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HMRC's agent strategy aimed to use information held on HMRC systems to identify agents with clients whose filing, payment and compliance levels are significantly below what HMRC would expect¹. The aim was to improve standards and compliance by targeting HMRC's support where it's needed. Since then HMRC has published various calls for evidence to raise standards in the tax advice market and issued responses accordingly.

At Spring Budget 2024 the Government consulted on standards in the tax advice market and proposals to introduce a strengthened regulatory framework. The consultation covered three possible approaches as follows:

1. Ìý

   •ÌýÌýÌýÌý mandatory membership of a recognised professional body

2. Ìý

   •ÌýÌýÌýÌý joint HMRC-industry enforcement, and

3. Ìý

   •ÌýÌýÌýÌý regulation by a statutory government body

A response was published at Autumn Budget 2024. The aim is to establish minimum standards, improve monitoring and effective enforcement action and provide routes for clients to access support when they suffer as a result of their practitioner falling below the minimum standard. The Government recommends that regulation should apply only to practitioners