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News – 19.12.24

Buzzacott advises Rose Street Partners on its investment in Kenwood Damp Proofing PLC

Discover how Buzzacott supported Rose Street Partners on its investment in Kenwood Damp Proofing PLC … Read more

Insight – 18.12.24

Start-up guide: Everything you need to know about Tronc schemes to set your new hospitality business up for success

One challenge for new hospitality businesses is the management of tips and service charges. … Read more

Upcoming event – 16.01.25

VAT on Private School fees training

This in-depth, interactive training seminar is designed to provide school administrators, bursars, finance officers, accountants, and trustees with tailored support and expert insights on the practical implementation of VAT. … Read more

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130 Wood Street, London, EC2V 6DL
enquiries@buzzacott.co.uk T +44 (0)20 7556 1200

HMRC Penalty Mitigation

Received an unfair penalty from HMRC? We can review your position and, if we consider your penalty to be unfair, can defend your position that accurately reflects the circumstances of your case leading to waived or much-reduced penalties. Speak to a member of our team today.

Get specialist tax investigation help today: +44 (0)20 7710 3389

HMRC uses financial penalties to punish people and businesses it believes have failed to fully comply with their tax obligations. The financial penalties re-enforce HMRC’s fight against tax evasion. The imposition of financial penalties allows HMRC to bring in additional revenue from its compliance activities, and helps to reduce the existing tax gap in the UK of £31 billion. Compliance yields (the total monies collected through HMRC investigations) have continually increased since the introduction of HMRC’s current penalty powers.

HMRC will impose financial penalties on taxpayers for the following reasons:

Penalties for late filing of returns and paperwork or late payment
Penalties for errors on returns, payments and paperwork
Failure to notify penalty
Failure to comply with information, inspection and data gathering powers.

While investigating, HMRC will want to understand how and why the late filing, error or failure occurred and will closely scrutinise your underlying behaviour at the time. This conduct/behaviour is key to HMRC in deciding whether a financial penalty should be charged and determining the appropriate level of any penalty.

Unfair penalty? We can help

We find that HMRC officers often form a view on the appropriate level of financial penalty without fully considering the facts of the case. This often results in HMRC charging unfair penalties. Buzzacott have a proven track record in mitigating and challenging HMRC penalties to best protect our clients. If we consider HMRC’s penalty to be unfair and disproportionate, we will defend your position by presenting robust, tailored arguments that accurately reflect the circumstances of your case leading to waived or much-reduced penalties.

Where appropriate, we will present ‘reasonable excuse’ and/or ‘innocent error’ arguments to waive or mitigate your penalty. Our expert knowledge of how HMRC penalty systems work ensures that our clients will never pay unnecessary penalties. Whenever possible, we will negotiate the suspension of any penalty so you do not have to pay the penalty to HMRC. In cases where we do accept penalties are due, we will work with HMRC to agree much reduced penalty amounts.

We provide a discreet and comprehensive service that is tailored to meet your unique needs and protect your interests. We will present you with all available options and what the consequences of taking each option will be. We aim to formulate and agree an overall strategy so as to try to conclude matters quickly and efficiently.

Perfect! Thanks again, we really appreciate your help. We’re going out this evening for a meal to celebrate.
Client

Get help today

Call us today on +44 (0)20 7710 3389 or fill in the form below and a member of our team will be in touch. All communications are in the strictest confidence.