About us
We give independent advice to the government on simplifying the UK tax system, to make things easier for taxpayers.
Who we are
The Office of Tax Simplification (OTS) is the independent adviser to the government on simplifying the UK tax system.
The OTS was set up on 20 July 2010 and made a permanent independent Office of HM Treasury on 21 July 2015. It was then placed on a statutory basis in sections 184 to 189 of, and Schedule 25 to, Finance Act 2016, which came into effect as from 28 November 2016 by virtue of Statutory Instrument 2016/113.
The OTS board is led by an independent Chair and Tax Director, and has up to eight further members, supported by a team drawn from the civil service and the private sector.
Our objective
- to offer recommendations and advice to the Chancellor about how to make the UK tax system simpler, not least for individuals and smaller businesses
Our responsibilities
- to provide and publish advice to the Chancellor, on request, or as the OTS considers appropriate, on the simplification of the UK tax system
- to prepare and publish an annual report of the performance of its functions in each financial year