HMRC pays record amount to tax whistleblowers
Payouts to tax whistleblowers rockets as HMRC clamps down on tax evasion.
HM Revenue & Customs paid out more than £600,000 in rewards to tax whistleblowers last year, which is a new record.
The figure is up by an incredible 50% year-on-year from £402,000 in 2013/14, demonstrating the taxman’s desire to clamp down on those committing tax fraud.
The figures come from law firm RPC, which has attributed the rise to greater public awareness of the potential rewards for whistleblowing on tax evaders. That’s despite the taxman not widely publicising the payments it makes to informants – there is no mention of a reward at all on any of the sections about reporting tax evasion on the HMRC section of the Gov.uk website.
There is no set fee for giving information to the taxman. Indeed, HMRC claims that the majority of whistleblowers do so without any expectation of a financial reward.
“Cash rewards are discretionary and based on what is brought in as a direct result of the information provided,” HMRC said.
This latest revelation follows the news that the taxman was setting its sights on people that sell goods online through online marketplace sites like eBay and Etsy, as well as ramping up use of its Managing Serious Defaulters programme. For more read From late tax return fines to eBay sellers, what is the taxman up to?
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How to report tax evasion
You can report tax evasion using HMRC’s online forms. Alternatively you can call 0800 788 887, or write to:
HM Revenue & Customs – Reporting Tax Evasion
Freepost NAT 22785
Cardiff
CF14 5GX
United Kingdom
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More on tax:
From late tax return fines to eBay sellers, what is the taxman up to?
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