Announced in the Budget, the consultations follow a review of employee benefits and expenses carried out by the Office of Tax Simplification (OTS) and will look at:
- Abolishing the £8,500 threshold for Benefits in Kind including actions to mitigate the impacts on vulnerable groups affected
- Introducing a statutory definition of a trivial Benefit in Kind
- Voluntary payrolling of Benefits in Kind
- Replacing the dispensation regime with an exemption for qualifying expenses that are paid or reimbursed by employers
As well as consulting on simplifying the tax treatment of employee benefits and expenses, the Government is publishing a call for evidence on remuneration packages in a move help better understand the factors behind changes in the form of remuneration packages and their recent evolution and future likely trends.
A review of the tax treatment of travel and subsistence payments has also been announced which will be launched in due course.
Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury, David Gauke said: ‘Following the valuable work the Office of Tax Simplification has carried out in reviewing employee benefits and expenses, the government is now consulting on changes that will deliver real improvements for businesses and individual and their experience of the tax system.
‘We want to make sure we get the structure and detail absolutely right and each consultation will allow us to engage with and learn from those who will be directly affected.’
The Government is seeking views from anyone with an interest in these areas and the consultations will close on 9th September 2014.