HMRC – HOW WE ARE DOING
21 February 2013
The HMRC Performance Committee have produced a briefing which outlines the key figures arising from the review of performance of a range of compliance, operational and customer service measures. The review, which spans the period between April and December 2012 reports that between October and December 2012 HMRC contact centres handled more than 90% of call attempts and have achieved their best monthly performance since 2009.
The review also highlights that by the end of October a programme of work was concluded on 17.9 million legacy open cases that remained from the old PAYE computer system.
HMRC NAMING AND SHAMING DELIBERATE TAX DEFAULTERS
21 February 2013
HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) have today published the names of deliberate tax defaulters on their website.
This action is a part of HMRC’s approach to combat tax evasion and non-compliance and to ensure that everyone pays their fair share, which also looks to create a level playing field for honest people and businesses by cracking down on the minority who seek to evade tax. HMRC has been given this power to publish names in its attempt to deter UK taxpayers from deliberately defaulting on their tax obligations. It also aims to encourage the non-compliant to make a full disclosure at the outset of an investigation as doing so means their details will not be published.
David Gauke, Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury, said:
“HMRC is dedicated to clamping down on the small minority of people who break the law, and finding and taking action against tax cheats who try to evade their responsibilities. The publication of these names sends a clear signal that cheating on tax is wrong and reassures people who pay their taxes – the vast majority – that there are consequences for those who refuse to tell HMRC about their full liability. It also encourages defaulters to make a full and prompt disclosure and cooperate with HMRC to avoid being named.”
Details of the first tranche of deliberate defaulters can be found at the website of HMRC and it is intended that this list will be updated each quarter.
A deliberate defaulter is a person who incurs a relevant penalty for:
an inaccuracy in a return or document for a tax period beginning on or after 1 April 2010, a failure to comply with certain obligations, such as the obligation to notify HMRC of a liability to tax, or a VAT or excise wrongdoing that occurred on or after 1 April 2010.
Deliberate defaulters can be named where, during an investigation into a period starting on or after 1 April 2010:
it is established that the taxpayer is liable to a penalty for a deliberate default, and as a result of the deliberate default, more than £25,000 of additional tax would have been lost without HMRC’s intervention, and
CIPP Policy News Journal
12/04/2013, Page 109 of 362
Made with FlippingBook - Online magazine maker