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Excise Notice 69a sets out HMRC’s official policy on how excise goods can be loaded as stores onto aircraft, ships and trains under the Excise Goods (Aircraft and Ship’s Stores) Regulation 2015. The notice explains the conditions and procedures that operators and suppliers must follow to qualify goods for excise duty exemption when provisioning these transport modes. This guidance applies to businesses involved in provisioning international and domestic transport vessels with duty-suspended goods.

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A new excise duty on vaping products will take effect from 1 October 2026. This legislation establishes a tax regime for e-liquids and other vaping products sold in the UK. The duty will apply to manufacturers, importers and suppliers of vaping products within the scope of the new rules. Businesses involved in the vaping sector will need to ensure compliance with the registration and reporting requirements ahead of the implementation date.

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Property owners operating self-catering holiday lets in Wales are able to submit applications for business rates classification. The process involves meeting specific criteria and submitting the required form to the relevant Welsh authority. This allows holiday let operators to potentially benefit from business rates treatment rather than council tax banding.

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HMRC has released its monthly transparency report detailing all departmental expenditure over £25,000 for August 2026. The disclosure covers spending across government operations and procurement activities during this period. This regular monthly publication forms part of HMRC’s commitment to financial transparency and accountability in public spending.

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HMRC has released transparency data concerning the Trade Specialised Committee on Administrative Co-operation in VAT and Recovery of Taxes and Duties, a joint UK-EU forum established to address VAT fraud and manage tax and duty recovery claims. The published materials include meeting agendas and summaries from this bilateral committee. The committee facilitates administrative cooperation between UK and EU authorities on VAT compliance and recovery procedures affecting businesses and customs professionals engaged in cross-border trade.

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HMRC has published the seventh edition of its correspondence newsletter aimed at software developers working on Making Tax Digital for Income Tax systems. The newsletter provides updates and guidance relevant to developers integrating with HMRC’s digital tax platform for self-assessment purposes. This regular publication helps software providers stay informed of changes and technical requirements affecting their development work.

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HMRC has released its monthly transparency data showing all government spending conducted through electronic purchasing card solutions that exceeded £500 during August 2026. This disclosure covers procurement activities across the revenue and customs department and forms part of routine public accountability reporting on public expenditure. The data provides visibility into departmental purchasing patterns and supplier transactions above the specified threshold.

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HMRC has published details of its enforcement strategy against illegal alcohol trade, including data on goods seized, criminal prosecutions pursued, and the operation of the Alcohol Wholesaler Registration Scheme. The report documents the outputs achieved through the agency’s dedicated alcohol compliance work. The findings cover enforcement activity and regulatory compliance measures implemented to combat smuggling and illicit supply chains in the alcohol sector.

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The Valuation Office Agency utilises model-assisted valuation and mass appraisal techniques to handle large-volume property valuations efficiently. These methods combine automated data processing with professional valuation expertise to assess properties at scale. This approach supports the agency’s ability to conduct widespread property valuations while maintaining consistency across assessments.

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HMRC has launched a four-year strategy running until 2028 aimed at reducing barriers for small and medium-sized enterprises seeking to participate in government procurement. The plan focuses on eliminating unnecessary administrative costs and compliance burdens that currently prevent SMEs from accessing public sector contracts. The initiative is designed to make it simpler for smaller businesses to engage with government supply chains.

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