Professional Conduct in relation to Taxation
Professional Conduct in Relation to Taxation (PCRT) has been updated making it easier to navigate with a new digital structure. This edition is effective from 1 March 2019.
PCRT now consists of the fundamental principles and the standards for tax planning. Compliance with PCRT is mandatory for members advising on UK tax matters. Members must be familiar with and comply with PCRT and a failure to do so may result in disciplinary action.
PCRT is supported by supplementary help sheets which replace Parts 3 and 4 of the 2017 edition of PCRT. There are five help sheets as follows:
- PCRT Help sheet A – Submission of tax information and ‘tax filings’
- PCRT Help sheet B – Tax Advice
- PCRT Help sheet C – Dealing with errors
- PCRT Help sheet C2 - Dealing with errors - members in business
- PCRT Help sheet D – Request for data by HMRC
- PCRT Help sheet E – Members’ Personal Tax Affairs
The help sheets represent guidance designed to help members apply the Fundamental Principles and Standards in their tax work. While not mandatory a member in a disciplinary case may be asked to explain why they did not follow the help sheet guidance.
For example, a case might be brought against a member under the fundamental principle of integrity. As part of the investigation by the disciplinary body the member could be asked to explain why, as recommended in the ‘Dealing with errors’ help sheet, they had not advised their client to make good the tax underpayment which they had identified in the client’s tax affairs.
From 1st June 2020 PCRT is also supported by topical guidance as follows:
- Topical guidance covering the application of professional standards to the provision of R&D tax credit services.
- Raising standards across the tax advice market: Evidence from the PCRT professional bodies
Read the PCRT 2020 report here.
