HMRC Investigations.
Chambers deals with investigations by Her Majesty’s Revenue & Customs (HMRC) regularly and are instructed in some of the largest ongoing investigations in the country.
If HMRC thinks that criminal activity has occurred, such as VAT fraud or serious or extensive tax evasion, then it may open a criminal investigation. You will not know anything about this until you are arrested or receive an HMRC investigation notice asking for you to attend a voluntary interview under caution.
Investigations launched by the HMRC are dedicated to establishing the correct amounts of tax due. Sometimes errors may be discovered and at other times HMRC may decide the loss of tax is deliberate.
These investigations begin in many ways, via third party information, via the patterns of VAT returns changing or to see if past bad behaviour has continued. The reasons are many, as are the types of investigation. It can be a compliance check, a full tax investigation or a fraud investigation undertaken under Code of Practice 9. It will depend on how serious HMRC believe the matter to be.
HMRC are also now investigating coronavirus related frauds, CBILLS and BBL are particularly high on their agenda.
If you find yourself/your company subject to a HMRC investigation then contact us as soon as possible to speak to one of our experts.
