Select committee: Public Accounts Committee
Conclusion 20
9th Report - Tax evasion in the retail sector
Published 12 Feb 2025
Addressed to HM Treasury
Public Accounts Committee Tax evasion in the retail sector All items in this report Report on parliament.uk ↗ Inquiry on parliament.uk ↗
Conclusion (the committee's words)
The identity checks that Companies House is now responsible for are not intended to verify the address or place of business.57 Companies House told us that address verification, which it says would be an additional burden on businesses, is not part of ECCTA. It said there was a balance between preventing economic crime and creating an environment for economic growth by minimising burdens on businesses.58 Companies House explained that it will still be possible for individuals to falsely register at addresses because it has no legal powers to check whether addresses exist or request any information on addresses.59 Companies House acknowledged that the ability to check addresses would enable it to better tackle evasion and fraud.60 Controls for VAT registrations
From: Public Accounts Committee, 9th Report - Tax evasion in the retail sector (HC 355), 12 February 2025
Government response
Latest Treasury Minutes progress report to the Committee of Public Accounts on the Ninth Report of Session 2024-26
The government responded to the whole report on 4 June 2026.
Treasury minutes: Government response to the Committee of Public Accounts on the Ninth report from Session 2024-25
Published 6 May 2025.