Watch Out – HMRC Is About!

In the Autumn 2025 budget, a further clampdown on tax evasion and non-compliance was announced with HM Revenue and Customs expecting to collect and additional £2.6 billion in revenue by 2030-31. Together with measure already brought in since the Government came to power in 2024, they are now expecting to raise £8.8 billion annually by 2029-30.

To facilitate this, 5,500 new compliance caseworkers are to be recruited and trained as well as 2,400 additional debt management staff by this date.

Taxpayers should remember that, beyond the areas of PAYE on salaries and VAT on shopping, most taxes in the UK are “self assessed” and it is their responsibility to report and pay the correct amount of tax with interest and penalties levied for late or inaccurate reporting and payment. The case of Angela Rayner and her Stamp Duty Land Tax error showed that anyone can make an error (even if the recent confirmation that she is to face no penalties has raised eyebrows in the tax profession).