TaxSource Total

Here you can access summary of the key current tax developments in Ireland, the UK and internationally as reported by Chartered Accountants Ireland

The report of key tax developments are displayed per year, per month, by Ireland, the UK or International and by report title

Tax summaries

This briefing explains why tax summaries have been introduced and who will receive them.

Around 24 million people were due to get their first Annual Tax Summary in this first year, which explains:

  • how their income tax and National Insurance Contributions have been calculated for the 2013 to 2014 tax year; and
  • how this money was spent by the government.

Each tax summary shows how an individual’s income tax and National Insurance Contributions have been calculated for the last complete tax year. So this year’s summaries are showing figures for the 2013–2014 tax year. The tax summaries show taxable sources of income, including income from employment, pension income and taxable state benefits where that information has been provided to HMRC. They do not include figures for any benefits received, which are calculated by household, rather than on an individual basis.

The reverse side of the tax summary is designed to show broadly how an individual’s personal taxes have been spent, with annual figures on public expenditure produced by HM Treasury. These figures include all public sector spending, covering the devolved administrations as well as spending by local authorities and public corporations

The first 16 million summaries were due to be sent by post to people whose tax records have been updated recently by HMRC: these are taxpayers who have received an updated tax code or calculation in the past two years. Individuals in this group will not receive a tax summary if they have paid no income tax in the past year, or where HMRC has not finalised their tax position for the 2013–2014 tax year.

A further eight million taxpayers who complete a self-assessment tax return will view their summary digitally, if they are enrolled for HMRC’s online services. In future, HMRC will provide everyone with a personal digital tax account, which will include their own tax summary.

Those who don’t receive a tax summary can use HMRC’s tax calculator at any time to view how their taxes are calculated and see how this contributes to public spending. A mobile app version of the calculator has already been downloaded more than 300,000 times.