PLANS to force small businesses and self-employed people to make quarterly online tax returns that were delayed for a year by Philip Hammond in his Budget speech should be pushed back to 2020 according to a House of Lords committee.

The House of Lords Economic Affairs Committee also said the ‘Making Tax Digital’ system should be optional for certain businesses.

The Government has been told the scheme is being rushed, imposing unnecessary burdens on small businesses, and will yield little benefit to the Government. The changes also coincide with other changes to small business taxation such as to business rates.