Exclusive: Growing group of British landlords that live abroad admit tax evasion September 21, 2021 UK expats who own a buy-to-let property in the UK increasingly approach HMRC to admit they have evaded tax, according to new data shared with City A.M. this morning. 248 overseas investors in UK buy-to-let properties came forward to admit tax evasion in the year up to 31 March, according to data shared by accountancy firm UHY [...]
Property transactions rose almost a third in August September 21, 2021 Property transactions in August rose almost one third on the previous month, according to official estimates. The provisional seasonally adjusted estimate of residential transactions in August was 98,300, 32 per cent higher than July, HMRC data published on Tuesday revealed. The number of transactions was also 20.8 per cent higher than August 2020. It comes [...]
Legal Q&A: How referees’ pay could be hit by a tax dispute with HMRC and why this could have wide-reaching effects on the gig economy September 21, 2021 Lawyer Kevin Barrow explores the implications of an ongoing case between referees and HMRC. What’s this case about? It’s about whether PGMOL (Professional Game Match Officials Limited) needs to deduct income tax and National Insurance Contributions (NICs) from payments it makes to referees whom it has engaged on a self-employed “gig worker” basis to officiate at [...]
Exclusive: HMRC claw back record £4bn in lost taxes September 21, 2021 HMRC’s investigations and compliance work saved £4bn in taxes from being lost in the last quarter, nearly double the £2.2bn for the same period last year, according to new data shared with City A.M. today. The increase in the amount of taxes saved will be due in part to the winding down of the furlough [...]
Exclusive: UK ‘tax gap’ for large businesses climbs as HMRC is owed £6.1bn in underpaid tax September 17, 2021 The UK’s estimate for underpaid and evaded tax by large businesses has jumped 15 per cent, according to new research shared with City A.M. today. The ‘tax gap’ for large businesses reached £6.1bn in the past year, ending 31 March 2020, up from £5.3bn the previous year, according to Square Mile-based law firm Pinsent Masons. [...]
Can tax be simplified? September 16, 2021 ICAS supports tax simplification as a vital part of building an effective and trusted tax administration system but making simplification happen isn’t simple. Why simplify tax? The complexity of UK tax legislation is reflected in complex tax administration systems which are difficult to use and do not facilitate compliance. Compliance is also undermined because many [...]
Hikes to national insurance funds a level of public services we can’t afford September 15, 2021 The government’s plan to increase National Insurance has sparked the predictable furore. The pressures to raise taxes to pay for the level of public services the electorate have come to expect is hardly new. The welfare state was created immediately after the Second World War. For a time, the financial demands were held in check. [...]
Exclusive: UK customs duties shoot up by 42 per cent to record £2.2bn since Brexit September 14, 2021 UK businesses and consumers have paid 42 per cent more in customs duties on goods since Brexit came into force on 1 January of this year, according to new data shared with City A.M. this afternoon. The jump to £2.2billion in customs duties – paid in the year from 1 January to July 31 of [...]
Exclusive: Tax benefits turn luxury watches into investment asset as imports swell to £500m September 13, 2021 A new audience of buyers of luxury watches is increasingly taking the market by storm as they view watches that contain precious metals as a stand-alone investment asset. The value of premium luxury watches imported into the UK increased 43 per cent in the last decade, with £488m worth of imports last year alone, compared to just £276m [...]
HMRC confirms probe into 153 people suspected of aiding tax evasion September 13, 2021 HMRC has confirmed it is investigating 153 suspected ‘enablers of tax evasion’, including unregulated tax advisers. Cracking down on ‘enablers of tax evasion’ has been a key area of focus for HMRC since it established its Fraud Investigation Service in 2015. HMRC’s Fraud Investigation Service has been given additional resources to recruit more staff and, as a result, the number of investigations into [...]