{"id":73813,"date":"2016-09-05T13:57:27","date_gmt":"2016-09-05T13:57:27","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/mostafa.openonline.co.uk\/?guid=81a80d8803c916e2be7be72691da5614"},"modified":"2016-09-05T13:57:27","modified_gmt":"2016-09-05T13:57:27","slug":"press-release-taxman-brings-in-billions-of-tax-upfront-from-tax-avoiders","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mostafa.openonline.co.uk\/?p=73813","title":{"rendered":"Press release: Taxman brings in billions of tax upfront from tax avoiders"},"content":{"rendered":"
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The Financial Secretary to the Treasury, Jane Ellison MP<\/a>, has announced today that HMRC<\/abbr> has collected \u00a33 billion up front from tax avoiders. The move continues the government clampdown on tax avoidance following last month\u2019s announcement that enablers of tax avoidance will face tough new sanctions.<\/p>\n

The 60,000 accelerated payment notices (APNs<\/abbr>) issued since the new rules were introduced in 2014, have forced tax avoidance scheme users to pay up \u00a33 billion of disputed tax upfront while their tax affairs are investigated by HMRC<\/abbr>.<\/p>\n

Under the scheme, which removes the economic advantage of taking part in tax avoidance by forcing them to pay up first and dispute later, a taxpayer with an outstanding tax bill has 90 days once an APN<\/abbr> is received to pay up or make representation to HMRC<\/abbr> if they consider the notice incorrect.<\/p>\n

Speaking at HMRC<\/abbr>\u2019s stakeholder conference today the Financial Secretary said:<\/p>\n

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I\u2019m delighted to announce that we\u2019ve collected \u00a33 billion upfront since 2014 from people using avoidance schemes as HMRC<\/abbr> puts its new powers to use.<\/p>\n

The vast majority of avoidance schemes just don\u2019t work. We\u2019re determined to change the economics of tax avoidance by making it harder for the dishonest minority to cheat the system – collecting disputed tax upfront and tough new sanctions for enablers of tax avoidance will mean people will think twice.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Jennie Granger<\/a>, Director General for Enforcement and Compliance, HMRC<\/abbr>, said:<\/p>\n

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Accelerated payment notices are at the forefront of the Government\u2019s drive to tackle tax avoidance schemes. Recipients must pay the tax owed within 90 days, changing the economics of tax avoidance.<\/p>\n

We want to encourage as many avoidance users as possible to come forward and settle their schemes with us.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

HMRC<\/abbr> has successfully defended the accelerated payment rules in five out of five Judicial Review challenges. With HMRC<\/abbr> winning almost 90% of avoidance litigation cases brought against it, the vast majority of individuals choose to settle their tax bill rather than entering into lengthy and costly litigation.<\/p>\n

In the latest High Court ruling brought by tax avoidance scheme users, HMRC<\/abbr>\u2019s decision to issue APNs<\/abbr> on a scheme that companies had used to try to reduce their tax bill was challenged by arguing that the tax authority hadn\u2019t properly arrived at the amounts included in the APNs<\/abbr>. The Court ruled in HMRC<\/abbr>\u2019s favour, meaning the APNs<\/abbr> issued will stand, protecting an estimated \u00a328 million in disputed tax.<\/p>\n

This year has seen HMRC<\/abbr> win several large scale tax avoidance cases, including a win against Eclipse 35 worth \u00a3635 million.<\/p>\n

Notes for Editors<\/h3>\n