Realistically, we have already done this kind of things many times in the past - taxation was frequently paid in the currency of the day from Tudor times onwards. Once solid silver coinage was adulterated with base metals people paid their taxes with money the Government were happy to issue but reluctant to accept as payment! Almost any commodity was traded as 'currency' subject to being accepted. I don't think we have been able to pay our taxes in Guinneas for a long time, and I suspect paying your VAT at the bank with coinage would be difficult. In fact paying in a few grand in cash would almost certainly get the money laundering bank employee asking questions. Try paying for things with cheques? I really think that if you are in business, you should really not have an issue with using computers. Of course, HMRC must love everything having a paper trail nowadays, but the only people who might be on the radar will be the people who want to carry on using paper and resist. I'd imagine the HMRC staff who are not exactly over staffed anymore would concentrate on people who they cannot see the business transparently.
If I was crooked, I'd have no way of keeping two sets of books like people did in the past if it had to be electronic. As a sole trader, all my non-business purchases are effectively my drawings, and looking at my software they could easily see every non-business entry and I note free agent that I use now has a tax section. I just use the VAT section, but it looks like I could submit my tax via it's system very easily. I don't at the moment, but when my accountant tells me to (or he does it as he can see everything) it won't be an issue at all.
For me - my accountancy is less expensive, the data I can see more comprehensive and it takes far less of my time than the old system. I actually pay for free agent, while many get it free - and I consider it good value for money for the time and effort saved.
If I was crooked, I'd have no way of keeping two sets of books like people did in the past if it had to be electronic. As a sole trader, all my non-business purchases are effectively my drawings, and looking at my software they could easily see every non-business entry and I note free agent that I use now has a tax section. I just use the VAT section, but it looks like I could submit my tax via it's system very easily. I don't at the moment, but when my accountant tells me to (or he does it as he can see everything) it won't be an issue at all.
For me - my accountancy is less expensive, the data I can see more comprehensive and it takes far less of my time than the old system. I actually pay for free agent, while many get it free - and I consider it good value for money for the time and effort saved.
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