New campaign warns about avoidance schemes

HMRC and the Advertising Standards Authority have joined together to disrupt the activity of promoters and protect people from misleading advertisements that may lead to tax avoidance. It concerns in particular disguised remuneration and stamp duty land tax arrangements although the principles set out in the notice may apply to other types of tax avoidance.

The joint enforcement notice requires promoters to be clear about the potential consequences of tax avoidance in any online advertising. Immediate sanctions include having their paid advertising removed from search engines and follow-up compliance action which can include referral to Trading Standards.

At the same time HMRC has opened its ‘Tax avoidance: don’t get caught out’ awareness campaign warning and educating contractors about how to identify if they are being offered a tax avoidance scheme and the pitfalls of using them. 

HMRC has also published a