For an annual charge, our clients can rest assured that they are protected against the professional costs associated of an HMRC enquiry.
The risk: HMRC enquiries
All taxpayers are at risk of enquiries, which are currently undertaken with an unprecedented level of detail and persistence.
In the financial year 2022/23, HMRC’s Annual Report and Accounts reported generated total tax revenues of £814 billion, which is expected to rise. HMRC has already recruited 4,000, and redeployed 2,500, staff in 2021/22 into routine compliance activities, with random enquiries a regular occurrence.
Even if you’ve done nothing wrong, you may still be selected for a detailed review of your tax affairs.
With the average enquiry taking up to 24 months to conclude, the associated costs can quickly escalate to many thousands of pounds, alongside the additional stress this can cause. Not defending enquiries to their full extent can be substantially more expensive.
Our Tax Investigation Service
This offering is exclusively available to people, businesses and charities that are currently our clients, or are looking engage us for other services, therefore becoming our clients.
Our Tax Investigations Service enables us to act for you in the unfortunate case that you are selected for an enquiry, so you don’t have to worry about the cost. Whether it’s a cross-tax enquiry, a technical challenge, or a detailed books and records review, our Service is designed to get you the best possible result.
In the event a subscribing client faces an investigation, Burton Sweet will represent you and reclaim costs incurred in dealing with the enquiry directly from the insurance company. Clients will be responsible for any fees that we cannot recover from our Insurers.
Our Tax Investigations Service is fully backed by an Insurance Policy, which we have taken out with Markel Tax.
What’s included?
No one can prevent an investigation, but our service package will remove any concern about rising costs by:
- Offering fee protection of up to £125,000
- Defending your tax position with the best possible protection
- Challenging HMRC’s assertions and assumptions, to establish that the basis of any enquiry is correct and make sure your case is handled fairly
- Ensuring the tax inspector is only requesting relevant information and documents, and providing all supporting evidence from our files relating to your return
- Handling all communication with HMRC, including letters, phone calls, or notices issued
- Preparing for and attending any face-to-face meetings with HMRC
- Addressing any complex or technical tax questions that are raised during the enquiry
- Covering HMRC compliance review visits for VAT/PAYE, as well as formal enquiries
This service will not require you to use a different adviser should an enquiry arise.
For more detail on what is and isn’t covered, please look at our service summary…
Business clients who subscribe to the service also have access to a 24-hour Business Legal Telephone Helpline.
Alongside this, subscribers can access a legal portal, Business Hub, provided by Markel Law. This portal can assist with everyday legal issues employment, health and safety, trading and contracts, cyber and data, debt and insolvency and offers practical, DIY templates and guidance around these topics.
Interested in this service?
If you think you might benefit from the assurance this service provides, please get in touch with us. Our team will be happy to answer any questions you may have, share relevant information with you and sign you up to our Tax Investigation Service should you choose.