Affluent unit staff number grows by 20% in a year

HMRC has increased the number of full-time employees in its affluent unit from 327 to 395 as it ramps up investigations into middle-class taxpayers according to Moore Stephens.

Established in 2011 the unit investigates the tax affairs of individuals with an annual income in excess of £150 000 or a net worth of £1m. Among those caught in this bracket is the increasing numbers of middle-class people who may be asset-rich due to house price inflation.

Moore Stephens said HMRC typically targets high net-worth individuals but is now scrutinising a much broader tax base and that includes people with relatively moderate incomes.

The growth of the affluent unit is clear evidence of HMRC’s wider focus. The larger budgets granted by the government have enabled HMRC to hire more inspectors which has led to the unit’s salary bill increasing by 13% over the past year from £13.1m...