Tax avoidance promoters target returning NHS workers

HMRC is concerned that promoters of tax avoidance schemes are targeting workers returning to the National Health Service (NHS) to help respond to the coronavirus outbreak.

The schemes offered all have some common features including the use of an umbrella company although they may be described differently. Usually the wages will consist of two payments. The first is declared as earnings and will go through the umbrella company payroll often at national minimum wage levels or a flat rate payment of for example £100 a week. The second which the umbrella company will say is not taxable may be described as a loan annuity shares a capital advance involving mutual joint or co-ownership or a payment derived from a revolving line of credit facility or some other non-taxable form. 

According to HMRC all of these schemes attempt...