More tax dodgers targetted by HMRC : Thu Aug 01, 2013 4:33 pm  

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/tax- ... y-industry Looks like people in the traditional Tory voting areas are either considered more honest, have already been targetted or, more likely, HMRC do not have the avaiable officers in the SE? Interesting that some of our poorest regions are going to be made to pay up, just like the disabled have been most affected by cuts (even though the "most vulnerable" are supposedly to be protected). Maybe it's a plan to destroy the last vestiges of enterprise in these areas so that, when combined with benefits cuts, the areas become truly desolate and thereby ideal for fracking, whether or not their may be be oil there?

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/tax- ... y-industry Looks like people in the traditional Tory voting areas are either considered more honest, have already been targetted or, more likely, HMRC do not have the avaiable officers in the SE? Interesting that some of our poorest regions are going to be made to pay up, just like the disabled have been most affected by cuts (even though the "most vulnerable" are supposedly to be protected). Maybe it's a plan to destroy the last vestiges of enterprise in these areas so that, when combined with benefits cuts, the areas become truly desolate and thereby ideal for fracking, whether or not their may be be oil there?

Re: More tax dodgers targetted by HMRC : Thu Aug 01, 2013 6:37 pm  

Same old Tories, if you don't vote for them they couldn't give a stuff.

Re: More tax dodgers targetted by HMRC : Thu Aug 01, 2013 6:43 pm  

As is normal they pick a few selected regions in trades where they think there is opportunity for undeclaring of taxes, business like restaurants and boarding houses who handle lots of cash payments often without receipts (if not requested by the customer) are clearly going to be targets and so the selected areas are not surprising - if they manage to reach their collection target then no doubt it will be spread to other areas - pure coincidence that its in the north and possibly more to do with available resources.

Re: More tax dodgers targetted by HMRC : Thu Aug 01, 2013 6:46 pm  

This also explains to me why a certain hotel local to here has recently ordered its staff to refuse tips from customers with no corresponding uplift in wage rate to compensate, if the customer absolutely insists its to go to a nominated charity, if the employee accepts and doesn't declare it then its a disciplinary matter - the hotel can now declare to HMRC that it has no liability for estimated income tax payments on employee tips.

Re: More tax dodgers targetted by HMRC : Thu Aug 01, 2013 7:24 pm  

JerryChicken wrote:

This also explains to me why a certain hotel local to here has recently ordered its staff to refuse tips from customers with no corresponding uplift in wage rate to compensate, if the customer absolutely insists its to go to a nominated charity, if the employee accepts and doesn't declare it then its a disciplinary matter - the hotel can now declare to HMRC that it has no liability for estimated income tax payments on employee tips.

For me, it would be far better to pay waiting staff a higher wage, put the extra on the menu and state that staff are paid a proper wage, so no gratuities please.
Simpler all round and HMRC can concentrate on the multi-billions that large corporations are avoiding, never mind the piddling millions that hospitality is failing to pay.

Re: More tax dodgers targetted by HMRC : Thu Aug 01, 2013 7:45 pm  

Doctors, lawyers and tradesmen have already been hit. It comes as no surprise that they are looking at other professions and industries.

I wonder how many people rent out property but fail to declare the income? If HMRC forced letting agents to disclose details of all their landlords I reckon around 50% of those would not be declaring their rental income.

Re: More tax dodgers targetted by HMRC : Thu Aug 01, 2013 9:44 pm  

The Video Ref wrote:

If HMRC forced letting agents to disclose details of all their landlords I reckon around 50% of those would not be declaring their rental income.

I'm quite shocked that they don't have to.

Re: More tax dodgers targetted by HMRC : Thu Aug 01, 2013 11:26 pm  

Big Graeme wrote:

I'm quite shocked that they don't have to.

Not all landlords have letting agents

Re: More tax dodgers targetted by HMRC : Thu Aug 01, 2013 11:35 pm  

Maple Leaf wrote:

Not all landlords have letting agents

I am aware of that, that wasn't what was being discussed though.

Re: More tax dodgers targetted by HMRC : Thu Aug 01, 2013 11:49 pm  

JerryChicken wrote:

This also explains to me why a certain hotel local to here has recently ordered its staff to refuse tips from customers with no corresponding uplift in wage rate to compensate, if the customer absolutely insists its to go to a nominated charity, if the employee accepts and doesn't declare it then its a disciplinary matter - the hotel can now declare to HMRC that it has no liability for estimated income tax payments on employee tips.

Not true. If a hotel worker is given a tip and the worker keeps it, then the hotel has to pay 0 tax. The company only has to ensure tax is paid if the tips go into a tronc and then are distributed by the hotel.

The local hotel took this decision because workers were complaining that tip money was being used to cover the cost of breakages.