BOB Brewer's letter about the nightmare which HMRC call 'Making Tax Digital' struck a chord with me, writes reader Mark Cunningham.
Like Bob, I am self-employed and I do use accountants, but now that all taxation is dealt with in real time I have to submit figures every week and all the books every quarter.
Lots of extra work for me and costs have risen by at least £1,000 a year because under the new system accountants now submit four tax returns a year instead of one!
Soon the VAT figures will have to be input daily and this will put the accountant's costs beyond the reach of most small businesses.
It seems likely that HMRC want to eliminate accountants altogether and just plug straight into the small trader's business so that they can help themselves to whatever tax they think is due!
No one will legally be able to become self employed without a fully tax compliant computer system and a high level of accountancy skills.
This computer bullying has already been applied to NHS patients, benefit claimants and anyone else who needs to deal with a government organisation.
Basically we need a new 'human right'; to be able to live without a computer!
Mark Cunningham
Gloucester
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