Other news in brief

The Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) has published a report titled ‘Taking a Toll: Small businesses and the cost of Tax Compliance’, which has received some press coverage particularly in relation to its conclusion that “tax compliance costs the small business community a staggering 242 million hours and nearly £25 billion each year”. The report sets out a number of recommendations, mainly focussed on areas the FSB considers HMRC could make improvements, as well as some policy points.

On 24 April 2025, HMRC published the map of the seventh Freeport customs site for the Liverpool City Region. The incentives for making investments in this area include simplified VAT and customs arrangements.

The sheer volume of information surrounding Pillar Two has left tax and finance departments of many international companies operating in the UK feeling overwhelmed and uncertain about what they need to do to be compliant. Join our webinar on 7 May 2025 and access practical guidance on compliance and data gathering requirements for UK businesses in scope, helping you navigate one of the most significant changes in the tax landscape. At the webinar, our team of experts will explain the background rules, highlight the upcoming UK compliance requirements (including the path to simplified compliance) and debunk some common myths about the rules and compliance obligations.

Watch the latest episode of KPMG Talking Tax presented by Global Head of Tax Policy for KPMG International, Grant Wardell-Johnson. This is a series which delves into a specific topic of interest for tax leaders, breaking down complex concepts into insights, all in the space of five minutes.

KPMG’s employment law and employment tax specialists have published an updated guide to the Employment Rights Bill and UK Government’s ‘Make Work Pay’ agenda. This new guide for business reflects recent developments and suggests a roadmap to help employers prepare.