The BUFDG 2023 Tax Conference Summary

Well, Andrea and I have cleared up the confetti and streamers and are now trying to gather our thoughts for a quick summary of the 'things we learnt' from last weeks' online tax conference.

Recordings

It was another packed agenda - there were clashes aplenty where we both wanted to be in two or three places at once, but we are thankful that the online platform means recordings of the sessions we missed can be watched later. Our tech support, Scott, has just confirmed that the recordings are now live - so anyone who bought a tax conference ticket can now review all those sessions. If you didn't attend but would like to access the recordings, please let us know how to purchase your ticket.

Three key takeaways

The theme of the conference was 'three key takeaways'. Each presenter was tasked with leaving attendees with three key takeaways to take back to the office to help understand if they had an issue and then how to tackle that issue. At the closing 'ceremony', Andrea and I fed back our 3 key takeaways from the sessions we attended, which we thought we'd share with the wider community:

Customs

• CDS for exports is looming - be prepared!
• Temporary Admission formal authorisation useful in order to correct retrospective issues
• One Stop Shop - may prove invaluable in 2025
• Special procedures - know what and why you are moving goods in and out of the UK

VAT

• VAT registrations - keep up to date with HMRC changes, consider the knock-on impact of registration changes and get costs/income in the correct registration
• Business/Non-Business - use the BUFDG e-learning resource, know about your collaborations and be aware that this area is on HMRC's agenda

Employment tax

• PAYE Settlement Agreements - simplify, categorise and apply the exemptions
• CEST/Employment status - contracts, contracts, contracts - make sure a) you have one and b) its appropriate for the arrangements

Payroll

• Involve your payroll colleagues far sooner so they can steer you clear of problems that "can't be fixed by payroll"

Automation

• Tax needs to be involved from the start when considering new technology - you need to be able to compromise and test to the death!
• Altryx is available, but there may be more user-friendly options on the horizon

International/Global Mobility

• India - be aware of collaborations, authorities are monitoring online taxation, be compliant
• Disguised overseas employment - follow UK principles and you won't go far wrong, but don't assume you'll be fine
• Permanent Establishments - complex! Use BUFDG/KPMG triage document and get advice where necessary 
• People going to/from CERN - again, it's complex - use the Vialto/BUFDG triage document (also available very soon on the BUFDG website) and get advice where necessary
• Global mobility - get a policy in place
• International pensions - don't forget pensions when people go overseas. Check Double Taxation Agreements and refer to USS pensions matrix (from Vialto) on the BUFDG website

And the awards go to...

Every year we give thanks to those individuals (or teams) who have made a special contribution to higher education within the realms of tax. This year, the deserved awards went to:

• Rosemary Greaves, Royal Holloway University of London
• Philip Hayes, University of Surrey
• Vialto 
• Paul Moreels, KPMG
• Harriet Latham, University of Glasgow
• Sally McKinlay, University of Oxford

Lifetime Achievement Award

The Lifetime Achievement Award is our most special accolade - it is given to a member who is due to retire shortly, bowing out gracefully from the higher education sector.

This year's winner was Frazer Holmes, the head of tax and insurance at the University of Loughborough - a deserving winner who we will certainly miss.

BUFDG 2024 Tax Conference

Put it in your diaries, the BUFDG 2024 Tax Conference will take place online (it will be in-person in 2025 we promise), from 11 to 13 June.