Jane Frost, director of HMRC’s Individuals Customer Directorate, explains how the public can now use the Internet to report their concerns about possible tax evasion.
Introduction
One of our key aims at HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) is to prevent people and businesses “getting away” without paying their fair share of tax.
To this end, clamping down on those who try to cheat the system by evading taxes, or committing Tax Credit fraud, is a top priority. We get help and information from the public who contact us via our Tax Evasion Hotline 0800 788 887.
Reporting Suspected Tax Evasion
The public can now use the Internet to report their concerns about individuals or businesses they believe may be evading their tax or committing Tax Credit fraud, at the following link here: Reporting Tax Evasion. Both the online tax evasion reporting facility and the telephone hotline deal with allegations concerning Income Tax, Corporation Tax, Capital Gains Tax, Inheritance Tax, Tax Credits and National Insurance.
People contact us for a range of reasons, including overhearing a neighbour saying they are claiming Tax Credits as a single person even though their partner lives with them, or reporting a local business which is not paying what it should, making trading conditions difficult for businesses that do pay their taxes. People also call us when they suspect their employers aren’t paying tax or National Insurance contributions even though this is being deducted from their wages.
As a result of calls like these, the Tax Evasion Hotline alone has led to the recovery of around £4 million in the 2008/2009 financial year. The money is put back into the system to fund vital public services.
Our new online facility builds on HMRC’s cross-tax approach to compliance, helping us to identify and tackle high-risk cases early on. Under our new system of penalties, HMRC can now charge penalties of up to 100% for those individuals who deliberately evade tax.
Information provided by the public is vital and HMRC takes all allegations seriously. Being able to report potential tax evasion online is just the latest step in demonstrating that the game is up for tax cheats.
How to report your concerns:
1. To report concerns involving Income Tax, Corporation Tax, Capital Gains Tax, Inheritance Tax, Tax Credits and National Insurance you can either go online and visit Reporting Tax Evasion or call our tax evasion hotline free on 0800 788 887.
2. To report concerns about smuggling, particularly drugs, illegal alcohol, tobacco sales or tax fraud, call free on 0800 59 5000 or contact us via the website at: Customs Hotline - Information Report Form Guide.
3. You can also write to us at our Freepost address:
Freepost RSBT – YCYX – JYTK
HM Revenue & Customs
Tax Evasion Hotline Team
Albert Bridge House
1 Bridge Street
Manchester
M60 9DX
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