HMRC pockets £32m from tax avoidance scheme users

HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) has secured almost all of the disputed tax due from the first group of tax avoidance scheme users to receive Accelerated Payment notices.

Some 30 scheme users were told in August they had 90 days to pay a total of around £29m of disputed tax upfront under the new Accelerated Payments regime. The regime, unveiled in the Budget 2013, is designed to remove the current advantage enjoyed by taxpayers of holding onto any disputed tax during an avoidance dispute. HMRC said more than 99% of this money was paid within the deadline. Taking into account other payments, it has received £32m in disputed tax to date. Financial secretary to the Treasury David Gauke said: "The high success rate for the first set of Accelerated Payme...