Text entered

HMRC tackles property tax fraud

Government Communications (NDS)

7 December 2011

The taskforce will target cases where there has been a deliberate failure to comply with the Option To Tax regime and will conduct full cross-tax reviews of the businesses involved.Taskforces are specialist teams that undertake intensive bursts of compliance activity in specific, high-risk trade sectors and locations across the UK. Neil Hedger, HMRC's London Taskforce Team Leader, said: “This taskforce will come down hard on commercial companies that have chosen to break the rules and deliberately evade the taxes they should be paying. “The message is clear – if you deliberately seek to evade tax we can and will track you down and you’ll face not only a heavy fine, but possibly a criminal prosecution as well. Honest businesses, however, have absolutely nothing to worry about.”HMRC taskforces were established as a result of the Government’s £900m spending review re-investment to tackle tax evasion, avoidance and fraud from 2011/12, which aims to raise an additional £7 billion each year by 2014/15.HMRC is planning 12 taskforces in 2011/12, with more to follow in 2012/13. If you are aware of someone who is evading their taxes you can tell HMRC via the Tax Evasion Hotline by phone, on 0800 788 887, email or by post. Full details can be found at www.hmrc.gov.ukNotes for editors1. 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. The first taskforce targeted the restaurant trade from 12 May 2011. 2. The taskforces are part of the department’s broader work to tackle evasion and avoidance, including Managing Deliberate Defaulters and offshore penalties.3. Compliance activity through taskforces is 1:1 and targets the highest-risk cases in that sector and location, typically focusing on groups of up to around 600 customers. 4. Follow HMRC on Twitter @HMRCgovukSPEC 19/11Issued by HM Revenue & Customs Press OfficePress enquiries only please contact: