SME tax investigations nets HMRC £565m in past year
According to UHY Hacker Young, tax yield derived of HMRC investigation into the affairs of SMEs rose by 31% over last year. In 2012/13, compliance investigations into small and medium sized enterprises generated £565m for HMRC. In 2011/12, it stood at £434m. The 2010 Spending Review saw the Chancellor setting a target in an attempt to net extra £7bn yearly in additional tax revenues of compliance activities. From then, HMRC has ramped up its compliance activities. It has launched 40 specialist taskforces aiming extensive investigation into individuals and business. Roy Maugham, tax partner of UHY Hacker Young said that small enterprises are bearing the burden of HMRC’s tough approach towards tax investigation. With the Chancellor setting an ambitious target to net in billions of pounds of additional compliance, HMRC is quite desperate to squeeze out money of companies who owe tax. As SMEs have budgets smaller than large business, they are less likely to come with experienced accountants to manage finance, thereby turning up as an easier target for HMRC.