If your email inbox is anything like mine, you’ll be painfully aware that something is afoot in the world of personal data.
I’ve had loads of correspondence along the lines of “We don’t want to lose you” from the likes of outdoor equipment specialists where I once bought a tent, and sports injury clinics where I once had a leg massage.
Companies and organisations that “have you” on their books need to get your permission that it’s OK for them to contact you. And, as I’m sure everyone on the planet knows, that will become law on May 25 when the General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR) come into force.
Whopping fine for breaking the rules
That doesn’t mean everyone is prepared to do something about it though. Thankfully, the Information Commissioner’s Office has produced an excellent toolkit with all the resources you need to make sure you’re ready to rock next month. Or more specifically that you don’t incur a whopping fine for breaking the rules.
The ICO’s guide includes some general background. More importantly it has a GDPR self-assessment toolkit that helps you to work out how you are affected by the regulations.
There’s also an impressive interactive toolkit that works out whether a particular course of action you intend to take would be covered by GDPR’s “lawful basis” provision for holding, say, a client’s personal data.
And the video by the information commissioner Elizabeth Denham isn’t bad either.
Insolvency abuse consultation
On the subject of information gathering, the HMRC has opened up a 10-week consultation to help it tackle “the small minority of taxpayers who abuse the insolvency regime to try to avoid or evade their tax liabilities”.
HMRC says: “The government announced that it would explore ways to tackle those who deliberately abuse the insolvency regime in trying to avoid or evade their tax liabilities, including through the use of phoenixism.
“Please give us your views on how to tackle this abuse after reading the discussion paper ‘Tax Abuse and Insolvency’. This looks at several behaviours related to misuse of corporate insolvency – tax avoidance, tax evasion and repeated non-payment of tax – to identify potential solutions. These could include legislation, operational measures or other action.”
And finally…
Accountancy Age asks: “Is the accountancy sector facing an international talent crisis?”
It continues: “The ability for accountancy firms to hire non-EEA workers who require Tier 2 work visas, has been severely restricted over the past four months.
“What initially seemed like a temporary blip is in danger of becoming the new norm, which may severely impact accountancy firms who are seeking to hire non-EEA skilled workers who require a Tier 2 visa to come and work in the UK.”
Interesting stuff. This a topic Accounting Insight will revisit soon. Meanwhile, have a great weekend.