The Worshipful Company of Tax Advisers

The Lord Mayor of the City of London leads a delegation on overseas visits about 12 times each year, often visiting several countries on the same trip. He or she travels with the status of a Cabinet Minister and meets senior politicians, central bankers, officials and representatives of the local business community. These visits are marvellous opportunities to share experience and views from the UK, and the City in particular, and to hear perspectives from others. For many years, the Worshipful Company of Tax Advisers has provided a written briefing in advance of each visit which touches on the key tax issues. Sometimes, there are specific areas which the Lord Mayor may have a chance to raise with politicians and policy makers. Sometimes, there are areas which the Lord Mayor needs to be aware of in case they are raised by others. For example, local business leaders sometimes raise points concerning the UK tax system if it affects their business interests. The Worshipful Company of Tax Advisers also provides general background information about the tax systems around the world.

Once each year the briefing team meets the Lord Mayor to share some general thoughts about the UK tax system and international developments. The Lord Mayor hosts or attends events during the year where he or she can discuss a wide range of issues with politicians and policy makers in the UK including the Chancellor of the Exchequer. He or she can offer an objective and well informed view of how the tax system impacts on businesses of all sizes as well as how the personal tax system concerns private individuals, foreign visitors, investors, international executives and employees. The range of tax issues is enormous and most Lord Mayors are not tax experts! We are invariably impressed at the way in which each Lord Mayor is able to distil from our briefings and presentations the key points of concern both here in the UK and on the overseas visits. It is no easy task but one which they accomplish extraordinarily well!

The UK in general, and the City in particular, is widely regarded as a centre of excellence in tax, law and commercial practice. Our professional firms are world-class and the UK tax system, while far from perfect, is also seen as one of the world’s leading tax regimes in terms of the care taken by all to apply the rule of law and a sense of fairness. The Worshipful Company of Tax Advisers briefs the Lord Mayor on key aspects of the tax professions in the UK and the professional training, expertise and rules on conduct are other aspects of the work of tax professionals of which we can be proud.

The Worshipful Company of Tax Advisers is most grateful to a dedicated and deeply knowledgeable team of members and guests who, with an extensive network of contacts and advisers around the world, provide the Lord Mayor with briefings for any country in the world which he or she may visit and on any conceivable topic here in the UK! We always welcome new volunteers to the group so please do contact us if you would like to join the Lord Mayor’s Briefing Group of the Worshipful Company of Tax Advisers!