Finance Act 2016

Sanctions: liability for penalties for errors in documents given to HMRC U.K.

47 (1) For the purposes of Schedule 24 to FA 2007 (penalties for errors), an inaccuracy in a document given to HMRC by or on behalf of a person is to be treated as being due to failure by the person to take reasonable care if— U.K.

(a) the document was given to HMRC at a time when the person was a member of a group subject to a special measures notice, and

(b) the inaccuracy—

(i) relates to a tax avoidance scheme (as defined in paragraph 38) entered into by the person at a time when the person was a member of a group subject to a special measures notice, or

(ii) is, entirely or partly, attributable to an interpretation of legislation relating to UK taxation which, at the time the document was given to HMRC, was speculative.

(2) A group is “subject to a special measures notice” if a special measures notice—

(a) has been given to the head of the group in relation to the group, and

(b) is in force.

(3) An interpretation of legislation relating to UK taxation is “speculative” if it is likely that a court or tribunal would disagree with it.

(4) Sub-paragraph (1) does not apply to an inaccuracy if—

(a) it is deliberate on the part of the person or someone acting on the person's behalf,

(b) it is in fact due to a failure by the person or someone acting on the person's behalf to take reasonable care, or

(c) it is treated as due to such a failure by virtue of another enactment.

48 U.K. In Schedule 24 to FA 2007 (penalties for errors), at the end of paragraph 3 (meaning of “careless” etc) insert—

“(3) Paragraph 47 of Schedule 19 to FA 2016 (special measures for persistently unco-operative large businesses) provides for certain inaccuracies to be treated, for the purposes of this Schedule, as being due to a failure by P to take reasonable care.”