HMRC launch Advance Tax Certainty Service for major investment projects
A first-of-its-kind service for the UK has been launched to provide tax certainty to businesses planning to invest in major projects.
HMRC have launched the Advance Tax Certainty Service to provide clarity on how UK tax rules will apply to major investment projects before project commitment. Businesses planning to invest £1 billion or more in qualifying UK expenditure over a project's lifetime will now be eligible to apply for certainty on key tax issues.
The government hopes that this assurance will help companies to invest with confidence in the UK. The service covers the following UK taxes and schemes:
- Corporation Tax.
- VAT.
- Stamp Duty Land Tax.
- Income Tax.
- PAYE regulations.
- Construction Industry Scheme.
The Chancellor, John Healey, has given a number of speeches explaining how he intends to boost growth, reduce red tape and maintain fiscal responsibility.
The latest Mergers and Acquisitions (M&A) data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) reveal a depressing landscape for UK companies. Foreign acquisitions of UK companies soared in value to £25.4 billion, up £9.7 billion from Q1 2026 and £15.7 billion higher than Q2 2025, highlighting how cheap UK company valuations are compared to foreign markets.