Year: 2026

HMRC has released guidance enabling businesses to check which organisations have received a Climate Change Levy utility direction for gas and electricity supplies. This allows supply companies and traders to verify exemption status and determine the correct CCL charging position on transactions. The direction exempts certain utilities from the levy under specific conditions. Businesses involved in energy supply should consult the published list to ensure accurate tax compliance.

Source: HMRC (GOV.UK) – Read the original

The Licensing Act 2003 has been amended to grant the Mayor of London authority to call in and make decisions on certain licensing applications deemed strategically important to Greater London. These new regulations provide the detailed framework for how the Mayor will exercise these intervention powers. The changes stem from provisions introduced in the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Act 2026, which expanded devolved decision-making in licensing matters across the capital.

Source: legislation.gov.uk – Read the original

The Global Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law Sanctions Regulations 2026 establish a new sanctions framework under the Sanctions and Anti-Money Laundering Act 2018. The regime enables the UK to impose sanctions against serious state-level human rights violations, breaches of international humanitarian law, and obstruction of humanitarian aid delivery globally. Businesses and compliance officers should monitor this framework for potential designations and ensure their supply chains and financial transactions align with the new requirements.

Source: legislation.gov.uk – Read the original

HMRC has published guidance on payment methods and timescales for approved alcoholic products producers who are liable for Alcohol Duty. The guidance explains the available payment options for producers and sets out expected processing times for payments to reach HMRC, ensuring producers understand their obligations and can plan cash flow accordingly.

Source: HMRC (GOV.UK) – Read the original

HMRC has highlighted that more than 600,000 families are currently utilising the Tax-Free Childcare scheme to reduce their childcare expenses. The announcement encourages working families who have not yet registered to sign up and take advantage of the available savings on eligible childcare costs. Tax-Free Childcare allows eligible working parents to open an account and receive government support towards their childcare fees.

Source: HMRC (GOV.UK) – Read the original

HMRC has published guidance to help businesses and tax professionals identify the correct VAT treatment rules for insurance services under the Principal VAT Directive and corresponding UK VAT legislation. The guidance cross-references the relevant sections of the former EC Sixth Directive with current UK VAT law to ensure consistent application of VAT rules to insurance transactions. This resource assists traders in determining their VAT obligations and the appropriate VAT treatment that applies to different types of insurance activities and supplies.

Source: HMRC (GOV.UK) – Read the original

HMRC has published official statistics detailing UK imports by country of origin for 2025, alongside comparative analysis with country of dispatch figures. The data provides traders and logistics professionals with comprehensive breakdowns of where goods originate versus where they are dispatched from. This statistical release enables businesses to understand import patterns and trading relationships across different source countries.

Source: HMRC (GOV.UK) – Read the original

HMRC has published transitional guidance clarifying how VAT applies to specified supplies of finance and insurance services during a changeover period. The guidance addresses the tax treatment of transactions involving these services as businesses adjust to new rules. This transitional framework helps traders understand their VAT obligations while the sector moves toward updated compliance requirements.

Source: HMRC (GOV.UK) – Read the original

HMRC has published guidance on the legal basis underpinning Income Tax Self Assessment, covering how individuals and partnerships submit tax returns, make tax payments or claim refunds, and the process by which HMRC verifies submitted returns. The framework applies to those required to file Self Assessment returns under UK tax law and explains the regulatory structure governing these obligations and interactions between taxpayers and HMRC.

Source: HMRC (GOV.UK) – Read the original

Cash accounting is a VAT scheme that allows businesses to account for tax based on payments received and made, rather than invoices issued and received. The scheme provides cash flow benefits, particularly for businesses that regularly experience payment delays. When insolvency occurs, cash accounting treatment is affected by the timing of payments and the status of outstanding debts within the insolvency process.

Source: HMRC (GOV.UK) – Read the original