The 2014 Autumn Statement has contained new measures designed to continue the crackdown on tax avoidance and evasion, which could lead to more tax investigations. The Autumn Statement document, published on 3 December, warns that the government will “continue to be relentless in tackling avoidance and aggressive tax planning where it arises within the UK”.… Read more…

HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) has sent notices to tax avoidance scheme users to pay over £250 million of disputed tax under its new Accelerated Payments regime. Accelerate Payments apply to avoidance schemes on an HMRC list and enables HMRC to demand upfront payment of tax while schemes remain in dispute with HMRC. More than 600… Read more…

Former Radio 1 DJ Chris Moyles could be facing a huge tax bill after an appeal in a multi-million pound tax avoidance scheme case failed. The Mirror reported on 30 September that two people who had signed up to the £290 million Working Wheels scheme – sold to 450 celebrities, fund managers and other high… Read more…

People could face tax investigations and even criminal prosecution if they fail to declare and pay offshore tax liabilities under government proposals. A new criminal offence of failing to declare taxable offshore income and gains has been set out in an HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) consultation paper published on 19 August. The consultation, which… Read more…

Thousands of residential landlords could soon be receiving letters as HM Revenue & Customs steps up a campaign encouraging them to put their affairs in order or run the risk of tax investigations, higher penalties or even criminal prosecutions. HMRC estimates that up to 1.5 million residential landlords may be underpaying up to £500 million… Read more…

Singer Katie Melua has described herself as “clueless and inexperienced” after being caught up in a tax scheme being challenged by HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC). The star is one of a string of celebrities named as being caught up in the Liberty tax strategy, which will be challenged by HMRC in court next year.… Read more…

HM Revenue and Customs’ (HMRC) ongoing battle to close the tax gap – the amount of tax that should be paid and the amount it actually collects – shows no slowing down, increasing the likelihood of tax investigations. It has just revealed that it raised an extra £23.9 billion in tax over the last year, as… Read more…

The government is to consult on plans to introduce a new strict liability criminal offence for individuals with undisclosed assets abroad, in a move that could trigger tax investigations with potentially serious consequences. Under plans announced on 14 April, HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) would no longer need to prove that individuals with undeclared income… Read more…

People in dispute with HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) over their use of tax avoidance schemes will have to pay the disputed sums upfront. However, they will get their money back with interest if they win, highlighting the value of expert tax investigation advice in the event of a dispute with HMRC. In the 2014… Read more…

Time is ticking away for health professionals to bring their tax affairs up to date on the best possible terms in an HM Revenue & Customs’ (HMRC) campaign that could lead to more tax investigations and even prosecutions. More than 180,000 people were offered the opportunity to put their tax affairs in order under the… Read more…