Tax Matters Digest

Our next article provides a link to an in-depth article on HMRC’s Tax Transformation Road map, highlighting that, even when it was first set out in 2025, it was never an internal reorganisation exercise. Instead, it signalled a new era of digital interaction and data-driven scrutiny. HMRC’s recent progress report included tangible plans for implementation of the transformation vision. Our long-read article explores what HMRC’s progress means for different aspects of corporation tax operating models – from digital tax to compliance and includes strategic priorities for Heads of Tax and CFOs.

With many businesses seeing the UK's low-value import reforms as a customs duty change, the bigger impact on data, compliance and marketplace responsibilities may be missed. Our third article explores how the UK's low-value import reforms could reshape e-commerce compliance.

We then turn to a series of articles that focus on compliance matters:

• Firstly, our disputes team has written an article highlighting some of the nuances that can arise in inheritance tax enquiries that underline the need for specialist advice in areas of uncertainty;
• Many readers will be aware of a recent HMRC consultation on changing in-year payments for Income Tax Self Assessment which could see an acceleration of tax payments. Our article summarises key issues that we raised in our response to the consultation;
• HMRC’s continuing nudge letter activity in relation to cryptoassets should remind all readers that crypto reporting is an important part of tax compliance. Our article sets out common misconceptions of the tax treatment of these assets and highlights HMRC’s improving visibility of crypto transactions; and
• We round off our compliance section with two articles focussed on share plan reporting compliance. The first deals with how to address payroll withholding mistakes that might have been uncovered as part of 2025/26 share plan reporting, including how to assess the amount due, recovering PAYE and NIC from employees and taking remedial action. The second continues in a similar vein by highlighting key considerations if share plan reporting has uncovered corporation tax errors such as overclaimed deductions where share awards are ‘net-settled’ or held by Internationally Mobile Employees, or where relief may have been claimed under the wrong regime.

Our final article is a link to Tim Sarson’s International Tax Review for July, recently published in Tax Journal. This month’s article focuses on European tax reform, including the Tax Omnibus and the DAC recast proposals as well as a potential EU Digital Services Tax.

Other News In Brief includes updates in the following areas: HMRC are writing to businesses within the SAO regime to update them on the progress they are making towards digitisation of the SAO process; the Supreme Court decision in the AXA Insurance UK Plc case clarifies when courts may order that a prior decision in a Group Litigation Order is not binding on other parties due to a subsequent change in law; and the Upper Tribunal has affirmed the potential for claims for relief from overpaid SDLT where a contract to acquire land is rescinded.

As usual, our indirect tax weekly Talking Points provides highlights and analysis of indirect tax developments (just one edition this time) and Week in Tax brings you latest tax updates from KPMG member firms around the world.

The very very (honestly!) last thing to say is that Tax Matters Digest is now taking a brief summer break for five weeks. We look forward to being back in your in-boxes on Thursday 10 September 2026.