Thread by @keithmgordon

1/9 This story and HMRC’s response to it demonstrates how good HMRC are at giving the impression of being caring and compassionate when, at the end of the day, they mean the complete opposite.
bbc.co.uk/news/business-…

2/9 HMRC: No-one will be unfairly penalised as a result of this change.

Fact: This does not mean that HMRC will change their policy regarding daily penalties (even though that is the impression HMRC wish to portray).

3/9 Reason: Daily penalties will be issued regardless. As tax returns will be late and these penalties are in accordance with the law, these penalties will be fair. As HMRC say, No-one will be unfairly penalised as a result of this change.

4/9 HMRC: The vast majority will be aware they missed the January 31 filing date as we do remind regularly with nudge messages before the deadline.

Fact: HMRC consider the messages received before 31 Jan to be adequate warning. So, daily penalties after 30 April will be "fair".

5/9 HMRC: The latest date letters will go out is April and this will still leave customers several weeks to contact us.

Fact: Letters sent from HMRC usually take a week+ to arrive. When in April do HMRC really expect these to go? Plus there is Easter late in the month.

6/9 Further points: How will “contact[ing]” HMRC help? All HMRC will want is a complete tax return. Otherwise penalties will start mounting up.

And how many people actually get hold of HMRC on the first time of trying?

7/9 HMRC: This is sensible planning to make sure we focus our resources on delivering important functions in the event of a no deal [Brexit].

Fact: Fairness to taxpayers – giving them adequate warning – cannot be relegated simply because of resource problems at HMRC.

8/9 Per BBC: A source at HMRC said if letters did get sent at the end of April, people receiving them would be given plenty of time to respond.

This suggests that some people will indeed receive their daily penalties only after they have started to be incurred.

9/9 Conclusion: The story concerns the fear that daily penalties will start to be incurred before some taxpayers are even made aware of the risk. HMRC’s statements (properly understood) do nothing to allay these fears.