HMRC have published a technical note announcing the withdrawal of 5 VAT and 8 Inheritance Tax concessions from April 2015. The technical note also acts as a call for evidence of impacts of the proposed withdrawals with feedback requested by 25 April 2014.

Readers are reminded that HMRC is reviewing all its concessions in light of the House of Lords’ decision in the Wilkinson case which clarified the scope of HMRC’s administrative discretion to make concessions that depart from the strict statutory position. As a result some are considered to be beyond the scope of HMRC’s discretion and where possible these will be legislated to preserve their effect with others needing to be withdrawn.