Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) will soon be required for all HMRC agent accounts, including the Agent Services Account and Online Services Account. Individuals and organisations who access HMRC services are already subject to MFA.

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To support the hospitality sector and help families with the cost of living, the Chancellor has launched the ‘Great British Summer Savings’ scheme, which sees a temporary cut in the rate of VAT from 20% to 5% for children’s meals in restaurants, children’s cinema, theatre, show and concert tickets, and admission to other attractions suitable for families with children such as soft play, adventure centres, and theme parks.