This website uses cookies to ensure you get the best experience. Please read our policies for more information.

10 Chartered Accountants

News

New tax task force launched
03 September 2015

A new HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) task force is to target people in Scotland who appear to be living beyond their means.

HMRC said on 3 August that the team of specialist officers expected to recover an extra £4.5 million by identifying wealth indicators – such as large houses, investments, aeroplanes, boats and undeclared offshore bank accounts – and cross-referencing them with data HMRC holds about their owners.

Michael Connolly, HMRC task force lead in Scotland, said: “Using information we hold, we can target people whose lifestyle does not reflect the tax they are paying. It’s not fair that a small minority are living millionaire lifestyles as a result of not paying the tax they owe.

“HMRC’s intelligence shows that people being targeted by this task force have no intention of playing by the rules. They are deliberately failing to declare all their income to HMRC in a crude attempt to line their own pockets, and they will be investigated.

“As a result of this behaviour, they could end up facing a heavy fine or even a criminal conviction. Those who pay the tax they are supposed to have nothing to worry about.”

Link: HMRC tax avoidance and evasion activity

Other recent news

Mandatory payrolling of Benefits in Kind delayed by HMRC
25 June 2025

The delay to payrolling Benefits in Kind (BIK) to 2027…
Read more

Kittel VAT: How to control the uncontrollable
25 June 2025

Receiving a Kittel VAT notice is something that many businesses…
Read more

Increased borrowing could mean increased taxes, experts warn
25 June 2025

Public borrowing hit £20.5 billion in April, the highest level…
Read more

How to prepare for an unexpected economic recovery
25 June 2025

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has upgraded the UK’s 2025…
Read more

Identity crisis – Companies House begins to verify identities
25 June 2025

On 8 April 2025, Companies House introduced identity verification for…
Read more

»

Case Studies