HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) in conjunction with Business Application Software Developer Association (BASDA), is producing a range of record keeping mobile apps for small businesses.
The apps are intended to complement existing HMRC record-keeping guidance and tools. They aim to help small businesses and the self-employed who are below the VAT threshold - £77,000 maintain good records and estimate what their tax liability might be.
Treasury minister David Gauke said the apps would help with tax transparency in a "direct and practical way".
"They can help SMEs feel more confident about their record-keeping and provide a direct link to the business's finances, freeing up time which can be better spent on the day-to-day running of the business," he said.
And Naomi Ferguson, director business customer and strategy at HMRC, said the apps would help the increasing number of small businesses that used smart phones in their work.
"These apps will provide the opportunity to keep track of records on the go, wherever business people are," she said. "Record-keeping is often an add-on to day-to-day running of small businesses and the apps will hopefully help to make it an integral part of the business.
"We are really excited to see the arrival of the record-keeping mobile apps. The consultation with the software industry has been a positive process and has led to a number of high quality apps being available. We welcomed the opportunity to work with them to help customers with their record-keeping responsibilities and access our guidance."
HMRC worked with the Business Application Software Developer Association (BASDA) and independent developers to facilitate the development of the record-keeping apps.
The apps are part of an ongoing campaign beginning in 2012/13 to help small businesses with their record-keeping obligations. No date has been released as yet for the launch of the apps or any information on what mobile platforms they will appear on. So stay tuned.
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