HMRC Tax Investigations Taking Up To Eight Bloody Years – MPs Slam the Taxman’s Endless Dithering
Still waiting for HMRC to get their act together?
While the taxman loves slapping you with automatic penalties for filing a day late, it turns out their own investigations can drag on for the best part of a decade.
The Public Accounts Committee has rightly slammed HMRC for cases taking up to eight years to resolve. Eight years! That’s not an investigation, that’s a slow-motion torture session for the poor sods stuck in limbo. Businesses left hanging, cashflow destroyed, growth choked, while HMRC faffs about “gathering evidence” at a pace that would make a snail look speedy.
MPs are warning that the public is being left completely in the dark about whether these long-running disputes are being settled fairly. No transparency, no accountability, just endless uncertainty. Perfect.
This is the same shambolic outfit that:
- Can’t answer the phone without putting you through an hour of Vivaldi
- Harasses 93-year-old terminally ill veterans over returns they’ve already filed
- Spends £186 million to recover £44 million on the Loan Charge
- Forces quarterly MTD reporting while their own systems remain a joke
Yet when it comes to their own enquiries (especially the big, complex ones involving serious money) they’re happy to let cases rumble on for years. Meanwhile, you’re expected to respond to their information requests in days or face penalties.
The PAC is urging HMRC to get a grip and speed things up. About bloody time someone said it. These delays aren’t just inconvenient, they’re damaging real businesses, destroying livelihoods, and eroding any remaining trust in the system.
Tax does have to be taxing.
But leaving people and companies in investigation hell for up to eight years while demanding instant compliance from everyone else? That’s not taxing, that’s bureaucratic sadism and a national disgrace.
Sort it out, HMRC. Or better yet, stop starting so many enquiries you can’t finish in a reasonable timeframe.
This former presenter changed careers altogether after being messed about by HMRC
ReplyDeleteEndless IR35 hassle that drags on and on, if you're face fits you get away with it. I'm guessing her's didn't and she couldn't be arsed.
https://propertyindustryeye.com/ex-bbc-presenter-joins-estate-agency-after-hmrc-tax-battle/
What has the overhaul of Tax Authority achieved? For ordinary punters.. rhymes with four call.
ReplyDeleteA talking shop for Whitehall twonks
Have a flat rate of 10 percent after a 30k a year personal allowance, no more 20k pages of tax allowance and rules. Use AI to answer calls and put the transcript in an inbox, no arrears means next to no calls, no more four cups, no progress chasing. Close down high street money laundering, no woke focus groups. Try that.
https://www.ft.com/content/b70b3f8c-9c2e-434b-b33b-0d8e7a410a49?syn-25a6b1a6=1
These folks are complete scumbags. It's not just that they don't care about the stress impact, they actually enjoy it.
ReplyDeleteFor anyone going through HMRC despair, remember you are not alone. Reach out and talk. Samaritans are available 24 hours a day on 116 123. They saved my life after HMRC abuse.
Please can you share more details about your situation below and we'll do the rest. HMRC corruption must be exposed - and, believe us, it will be!!!!!
Delete"We'll do the rest"
DeleteWhat exactly will you do?
Please answer the question this time.
We investigate wrongdoing and ensure the overmighty HMRC is held to account.
DeleteHope that helps with your 'query' but if you do have anything constructive to contribute, do let us know.
We actually get up off our arses and fight for the truth.
Thank you for your attention to this matter.
I'm glad someone is doing something about it. Those who have actually worked at HMRC, like me, know that there is A LOT wrong with the organisation. There are those who deny the issues and those who understand them but do nothing - you're doing something to investigate. Very grateful
Delete@15:48 is an armchair critic not of HMRC but those who call them out , a complete 🫱 🤡 🤡 🤡 🤡 🤡 🤡
Delete21 July @ 16:16.
DeleteTedious though this is I'm not going to stop asking the questions until you give an answer.
Please give us an example of either an HMRC scandal that you have brought to light or an instance of you bringing them to account.
Just one single, solitary, teeny-weeny example.
And don't try mentioning the BMW affair as it's already been established that you had nothing to do with that.
@19:14.
DeleteJust to let you know, @15:48 is the person who submitted the BMW FoI request and initiated the subsequent internal review.
So somewhat less of an armchair critic than your good self.
Can you give any positive examples of something Exposed as Corrupt has done?
🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡
@10:34 This could be a forum to highlight and debate the serious issues that beset HMRC, but your best effort is to come on here and act like a man who hasn't been taking his pills? Leave it to the grown-ups. Please
Delete@07:47.
DeleteI hope that you are just a fool and not something more sinister.
Surely even a fool can see that Exposing the Corrupt is attempting to hijack this site with absurd claims of running a professional investigative organisation which is uncovering scandals within HMRC and bringing the department to account. When asked the simplest of questions he then steadfastly refuses to give a single example of his successes. Exactly the same as when he used to post as Paul Garlick 7 back in the day.
His posts do nothing other than deflect from the serious debate of serious issues which you claim to want, albeit somewhat unconvincingly.
Since you are telling lies and defaming us, we will respond to your dribble on this occasion.
DeleteWe're just people who want to restore integrity into public service - HMRC conduct has gone badly wrong. Understand the spotlight on them may be difficult for you.
Just so you know: we've never posted under the name Paul Garlick 7 or any other such name.
Would never speculate on my mental health, but perhaps 07:47 has a point?
@13:01.
DeleteResponding to my "dribble" but still unable to give an example of bringing HMRC to account. Not even trying.
You been rumbled, matey.
You want everything handed to you on a plate. The work we've done and are still doing to expose wrongdoing is self-evident across several threads. We're not wasting time to feed your narcissistic need for attention. Stop being so lazy.
Delete@13:34. You're being silly and desperate now.
DeleteThe work that you have done is not self-evident across different threads. The only thing you have specifically mentioned is the BMW affair and it has already been established that you had nothing to do with that.
I am only asking you to give one example and you simply can't do it.
If you want an example of narcissism go look in the mirror.
I wasn't going to post on this thread until the OTT comments by 21Jully @ 12:03, so here goes.
ReplyDeleteThe figures relate to the Public Accounts Committee report on Large Business tax compliance. They have no connection with small and medium enterprises. Those traders within the Large Business group should be well able to cope with a 97 month tax investigation without their cashflow being destroyed or growth choked.
The PAC report states that Large Business compliance is "working well and brings in a good return on it's investment", but "in a small number of instances where large business does not cooperate HMRC seems reluctant to make full use of it's available powers".
This is almost certainly due to the cosy relationship between large business and their HMRC customers compliance manager. 91% of large businesses say they have a good relationship with their CCM - little wonder.
The PAC also makes reference to the "fragile state of HMRC's IT infrastructure".
So basically a criticism of CCMs not being proactive enough in controlling large business and poor IT systems. We already knew that.
"Four Queue" said the Fat Controller "that's pissed on HMRC's chips"
ReplyDeletehttps://www.telegraph.co.uk/money/tax/inheritance/thomas-the-tank-engine-heirs-win-tax-battle-with-hmrc/
Reality is very different than the rosy picture they like to have you believe.
ReplyDeletehttps://www.thetimes.com/money/family-finances/article/dad-died-hmrc-still-owes-me-12k-in-tax-923qfsr6k