Periodically, HMRC targets a particular trade or profession and gives them an opportunity to come clean about undeclared income and underpaid tax. It's not actually an amnesty - the tax is still payable in full, it's just that penalties are reduced - but that's often how it's described.
Last year, there was a pretty strong rumour that the next amnesty would be for gas fitters, presumably because HMRC could get pretty reliable evidence of work done via safety certificates and the like, and compare that to declared income. HMRC denied this was the case, but yesterday announced the Plumbers' Tax Safe Plan (PTSP), which applies to "people who work (or worked) in the plumbing, heating or gas installation trades". Evidently they must have had a change of heart!
In any case, this is likely to be the best opportunity for such trades to come clean about underpaid tax and make a fresh start. It might also be a good opportunity for other people too. According to HMRC:
If you are not a plumber, you may still find that the forms cover everything you need to tell HMRC. If that is the case, you can still use PTSP forms... Customers who voluntarily come forward and put right their tax position can expect very similar terms to those on offer through PTSP.
So, there's no guarantee of leniency, but it's strongly suggested. For many non-plumbers who want to come clean, PTSP may well be their best route. 31 May is the deadline for owning up.
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