The Valuation Office Agency (VOA), the arm’s-length body responsible for valuing properties for council tax and business rates, will be brought into its parent department HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) by April 2026 to increase efficiency, business experience and ministerial accountability.
The measure features as part of the UK government’s Tax Update: Tax update spring 2025: simplification, administration and reform - GOV.UK
As part of this update, 39 measures to reform and simplify the tax and customs system have been announced. For more information on the 39 reform measures announced, read the Written Ministerial Statement.
These measures include cutting red tape for small businesses by simplifying VAT administration through changes made to the VAT Capital Goods Scheme – a scheme allowing businesses to reclaim VAT on expensive capital items, based on their long-term use.
The UK government will bring forward legislation to remove computer equipment from the Scheme’s qualifying assets. It will increase the threshold value for capital expenditure value of on land, buildings and civil engineering work from £250,000 to £600,000.
This will free up time and resources spent on tax administration for around 105,000 commercial properties which will be removed from the scheme.
Currently, producers of traditional spirits drinks which are protected by geographic Indication status are required to pay verification fees to HMRC. This can cost up to £11,410 every two years. From 1 July 2025 to 30 June 2031, all spirit producers will start paying a flat fee of £250 every two years, regardless of the product.
For further information please select the following link: Valuation Office Agency scrapped in government drive to slash inefficiencies - GOV.UK