1st Report - Tackling online VAT fraud and error
- HC No.
- HC 312
- Published
- 18 Oct 2017
- Items
- 0
- Response
- Response document linked Read government response ↗
Select Committee · Public Accounts Committee
Tackling online VAT fraud and error inquiry
Status: Closed
Opened: 7 Sep 2017
Closed: 7 Sep 2017
1 report
Inquiry scope
In 2015-16 an estimated £1 billion to 1.5 billion of tax revenue was lost to online VAT fraud and error. These losses occur when sellers based outside the European Union import goods into the UK for sale to UK customers. Their products are stored in the UK and then dispatched to buyers. VAT goes unpaid when sellers do not declare the correct value of their imported goods, use false VAT numbers, or avoid registering for a VAT number at all. In April 2017 the National Audit Office (NAO) published an investigation into online VAT fraud and error , and the effectiveness of HMRC's response. It identified difficulties in estimating the scale and impact of the problem, including how much of the lost tax revenue was due to error, and how much was deliberate fraud. The NAO report also found that VAT registrations from non-EU sellers have increased since HMRC was given legislative powers to enforce compliance in September 2016—but the powers have not led to any prosecutions. The NAO also looked at the role of online marketplaces such as Amazon and eBay in encouraging compliance from sellers using their sites. Both sites have strategies in place to encourage compliance but point out that ultimately responsibility lies with HMRC, which has access to confidential taxpayers' data. This Public Accounts Committee inquiry will examine the scale of the problem, the Government's response to tackling online VAT fraud and error, and how it will improve its response in the future.Reports
Oral evidence sessions
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| Date | Session and witnesses | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 13 Sep 2017 | No witnesses recorded | View ↗ |
Correspondence
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| Published | Direction | Letter |
|---|---|---|
| 28 Mar 2018 | — | Correspondence with HMRC, dated 27 March 2018 |