Crackdown on tax cheats nets 拢109m in just six months
HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) taskforces have brought in 拢109 million in the last six months it was revealed today.
That figure includes 拢64.9 million recovered in the first three months of this year, more than double the figure for the same period in 2014.
Between April and October 2015, HMRC launched 27 new taskforces targeting sectors that are at the highest risk of tax fraud, including Income Tax Self Assessment (ITSA) Repayments, Retail, Hidden Wealth and Grocery sectors, with one taskforce alone generating 22 arrests.
Taskforces were first launched in spring 2011 as part of HMRC鈥檚 compliance strategy to tackle tax evasion and fraud. Over 100 taskforces have been launched since then yielding more than 拢404 million, protecting this money for public services.
Speaking at the UK Tax Investigation Conference today, Jennie Granger, Director General for Enforcement and Compliance at HMRC, said:
鈥淭he message is clear if you try to cheat on your tax we are going to catch you 鈥� it鈥檚 only fair that we all pay what we should to fund public services. We have increasing amounts of intelligence, and are using state of the art digital tools to help us to identify and target high risk areas. This yield of 拢109 million 鈥� almost double the figure for the same period in 2014 - shows that our strategy is working.鈥�
Notes for editors 1. Taskforces bring together various HMRC compliance and enforcement teams for intensive bursts of activity targeted at specific sectors and locations where there is evidence of high risk of tax evasion and fraud. The teams visit traders to examine their records and carry out other investigations. 2. HMRC鈥檚 Flickr channel 3. Follow HMRC鈥檚 Press Office on Twitter @HMRCpressoffice