MSB Accounting Limited

HMRC has confirmed the focus of its campaigns to be implemented later this year:

Home improvement trades:

Building on campaigns aimed at plumbers and electricians, construction and building tradespeople - such as roofers, window fitters, bricklayers, carpenters and joiners - will now be affected.

Missing returns:

Part of the wider HMRC activity of tackling failure to complete tax returns with initial focus on those who fail to complete tax returns and are liable to pay tax at the highest rates.

Direct selling:

Targeting customers who should be paying tax on income they earn from buying and selling goods directly to others, or from the commission on these sales.

Following the success of previous campaigns that used HMRC's 'Connect' system to analyse and identify potential links and targets, the new technology will be employed to trawl the internet for information about specific, targeted people and businesses. This will also include cross-referencing returns received with other information on file in order to identify taxpayers with missing returns.

HMRC will target those that do not come forward with the full force of its powers, including imposing high penalties and undertaking criminal prosecution.

Submitted by MSB Accounting on Wednesday 22nd February 2012