HMRC criticised over £10.2bn backlog of 41,000 avoidance cases

The National Audit Office has criticised HM Revenue & Customs over a backlog of 41,000 avoidance cases it is investigating relating to £10.2 billion of tax.

Markets

Other markets

Market Data Notice

More market charts

Favourites

by Daniel Grote on Nov 21, 2012 at 07:54

HMRC criticised over £10.2bn backlog of 41,000 avoidance cases

The National Audit Office (NAO) has criticised HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) over a backlog of 41,000 avoidance cases it is investigating relating to £10.2 billion of tax.

The NAO said in a report on HMRC's efforts to tackle tax avoidance had not demonstrated how it would tackle this backlog, and that its tax avoidance disclosure regime was failing to curb the ‘persistent’ use of highly contrived schemes.

‘HMRC must push harder to find an effective way to tackle the promoters and users of the most aggressive tax avoidance schemes,’ said NAO head Amyas Morse.

‘Though its disclosure regime has helped to change the market, it has had little impact on the persistent use of highly contrived schemes which deprives the public purse of billions of pounds,’ he added.

‘It is inherently difficult to stop tax avoidance as it is not illegal. But HMRC needs to demonstrate how it is going to reduce the 41,000 avoidance cases it currently has open.’

Email a friend

Email me when someone comments on this article Print

1 comment so far. Why not have your say?

Anonymous 1 needed this 'off the record'

Nov 21, 2012 at 17:44

Look you,

You know that staffing levels in the revenue, and the social services, Jobcenter, home office etc have had to be reduced.

No it doesn't matter if the Revenue officers 'let go' were each bringing in the odd £300,000+ in 'recovered tax evasion'.

No it doesn't matter if the Social Services & jobcentre staff 'let go' were each stoppingg the false claiming of bringing in the odd £100,000+.

No it doesn't matter if the Home Office staff 'let go' were each managing to have 20+ 'overstayers, and others claiming maintenance from the taxpayer sent back abroad.

No it doesn't matter if the Customs and border patrol officers 'let go' were on average stopping £150,000 of 'not allowed' imports getting into the country, and having a couple of people not wanted in this country sent back before they left the (air)port.

No - we must cut down on staffing - with the consequent loss of tax and NI on their salary, and the consequent increase in unemployment and other social services benefits.

Still - at least they are not on 'defined benefits pensions, so the country will get back 55% of the pension fund they paid in.

Hmm - seems to me that now we have got rid of the 'extraneous' staff that were saving the government money, - we won't need to have so many HR people, and ..

How much are we paying those paper pushers at the NAO?

Another thought - do we really need all those people checking our expenses claims, and those annoying people from the SFO?

report this

Please sign in here or register here to comment. It is free to register and only takes a minute or two.