Legislation – Finance Act 2026
Schedule 21Registration of tax advisers: reviews and appeals
Appealable decisions
1
A person may appeal to the tribunal against a decision of an officer of Revenue and Customs in respect of any of the following matters—
(a)
whether to approve the person’s application for registration under section 230 (application for registration);
(b)
whether to suspend the person’s registration under section 232 (suspension of registration);
(c)
whether to give the person a compliance notice under section 233 (compliance notice);
(d)
(e)
(f)
whether to assess the person to a financial penalty under section 238 (failure to notify clients);
(g)
whether to approve an application under paragraph 10 (temporary relief from suspension of registration pending review or appeal: cases other than amount of tax etc overdue);
(h)
whether to revoke such an approval, or to impose or vary any conditions or restrictions that such an approval is subject to, under paragraph 10.
Offer of review
2
(1)
HMRC must offer a person a review of a decision that has been notified to the person if an appeal against the decision may be brought under paragraph 1.
(2)
The offer of a review must be made by notice to the person at the same time as the decision is notified to them.
(3)
This paragraph does not apply in relation to—
(a)
(b)
a decision consisting of a conclusion of a review under this Schedule.
Time to accept offer of review
3
(1)
Where HMRC have offered a person a review of a decision under paragraph 2, the person may accept the offer by notice to HMRC within the period of 30 days beginning with the day on which notice of the offer was issued.
(2)
An officer of Revenue and Customs may by notice extend the period within which a person may accept the offer to—
(a)
the end of the period of 30 days beginning with the date of the notice, or
(b)
any other date set out in the notice or a further notice.
(3)
But an officer may not give a notice under sub-paragraph (2) after the period within which a person may accept the offer has ended.
Review out of time
4
(1)
Where HMRC have offered a person a review of a decision under paragraph 2, the person may accept the offer by notice to HMRC after the period for accepting the offer has ended if an officer of Revenue and Customs agrees.
(2)
An officer of Revenue and Customs must agree to an offer being accepted under this paragraph if the person has requested in writing that HMRC do so and the officer is satisfied that—
(a)
there was a reasonable excuse for not accepting the offer before the period for accepting the offer had ended, and
(b)
the request has been made without unreasonable delay after the excuse has ceased to apply.
(3)
If a request of the kind mentioned in sub-paragraph (2) is made, an officer of Revenue and Customs must notify the person whether they agree to the request.
No review after appeal to the tribunal
5
Review
6
(1)
(2)
An officer of Revenue and Customs must review the decision.
(3)
The nature and extent of the review are to be such as appear appropriate to the officer in the circumstances.
(4)
The review must take account of any representations made by the person at a stage which gives the officer a reasonable opportunity to consider them.
(5)
The review may conclude that the decision is to be—
(a)
upheld,
(b)
varied, or
(c)
cancelled.
(6)
The officer must give the person notice of the conclusions of the review and their reasoning before the end of—
(a)
the period of 45 days beginning with the day on which HMRC received notice of the person’s acceptance of the offer to review the decision, or
(b)
such other period as the officer and the person may agree.
(7)
Where an officer of Revenue and Customs is required to undertake a review but does not give notice of the conclusions within the period specified in sub-paragraph (6), the review is to be treated as having concluded that the decision is upheld.
(8)
If sub-paragraph (7) applies, an officer of Revenue and Customs must notify the person of the conclusion which the review is treated as having reached.
Bringing of appeals
7
(1)
This paragraph applies where HMRC have offered to review a decision that a person may appeal against to the tribunal.
(2)
The right of the person at any time to appeal to the tribunal depends on whether or not the person has accepted the offer at that time.
(3)
If the person has accepted the offer, the person—
(a)
may not appeal to the tribunal before the beginning of the post-review period;
(b)
may appeal to the tribunal after the end of that period only if the tribunal gives permission.
(4)
If the person has not accepted the offer, the person—
(a)
may appeal to the tribunal within—
(i)
the period of 30 days beginning with the day on which notice of the offer to review the decision was issued by HMRC, or
(b)
may appeal to the tribunal after the end of that period only if the tribunal gives permission.
(5)
In this paragraph “post-review period” means—
(a)
the period of 30 days beginning with the day on which notice of the conclusions of the review was issued by an officer of Revenue and Customs, or
Powers of tribunal
8
On an appeal under paragraph 1 that is notified to the tribunal, the tribunal may confirm, vary or cancel the decision.
Temporary relief from suspension of registration pending review or appeal: amount of tax etc overdue
9
(1)
This paragraph applies where—
(a)
(b)
(c)
the adviser has—
(i)
accepted an offer under this Schedule to review the decision, or
(ii)
appealed against the decision to the tribunal.
(2)
The adviser may apply to HMRC to suspend the effect of the decision pending the outcome of the review or appeal.
(3)
An authorised officer of Revenue and Customs must, by notice, approve an application made under sub-paragraph (2).
(4)
A notice under sub-paragraph (3) must—
(a)
state the date from which it has effect, and
(b)
in a case where the adviser’s registration has already been suspended, temporarily reinstate the adviser’s registration.
(5)
The day on which the approval of an application under this paragraph (including any temporary reinstatement of the adviser’s registration) expires is—
(a)
in a case where the decision to suspend the tax adviser’s registration is cancelled on a review under this Schedule, the day on which it is cancelled;
(b)
in a case where the decision to suspend the tax adviser’s registration is upheld on a review under this Schedule, the last day on which an appeal could be brought against that decision (ignoring any possibility of an appeal brought out of time with permission), unless paragraph (c) applies;
(c)
in a case where an appeal (other than an appeal brought out of time with permission) is brought in respect of the decision to suspend the tax adviser’s registration, the day on which the appeal is finally determined.
(6)
HMRC may specify in a notice published by them provision about the form, manner, timing and content of applications under this paragraph.
Temporary relief from suspension of registration pending review or appeal: other cases
10
(1)
This paragraph applies where—
(a)
an authorised officer of Revenue and Customs decides under section 232 (suspension of registration) to suspend a tax adviser’s registration,
(b)
paragraph 9 (amount of tax etc overdue) does not apply in relation to the decision, and
(c)
the adviser has—
(i)
accepted an offer under this Schedule to review the decision, or
(ii)
appealed against the decision to the tribunal.
(2)
The adviser may apply to HMRC to suspend the effect of the decision pending the outcome of the review or appeal.
(3)
An authorised officer of Revenue and Customs may, by notice, approve an application under sub-paragraph (2) only if they are satisfied that—
(a)
the adviser has demonstrated that if the application were not approved the adviser would be unable to continue as a going concern pending the final determination of the review or appeal, and
(b)
it is appropriate in all the circumstances to approve the application.
(4)
In determining whether it would be appropriate to approve the application, the officer must have regard to—
(a)
the prospect of the review or appeal succeeding;
(b)
any alternative steps available to, and taken by, the adviser to protect their position pending the final determination of the review or appeal;
(c)
whether the adviser has acted expeditiously in accepting the offer of the review or in bringing and progressing the appeal.
(5)
A notice under sub-paragraph (3) approving the application must—
(a)
state the date from which it has effect, and
(b)
in a case where the adviser’s registration has already been suspended, temporarily reinstate the adviser’s registration.
(6)
A notice under sub-paragraph (3) may approve an application subject to any conditions or restrictions specified in the notice.
(7)
The day on which the approval of an application under this paragraph (including any temporary reinstatement of the adviser’s registration) expires is—
(a)
in a case where the decision to suspend the tax adviser’s registration is cancelled on a review under this Schedule, the day on which it is cancelled;
(b)
in a case where the decision to suspend the tax adviser’s registration is upheld on a review under this Schedule, the last day on which an appeal could be brought against that decision (ignoring any possibility of an appeal brought out of time with permission), unless paragraph (c) applies;
(c)
in a case where an appeal (other than an appeal brought out of time with permission) is brought in respect of the decision to suspend the tax adviser’s registration, the day on which the appeal is finally determined.
(8)
An authorised officer of Revenue and Customs may, by notice, revoke the approval of an application under this paragraph, or vary the conditions or restrictions to which it is subject, if they are satisfied that a change in circumstances justifies doing so.
(9)
HMRC may specify in a notice published by them provision about the form, manner, timing and content of applications under this paragraph.