Policy

Payments made by HMRC to informants have hit a record high, according to legal experts.

Tax whistleblowers netted £605,000 in the year ended 31 March 2015, up from £402,000 over the previous 12 months.

The rise was driven in part by a surge in public awareness about the Revenue’s efforts to track down evaders, leading to more individuals alerting the department to possible fraud by former employers or ex-partners, said said City law firm RPC.

Claiming the marriage allowance takes a lot of effort

Margaret Hodge’s legacy as chair of the Public Accounts Committee

The environment for non-domiciles

How will the government’s ‘one nation’ approach apply to tax?

Changes to tax breaks designed to promote investment in small and growing firms will deter investors from taking advantage, according to the Chartered Institute of Taxation (CIOT).

The professional body warned that new legislation creates greater complexity and denies relief to existing financiers that want to increase their investments.

Don’t simply follow past years’ P11Ds when preparing the latest forms

Law Society warns over anti-avoidance measures

HMRC’s online plans will not end happily for taxpayers

Tax charity calls for improved guidance

Big four seconded eight staff in 2012-2014

The amount of tax relief claimed by charities grew to £3.31bn in 2014/15, from £3.07bn in 2013/14, according to latest figures from HMRC.

The total amount comprised £1.64bn in business rates relief, £1.2bn from gift aid, £300m in VAT breaks, and £170m worth of stamp duty land tax relief.

The Revenue’s numbers, which are provisional, indicate that reliefs for individuals on gifts to charities increased by £100m to £1.2bn, with rises in inheritance tax relief, higher-rate breaks on gift aid and covenants, and relief on gifts and shares.