Source · Select Committees · Public Accounts Committee
Recommendation 19
19
Nearly half of wealthy team compliance investigations close with no yielded tax.
Conclusion
A significant proportion of the wealthy team’s compliance investigations close with no yield — 46% in 2023–24, though down from 63% in 2022–23.35 We asked HMRC why nearly half of investigations resulted in no yield at all. HMRC explained that it does not know the facts of a case until it opens an inquiry, when it may simply find that everything is lawful and in order. It said its project work, including those focused on a risk in a particular sector, may lead to it opening inquiries into a number of wealthy individuals, only some of whom it may find to be non-compliant. HMRC emphasised that its role is to make sure that the right amount of tax is paid and, if an individual can provide evidence that they have paid the right amount of tax, then it is right that its investigation closes with no yield. HMRC said it would like to reduce the number of cases that close with no yield, but it also does not want its staff to avoid those cases where there is still some uncertainty whether the taxpayer has been compliant or not.36