Fifty-three disclosures of tax avoidance schemes were received by HMRC in the six months to 30 September 2011. There were 131 disclosures in the financial year to 31 March 2011, and 189 in the previous year.
Direct tax
VAT
Total disclosures
Year to 31 March 2010
177
12
189
Year to 31 March 2011
118
13
131
Six months to 30 September 2011
51
2
53
As Tax Journal reportedlast week, legislation has been changed in response to a declining number of disclosed schemes since 2005.
Since 2004 there has been a statutory requirement to disclose to HMRC arrangements enabling a person to obtain a tax advantage. The disclosure rules vary between taxes, and HMRC points out that this results in disclosures that are ‘fundamentally different in nature’.
HMRC guidance sets out the main differences and the key changes made to the rules since 2004.
The published statistics show the number of individual schemes reported. ‘Where scheme users, rather than promoters, are required to make the disclosure it is possible that HMRC would receive multiple disclosures of the same scheme. To ensure the comparability of the statistics, the scheme will only be counted as a single disclosure,’ HMRC said.
Fifty-three disclosures of tax avoidance schemes were received by HMRC in the six months to 30 September 2011. There were 131 disclosures in the financial year to 31 March 2011, and 189 in the previous year.
Direct tax
VAT
Total disclosures
Year to 31 March 2010
177
12
189
Year to 31 March 2011
118
13
131
Six months to 30 September 2011
51
2
53
As Tax Journal reportedlast week, legislation has been changed in response to a declining number of disclosed schemes since 2005.
Since 2004 there has been a statutory requirement to disclose to HMRC arrangements enabling a person to obtain a tax advantage. The disclosure rules vary between taxes, and HMRC points out that this results in disclosures that are ‘fundamentally different in nature’.
HMRC guidance sets out the main differences and the key changes made to the rules since 2004.
The published statistics show the number of individual schemes reported. ‘Where scheme users, rather than promoters, are required to make the disclosure it is possible that HMRC would receive multiple disclosures of the same scheme. To ensure the comparability of the statistics, the scheme will only be counted as a single disclosure,’ HMRC said.
