The UK’s tax system is viewed as less fair and less transparent than
other tax regimes around the world, according to an international study of finance
professionals conducted by ACCA (the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants).
Called 'Perspectives on Fair Tax', the report surveyed ACCA members in Australia,
Canada, Hong Kong, Singapore, the UK and the US, gauging opinions on tax fairness,
complexity, transparency, and how well tax authorities communicate with their
citizens.
Members in Singapore and Hong Kong had a positive view of their tax system,
believing it to be fair and simple, while the UK, Australia and Canada stated
that their regimes were “less fair” and “somewhat complex”.
Respondents from the US believed their tax system was “relatively complex”.
Professor Francis Chittenden, ACCA Professor of Small Business Finance at Manchester
Business School, who wrote the report with colleague Hilary Foster, commented that:
“The message from our research is for governments to reduce the volume
of laws, directives and regulations that contributes most to complexity. There
is a fundamental issue for governments around the world to decide the purpose
and structure of tax systems, and importantly to communicate the rationale behind
these decisions.”
Quizzed on whether their country’s tax regime was transparent, respondents
from the UK rated it as the least transparent, while yet again Hong Kong and
Singapore suggested that their system had the most transparency.
UK respondents also said there were too many taxes in the UK, which added to tax
complexity.
Specific areas deemed unfair by UK respondents were:
- The increasing role of employers acting as tax collecting agents for government;
- Retrospective changes to the tax system;
- 'Stealth taxes' – such as the failure to index link thresholds and allowances;
and
- The assumption of additional powers by HM Revenue & Customs.
The results also showed an overwhelming belief from all countries that it is
the volume of directives, laws and regulations that has the greatest effect
on tax complexity.
When asked how well their country’s tax authorities communicated with
citizens, Hong Kong and Singapore residents questioned agreed that compliance requirements are clearly
communicated, while those in the UK had the opposite view.
Respondents said that lack of clarity, increasing complexity and a seemingly
aggressive stance by HM Revenue & Customs were breaking an already fragile
trust.
Chas Roy-Chowdhury, head of taxation at ACCA, observed that:
“The report’s findings also show that tax systems lag behind the
economic cycle, that it simply can’t keep up with the pace of change.
Governments should explore the creation of flexibility in the tax structure
to allow for a swift response to changing economic conditions.”
The report concluded by arguing that trust is crucial for a tax system to
work in any country, that government should create an environment in
which citizens believe they have played a part in setting the system, and that
the system treats them with respect.
In this way, it suggested, more taxpayers will feel inclined to comply, reducing evasion
and associated administrative costs.
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