Asked by: Theresa Villiers (Conservative - Chipping Barnet)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps he is taking to prevent suicides by people facing HMRC action in relation to Loan Charge legislation and disguised remuneration schemes.
Answered by Victoria Atkins - Secretary of State for Health and Social Care
Any loss of life is a tragedy, and HMRC takes issues relating to loss of life or serious injury extremely seriously.
HMRC is committed to , wherever possible, identifying taxpayers who need extra help and giving them the support they need.
Taxpayers are supported by HMRC’s trained advisers. Where appropriate, they signpost taxpayers to voluntary and community organisations. To further improve the emotional support offered to taxpayers, HMRC's Extra Support Teams and Samaritans are working together to deliver an 18-month project. As part of the project, Samaritans will help strengthen HMRC’s Extra Support Teams by providing additional guidance to identify taxpayers who might be in vulnerable circumstances, and signpost them to support. Where needed, HMRC will signpost customers to a dedicated Samaritans helpline for specialist emotional support.
Asked by: Stephen Morgan (Labour - Portsmouth South)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of requesting a new independent review of the Loan Charge.
Answered by Victoria Atkins - Secretary of State for Health and Social Care
The 2019 Independent Loan Charge Review drew upon all the available evidence and expert advice to consider the appropriateness of the Loan Charge, and its impact on individuals, reflecting the main concerns that had been raised by MPs and campaigners. The Government accepted all but one of the twenty recommendations in the review.
There are no plans for a further independent review.
Asked by: Stephen Morgan (Labour - Portsmouth South)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate he has made of the rate of bankruptcy as a result of the Loan Charge.
Answered by Victoria Atkins - Secretary of State for Health and Social Care
I refer the Hon Member to the answer that I gave on 6 February to the Hon Members for Richmond Park, UIN 136718 and Strangford, UIN 137775.
Asked by: Stephen Morgan (Labour - Portsmouth South)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate he has made of the cost for staff to administer the Loan Charge including (a) legal advice and (b) consultants.
Answered by Victoria Atkins - Secretary of State for Health and Social Care
I refer the Hon Member to the answers given on 23 February 2023 for PQ UIN 147156 and on 21 October 2022 for PQ UIN 61846.
Asked by: Virendra Sharma (Labour - Ealing, Southall)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will make an estimate of the number of people who will become bankrupt as a result of the Loan Charge in the next twelve months.
Answered by Victoria Atkins - Secretary of State for Health and Social Care
I refer the Hon Member to the answer that I gave on 6 February to the Hon Members for Richmond Park, UIN 136718 and Strangford, UIN 137775.
Asked by: Daisy Cooper (Liberal Democrat - St Albans)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 7 March to Question 157046 on Tax Avoidance, how many of those taxpayers have been contacted by HMRC about those checks in the last (a) 12 weeks and (b) 12 months.
Answered by Victoria Atkins - Secretary of State for Health and Social Care
HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) currently has around 15,000 open compliance checks relating to a number of individual taxpayers who used Disguised Remuneration (DR) tax avoidance schemes before 9 December 2010, and which are not subject to the Loan Charge following recommendations made by the Independent Loan Charge Review. These compliance checks will include both open enquiries and assessments, and taxpayers can be subject to more than one compliance check at one time.
As part of its overall compliance processes and its commitment to update taxpayers at least annually, all of these taxpayers should have received correspondence from HM Revenue & Customs in the last 12 months.
Asked by: Daisy Cooper (Liberal Democrat - St Albans)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 2 March to Question 157046 on Tax Avoidance and the Answer of 1 March to Question 152309, how many individuals are subject to open compliance checks relating to disguised remuneration schemes used before 9 December 2010.
Answered by Victoria Atkins - Secretary of State for Health and Social Care
HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) currently has around 15,000 open compliance checks relating to a number of individual taxpayers who used Disguised Remuneration (DR) tax avoidance schemes before 9 December 2010, and which are not subject to the Loan Charge following recommendations made by the Independent Loan Charge Review. These compliance checks will include both open enquiries and assessments, and taxpayers can be subject to more than one compliance check at one time.
As part of its overall compliance processes and its commitment to update taxpayers at least annually, all of these taxpayers should have received correspondence from HM Revenue & Customs in the last 12 months.
Asked by: Dave Doogan (Scottish National Party - Angus)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 31 January 2023 to Question 133676 on Tax Avoidance, how many people affected by the Loan Charge have contacted HMRC reporting symptoms of stress, anxiety or depression since 2017.
Answered by Victoria Atkins - Secretary of State for Health and Social Care
HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) does not collect or hold the personal and sensitive medical information requested.
HMRC recognises that tax burdens can add significant pressures and that some taxpayers need extra help because of their individual needs or circumstances. HMRC is committed to identifying and supporting taxpayers who need extra help with their tax affairs.
HMRC has guidance and training in place for its staff on how to identify taxpayers who need extra support, a dedicated telephone line for those seeking to exit a tax avoidance scheme and a debt helpline. Where appropriate, HMRC refers people to outside organisations that can provide further advice and support.
Asked by: Dave Doogan (Scottish National Party - Angus)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 31 January 2023 to Question 133676 on Tax Avoidance, how many people affected by the loan charge had been signposted to specialist Voluntary and Community organisations by the HMRC’s Extra Support teams.
Answered by Victoria Atkins - Secretary of State for Health and Social Care
HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) does not hold a breakdown of how many people affected by the loan charge have been signposted to specialist Voluntary and Community organisations by the Extra Support teams. For reasons of confidentiality HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) does not record personal circumstances, such as whether the query is related to the loan charge, when signposting taxpayers to Voluntary and Community organisations.
Asked by: Daisy Cooper (Liberal Democrat - St Albans)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 23 February 2023 to Question 147156 on Tax Avoidance: how many (a) open enquiries and (b) active assessments relating to disguised remuneration schemes used before 9 December 2010 are outstanding.
Answered by Victoria Atkins - Secretary of State for Health and Social Care
HM Revenue and Customs currently has around 15,000 open compliance checks in respect of individual taxpayers who used DR tax avoidance schemes before 9 December 2010, and which are not subject to the Loan charge following recommendations made by the Independent Loan Charge Review. These compliance checks will include both open enquiries and assessments. An individual may have more than one compliance check depending on their scheme usage and whether it spans more than one tax year.
Taxpayers who wish to settle, whether or not the loan charge applies, can do so under the DR settlement terms 2020 which are published on GOV.UK. Taxpayers who do not wish to settle the tax due in respect of their DR scheme use under the published terms have the option of taking their cases before the tribunals and courts.