UK has longest tax guide in the world

Apparently the UK now has the longest tax code in the world. No, not that silly number with a letter on the end that you get given every year.

We refer to the UK (Tolley's) tax guide. The UK's runs to 11,520 pages, an increase of 10 per cent on last year, and double its length when Labour came to power. That's ten times "Lord of the Rings"! Heavy going indeed. Good luck to anyone who tries to read it. Accountants say it is unnecessarily complex, and it would hard to argue.

It certainly adds (literally) weight to the thought that the tax burden had increased under this government. The increased legislation is said to be down to the Government's recession-busting measures and new laws on Corporation Tax.

It's hard enough ploughing through the apparent help guide for a regular tax form. Even accountants couldn't find this interesting!