News

Hauliers affected by the foot and mouth (FMD) outbreak are all eligible for tax help, no matter how much they have been affected.

This is the official line from HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC), which is offering help to all parties that will find it difficult to meet their tax obligations due to FMD.

An HMRC spokesman says: "For anyone who is directly or indirectly affected by the foot and mouth outbreak there is help with their tax. Each case  will be assessed separately."

This is good news for livestock hauliers, who have been hit the hardest, but also for transporters of carcasses and dairy products. Livestock haulier Gordon Gilder Transport is set to lose a lot of revenue, as Sean Gilder explains: "For [our] 10 vehicles which transport livestock I would say we lose £50,000 a week."

While DEFRA had declared certain products safe for export, hauliers did not receive the appropriate documentation straight away. Dover-based Heritage International Transport has had to do empty runs from the UK to collect their EU shipments. Operations director Neville Brooker says: "We do a lot of dairy products and have therefore lost a lot of our work.

"We're looking for other work to do and are currently in the process of getting certification."

A DEFRA statement says the delay occurred because  all EU export health certificates had to be amended in line with the current requirements.

Government assistance

HMRC will:

• defer the collection of taxes and duties or agree instalment arrangements where taxpayers are unable to pay as a result of severe difficulty
• suspend debt collection proceedings
• defer compliance checks and investigations
• provide help and advice in dealing with other practical tax matters arising from the outbreak
• where appropriate, consider using the powers available to give up interest and surcharges on tax paid which is paid late due to the outbreak

For help, call the helpline on 0845 366 1207.