In the public sector, tax rarely stands still for long. HMRC activity, legislative changes, new case law, and major structural reform can all create practical issues for public bodies, often across several teams at once. 

Keeping up with what has changed is one thing, but understanding what it actually means for your organisation is another. 

That is exactly what the PSTAX Breakfast Briefings are designed to do. 

Held online on the middle Friday of each month (with a summer break in August), the Briefings give public sector professionals a regular, focused, high-level update on the tax issues they need to know about now and the developments they should be preparing for next. 

Direct access to PSTAX’s senior public sector tax specialists 

Each Breakfast Briefing is presented by PSTAX Partners, Directors and specialist consultants who advise public bodies on these issues every day. 

Rather than simply reporting changes in legislation or repeating HMRC announcements, our team gives high-level explanations of: 

• what has changed 
• why it matters to public bodies 
• where HMRC activity is developing 
• what organisations should be checking 
• what may be coming next 
• where action may be needed 

Sessions typically cover both VAT/indirect taxes and employment taxes, bringing together expertise from across PSTAX in a concise morning session. 

The presentation is followed by an opportunity to submit questions via live chat, allowing attendees to raise points prompted by the session. 

With an 8:30am start, the briefings are designed to provide a valuable update for the start of your working day. 

Built specifically for the public sector 

Every agenda is developed around the tax issues affecting organisations, including: 

• Local authorities 
• Police forces and Police and Crime Commissioners 
• Fire and Rescue Services 
• NHS bodies 
• National Parks 
• Other public sector organisations 

Recent briefings have covered the new Approved Mileage Allowance Payment rates, HMRC challenges concerning Disabled Facilities Grants, mandatory payrolling of benefits, VAT on land for social housing, and developments affecting the emergency services.  

Other sessions have addressed IR35 and off-payroll working, National Minimum Wage, CIS, partial exemption, SDLT, HMRC compliance activity and the tax implications of Local Government Reorganisation and wider public sector reform. 

It means attendees get a regular high-level view across the issues that could affect their organisation, rather than having to identify and interpret every development themselves. 

Why so many public sector professionals attend 

The Breakfast Briefings are a well-attended part of the PSTAX programme. 

That reflects the growing need for public sector teams to keep pace with HMRC activity, tax changes, and structural reform, as well as the practical value of having a regular point in the diary to hear directly from specialists working across the sector. 

For many attendees, the Briefing acts as an early prompt. Something discussed during the session may highlight a policy that needs checking, a process that should be reviewed, or a question that needs to be raised internally. 

PSTAX Club member? Your attendance is already included 

If your organisation is a PSTAX Club member, the Breakfast Briefings are included within your subscription. We would encourage members to make full use of them. 

Attendance need not be limited to your main PSTAX contact. Depending on the month’s agenda, colleagues from finance, payroll, HR, property, procurement, legal, transformation and project teams may all benefit from joining. 

It is one of the simplest ways to extend the value of your PSTAX Club subscription across your organisation and keep relevant teams connected to current tax developments. 

Not a PSTAX client? Start with a Breakfast Briefing 

The Breakfast Briefings are also one of the easiest ways to access PSTAX expertise if you do not currently work with us. 

You can attend an individual session for £60, providing direct access to a focused public-sector tax update from PSTAX Partners, Directors, and specialists. 

Or, for organisations that want regular updates throughout the year, an annual pass is £400 for all 11 sessions. 

For less than the cost of seven individual sessions, your organisation can stay connected to the full annual programme. 

It is a straightforward way to experience PSTAX expertise, understand the issues affecting your sector and decide whether any areas warrant further attention. 

Join us when the Breakfast Briefings return in September 

After the August break, the PSTAX Breakfast Briefings return in September with the next round of timely public sector tax updates. 

Whether you are already a PSTAX Club member or joining us for the first time, register now and make the monthly briefing part of your team’s diary. 

PSTAX Club members: your attendance is included. Make sure the right people across your organisation are registered. 

Non-clients: join an individual session for £60 or secure all 11 briefings with the £400 annual pass. 

Register for the next PSTAX Breakfast Briefing