HMRC map pinpoints tax crime

An online map pinpointing tax cheats around the country together with their crime and sentence has been launched today by HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC). The map allows people to see the impact of HMRC’s enforcement work.

It shows convictions resulting in jail sentences since April 2013, and the locations of HMRC taskforces since they were introduced in 2011. It will be expanded in the future to include non-custodial sentences since April 2013.

The interactive site also features the results of HMRC taskforces targeting specific trades and professions, as well as details of people caught and jailed as a result of investigations by HMRC’s Criminal Investigation teams.

The Financial Secretary to the Treasury, David Gauke, said:

“HMRC’s investigators are catching tax cheats in every corner of the country and we want people to be able to see the outcome of this enforcement action.

“HMRC’s new online enforcement map shows tax cheats that when they are caught they can face hefty prison sentences.

“It is yet another example of how the government is making HMRC’s work more transparent.”

HMRC’s Chief Executive, Lin Homer, said:

“HMRC is prosecuting more tax cheats every year and targeting more trades and professions where we have identified that tax revenue is at risk. This map shows the scale of our criminal investigation operations, so tax cheats should be seriously worried that HMRC is coming for them next.”

The site is being launched as a pilot. This will allow HMRC to add further information and seek customer feedback.

Recent HMRC successes include:

Notes for Editors

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