ICAS ICAS logo

Quicklinks

  1. About Us

    Find out about who we are and what we do here at ICAS.

  2. Find a CA

    Search our directory of individual CAs and Member organisations by name, location and professional criteria.

  3. CA Magazine

    View the latest issues of the dedicated magazine for ICAS Chartered Accountants.

  4. Contact Us

    Get in touch with ICAS by phone, email or post, with dedicated contacts for Members, Students and firms.

Login
  • Annual renewal
  • About us
  • Contact us
  • Find a CA
  1. About us
    1. Governance
  2. Members
    1. Become a member
    2. Newly qualified
    3. Manage my membership
    4. Benefits of membership
    5. Careers support
    6. Mentoring
    7. CA Wellbeing
    8. More for Members
    9. Area networks
    10. International communities
    11. Get involved
    12. Top Young CAs
    13. Career breaks
    14. ICAS podcast
    15. Newly admitted members 2022
    16. Newly admitted members 2023
  3. CA Students
    1. Student information
    2. Student resources
    3. Learning requirements
    4. Learning updates
    5. Learning blog
    6. Totum Pro | Student discount card
    7. CA Student wellbeing
  4. Become a CA
    1. How to become a CA
    2. Routes to becoming a CA
    3. CA Stories
    4. Find a training agreement
    5. Why become a CA
    6. Qualification information
    7. University exemptions
  5. Employers
    1. Become an Authorised Training Office
    2. Resources for Authorised Training Offices
    3. Professional entry
    4. Apprenticeships
  6. Find a CA
  7. ICAS events
    1. CA Summit
  8. CA magazine
  9. Insight
    1. Finance + Trust
    2. Finance + Technology
    3. Finance + EDI
    4. Finance + Mental Fitness
    5. Finance + Leadership
    6. Finance + Sustainability
  10. Professional resources
    1. Anti-money laundering
    2. Audit and assurance
    3. Brexit
    4. Business and governance
    5. Charities
    6. Coronavirus
    7. Corporate and financial reporting
    8. Cyber security
    9. Ethics
    10. Insolvency
    11. ICAS Research
    12. Pensions
    13. Practice
    14. Public sector
    15. Sustainability
    16. Tax
  11. CPD - professional development
    1. CPD courses and qualifications
    2. CPD news and updates
    3. CPD support and advice
  12. Regulation
    1. Complaints and sanctions
    2. Regulatory authorisations
    3. Guidance and help sheets
    4. Regulatory monitoring
  13. CA jobs
    1. CA jobs partner: Rutherford Cross
    2. Resources for your job search
    3. Advertise with CA jobs
    4. Hays | A Trusted ICAS CA Jobs Partner
    5. Azets | What's your ambition?
  14. Work at ICAS
    1. Business centres
    2. Meet our team
    3. Benefits
    4. Vacancies
    5. Imagine your career at ICAS
  15. Contact us
    1. Technical and regulation queries
    2. ICAS logo request

ICAS calls for tax reform

  • LinkedIn (opens new window)
  • Twitter (opens new window)
By ICAS

10 June 2020

ICAS has called for several reforms and more informed public debate in a new paper titled: The Future of Taxation in the UK.

The Future of Taxation in the UK – published by the ICAS Tax Board – identifies an unwillingness from the government to increase the main revenue-raising taxes as a contributing factor towards increasingly complex and lengthy tax legislation, which makes it harder for taxpayers (particularly unrepresented ones) to understand and comply with their tax obligations.

Bruce Cartwright CA, ICAS Chief Executive, said: “There has been considerable uncertainty in recent years, for businesses and individuals, following the outcome of the EU referendum and the prolonged Brexit process.

"The coronavirus pandemic has added a whole new layer of uncertainty, but it may also present the government with an opportunity to generate public support for tax reform.

"This has previously been difficult to achieve but the aftermath of the pandemic, with strong public support for the NHS, might be the ideal moment for a public debate about who should pay tax and how much they should contribute.”

ICAS believes that a lack of understanding of an overly complex system, combined with a perception that there has been widespread abuse, has contributed to a sense of unfairness amongst the public which undermines voluntary compliance.

Examples of abuse and problems with the international tax system have been widely publicised but far less publicity has been given to successes in combatting tax avoidance, or to the work of the OECD (supported by the UK government) to reform international tax.

This issue should form part of a wider public dialogue, facilitated by the UK Government, about the part taxation plays in society and its role in supporting public services and the common good.

The report states that there has been a considerable amount of change to the business landscape over recent years, affecting both firms and individuals.

Increasing digitalisation and developments in AI have seen older “bricks and mortar” businesses struggle to compete against new global online businesses.

The growth of the gig economy has presented opportunities for some but led to the exploitation of others and the government provision of coronavirus support schemes has shone a light on these trends.

ICAS notes that taxation sometimes struggles to keep up with these changes, both in policy terms and in tax administration, and outlines a series of recommendations for addressing key issues affecting the future of taxation in the UK.

Charlotte Barbour adds ‘The ICAS Tax Board is seeking a public discussion exploring the role of tax in supporting public services and contributing to the common good – please contact us to share your views.’


Download The Future of Taxation in the UK

ICAS Tax policy positions: the ICAS role

ICAS’s Tax policies are aimed at addressing issues with the tax system in UK and beyond. See all ICAS Tax…

The Future of Taxation in the UK

By Charlotte Barbour, Director of Taxation and Susan Cattell, Head of Tax Technical Policy

10 June 2020

2023-03-MarksElectrical 2023-03-MarksElectrical
ICAS logo

Footer links

  • Contact us
  • Terms and conditions
  • Modern slavery statement
  • Privacy notice
  • CA magazine

Connect with ICAS

  • Facebook (opens new window) Facebook Icon
  • Twitter (opens new window) Twitter Icon
  • LinkedIn (opens new window) LinkedIn Icon
  • Instagram (opens new window) Instagram Icon

ICAS is a member of the following bodies

  • Consultative Committee of Accountancy Bodies (opens new window) Consultative Committee of Accountancy Bodies logo
  • Chartered Accountants Worldwide (opens new window) Chartered Accountants Worldwide logo
  • Global Accounting Alliance (opens new window) Global Accounting Alliance
  • International Federation of Accountants (opens new window) IFAC
  • Access Accountancy (opens new window) Access Acountancy

Charities

  • ICAS Foundation (opens new window) ICAS Foundation
  • SCABA (opens new window) scaba

Accreditations

  • ISO 9001 - RGB (opens new window)
© ICAS 2022

The mark and designation “CA” is a registered trade mark of The Institute of Chartered Accountants of Scotland (ICAS), and is available for use in the UK and EU only to members of ICAS. If you are not a member of ICAS, you should not use the “CA” mark and designation in the UK or EU in relation to accountancy, tax or insolvency services. The mark and designation “Chartered Accountant” is a registered trade mark of ICAS, the Institute of Chartered Accountants of England and Wales and Chartered Accountants Ireland. If you are not a member of one of these organisations, you should not use the “Chartered Accountant” mark and designation in the UK or EU in relation to these services. Further restrictions on the use of these marks also apply where you are a member.

ICAS logo

Our cookie policy

ICAS.com uses cookies which are essential for our website to work. We would also like to use analytical cookies to help us improve our website and your user experience. Any data collected is anonymised. Please have a look at the further information in our cookie policy and confirm if you are happy for us to use analytical cookies: