According to tax and consultancy firm Blick Rothenberg, HMRC should implement standardized tax rules for gifts to ensure they apply equally to all taxpayers, including politicians.
Robert Salter, a director at the firm, has called for greater clarity and consistency in gift tax, noting that while media personalities and social influencers are taxed on gifts, politicians often receive gifts tax-free.
Salter pointed out that gifts to politicians, sometimes work-related, are not treated as taxable income by HMRC, despite similar gifts being subject to tax in other sectors. He emphasized that although current laws are complex, neither donors nor recipients are breaking any laws if donations are not declared as taxable income.
Salter argues that applying consistent rules across sectors would simplify the current system, which requires case-by-case analysis. He suggested that HMRC should introduce clear, standardized rules, while considering a sensible de minimis threshold (e.g. donations of more than £1,000 in a tax year) to prevent small donations from giving rise to tax liabilities.