Agent Support Group
A forum for gathering the views of agents and bookkeepers through professional bodies.
Purpose
The forum’s purpose is to gather the views of agents and bookkeepers through professional bodies. It was formed to discuss the Tax Agent Strategy, Agent Services and associated programmes.
This group can provide the view of the ‘high street’ agent and bookkeeper, and their clients.
Membership includes some specialist agent groups such as VAT and international.
Note: this group was formerly called the ‘Agent Strategy Group’.
Members
Association of International Accountants
Certified Public Accountants Association
Chartered Institute of Management Accountants
Chartered Institute of Payroll Professionals
Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy
Independent Certified Practising Accountants
Institute of Certified Bookkeepers
Institute of Financial Accountants
Institute of Accountants and Bookkeepers
Partly Qualified/Newly Qualified Magazine
Society of Professional Accountants
VAT Practitioners Group
Terms of reference
1. Purpose
‘Tax advisors play a vital role in all tax systems, helping their clients understand and comply with tax obligations’ (Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) Study into the Role of Tax Intermediaries (2008)).
1.1. HMRC has a public commitment to consult with its customers on all major policy and operational issues, and to put the customer at the heart of everything it does. A core element of HMRC’s customer-centric Business Strategy is to improve customer experience.
1.2. Tax advisers play a vital role in the UK tax system. HMRC is therefore looking to develop continually improving relationships with these advisers and to offer improved engagement opportunities.
1.3. The Agent Support Group (ASG) will foster a stronger relationship and greater understanding between HMRC and mid-tier agents.
1.4. ASG will sit alongside existing links between HMRC, its customers and representative bodies and will provide a direct channel between the operational and policy arms of HMRC. It will offer a mechanism for those agents to:
- debate issues in an atmosphere of mutual trust
- engage about administration of the tax system and implementation of tax policy
- improve the service provided by HMRC to customers
- consult on proposed changes affecting customers
- discuss operational aspects of the tax system with HMRC and other initiatives
1.5. The forum will help the operational and tax policy arms of HMRC dealing with taxpayers with complex affairs to:
- understand the commercial environment better
- be more strongly aware of the interests of taxpayers and their agents
- draw on the knowledge and skills of subject matter experts
2. Framework
2.1. ASG will include representatives of professional bodies from the agent community. To ensure continuity, appropriate challenge and that the agent community is properly represented, the forum will periodically consider updating its membership.
2.2. ASG will be chaired by a senior official of HMRC, the choice of chair will depend on the nature of the agenda. In the longer term, if members of ASG believe it would be of value, the forum will move to joint chairing by HMRC and private sector representatives.
2.3. Other HMRC attendees will be determined by the meeting agenda, and other business representatives may be invited to attend on an ‘as needed’ basis.
2.4. Secretariat support for ASG will be provided by HMRC.
2.5. Agendas and related papers will be sent five working days in advance of meetings and members will be invited and encouraged to contribute between meetings.
2.6. ASG will share final minutes with their members.
2.7. ASG’s discussions will inform HMRC’s other lines of engagement with agents serving taxpayers with complex affairs. Issues will be progressed within three months of being raised, with exceptions being fully reported at the next ASG meeting.
3. Membership
3.1. There will be a rule of one member per organisation represented. Organisations may nominate a deputy to attend when standing members are unable to do so. Consideration will be given to organisations nominating a specialist to attend when an agenda item requires specific expertise.
4. Review
4.1. These terms of reference will be reviewed regularly by members to meet business needs.
5. Ministerial approval
5.1. Notwithstanding the above, actions falling to HMRC may be subject to ministerial approval.
Minutes
You can read minutes of previous meetings on The National Archives website: