Policy paper

Draft legislation (accessible version)

Published 13 July 2026

1 Digital information

1. (1) Section 114 of FA 2008 (computer records etc) is amended as follows.
2. (2) For the heading substitute “Digital information”.
3. (3) In subsection (2)(a), for “in which information of any description is recorded” substitute “where information of any description is to be found”.
4. (4) In subsection (3)—
   1. (a) for “any computer and any associated apparatus or material” substitute “anything”;
   2. (b) after “a relevant document” insert “, relevant information, or a relevant thing”.
5. (5) For subsection (4) substitute—
   1. “(4) In subsection (3)—
      1. “relevant document” means a document that a person has been, or may be, required pursuant to an enactment to which this section applies—
         1. (a) to produce or cause to be produced, or
         2. (b) to permit the Commissioners or an officer of Revenue and Customs to inspect, to make or take copies of or extracts from or to remove;
      2. “relevant information” means any information which is to be, or may be, found in a relevant document or a relevant thing;
      3. “relevant thing” means anything where there is to be found information of any description that a person has been, or may be, required pursuant to an enactment to which this section applies (by virtue of subsection (2))—
         1. (a) to produce or cause to be produced, or
         2. (b) to permit the Commissioners or an officer of Revenue and Customs to inspect, to make or take copies of or extracts from or remove.”
6. (6) In subsection (5)—
   1. (a) in paragraph (a), for “computer” substitute “thing with which subsection (3) is concerned”;
   2. (b) omit the “or” at the end of paragraph (a);
   3. (c) in paragraph (b), for “the computer, apparatus or material” substitute “that thing”;
   4. (d) after paragraph (b) insert “or
      1. (c) any person who created, developed or produced that thing,”.

2 FINs: cryptoasset service providers and annual report

1. (1) At the end of the heading before paragraph 4A of Schedule 36 to FA 2008 (power to obtain information and documents from financial institutions), insert “or cryptoasset service providers”.
2. (2) In paragraph 4A of that Schedule—
   1. (a) in sub-paragraph (1), after “financial institution” insert “or cryptoasset service provider”;
   2. (b) in sub-paragraph (2), after “institution” insert “or service provider”.
3. (3) After paragraph 61ZA of that Schedule (meaning of financial institution) insert—
   1. “Cryptoasset service provider
   2. 61ZB (1) In this Schedule, “cryptoasset service provider” means a person who provides services relating to cryptoassets (including facilitating payments relating to such services).
   3. (2) In this paragraph, “cryptoassets” means a digital representation of value that relies on a cryptographically secured distributed ledger or a similar technology to validate and secure transactions.”
4. (4) In section 126 of FA 2021 (financial institution notices), omit subsections (5) to (8).

3 Obtaining information about persons whose identity can be ascertained

1. (1) Paragraph 5A of Schedule 36 to FA 2008 (power to obtain information about persons whose identity can be ascertained) is amended as follows.
2. (2) In sub-paragraph (1)—
   1. (a) omit “authorised”;
   2. (b) for “relevant” substitute “identifying”.
3. (3) In sub-paragraph (4)(b), for “relevant” substitute “or generated identifying”.
4. (4) In sub-paragraph (6)—
   1. (a) in the opening words, for “Relevant” substitute “Identifying”;
   2. (b) for “all or any” to the end substitute “information which identifies a person (whether on its own or together with other information).”
5. (5) After sub-paragraph (6) insert—
   1. “(6A) An officer of Revenue and Customs may only give a notice under sub-paragraph (1) if—
      1. (a) the officer is an authorised officer of Revenue and Customs, or
      2. (b) an authorised officer of Revenue and Customs has agreed to the giving of the notice.”

4 Information notices: deceased persons

1. (1) Paragraph 22 of Schedule 36 to FA 2008 (time limit for information notices in relation to deceased persons) is amended as follows.
2. (2) The existing text becomes sub-paragraph (1) of that paragraph.
3. (3) In sub-paragraph (1)—
   1. (a) after “information notice given” insert “under paragraph 1 or 2”;
   2. (b) after “the person’s death” insert “, unless doing so has been approved by the tribunal”.
4. (4) After sub-paragraph (1) insert—
   1. “(2) The tribunal may not approve doing so unless—
      1. (a) an application for approval is made by, or with the agreement of, an authorised officer of Revenue and Customs, and
      2. (b) the tribunal is satisfied that, in the circumstances, giving the notice more than 4 years after the person’s death is justified.
   2. (3) An application for approval under this paragraph may be made without notice.”