18 March 2019
International Taxation - UE list of non-cooperative tax jurisdictions
www.twobirds.com/en/news/articles/2019/france/fiscalite-internationale-liste-noire-de-l-ue

On March 12, the European Union's finance ministers updated the list of non-cooperative tax jurisdictions known as the "black list".

15 January 2019
Profit Diversion Compliance Facility (“the PDCF”) - last chance for businesses to correct their tax affairs
www.twobirds.com/en/news/articles/2019/uk/profit-diversion-compliance-facility

On 10 January 2019, HMRC announced a new voluntary disclosure facility that gives companies an opportunity to disclose and correct any tax inaccuracies relating to profits diverted out of the UK. The PDCF is being ...

30 July 2020
HMRC’s informal investigation powers confirmed by the Court of Appeal
www.twobirds.com/en/news/articles/2020/uk/hmrcs-informal-investigation-powers-confirmed-by-the-court-of-appeal

In R (JJ Management Consulting LLP and others) v Revenue and Customs Commissioners [2020] EWCA CIV 784, the Court of Appeal confirmed that HMRC are entitled to conduct an informal investigation into a taxpayer's affairs ...

04 June 2020
UK: New tax clawback and penalty measures on COVID-19 support payments: How can businesses protect themselves?
www.twobirds.com/en/news/articles/2020/uk/new-tax-clawback-and-penalty-measures-on-covid19-support-payments

The UK Government has implemented a number of unprecedented initiatives to help the economy weather the COVID-19 pandemic. This includes various tax-based measures aimed at helping businesses experiencing cash flow ...

04 August 2020
Upper Tribunal considers HMRC’s discretion to bring civil or criminal proceedings
www.twobirds.com/en/news/articles/2020/uk/upper-tribunal-considers-hmrcs-discretion-to-bring-civil-or-criminal-proceedings

In Lindsay Hackett v HMRC [2020] UKUT 0212 (TCC), the Upper Tribunal was asked to consider a rather unusual position taken by the taxpayer: that HMRC should have initiated criminal proceedings against him rather than ...

09 September 2020
UK: COVID-19: what should I do if HMRC suspect my business of furlough fraud?
www.twobirds.com/en/news/articles/2020/uk/covid-19-what-should-i-do-if-hmrc-suspect-my-business-of-furlough-fraud

HMRC have revealed that up to £3.5 billion in Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS) payments may have been claimed fraudulently or as a result of error, and confirmed that enquiries have been opened into 27,000 "high ...

04 June 2020
UK: HMRC are encouraging employees to report businesses for abuse of the Government's Job Retention Scheme – what if they did?
www.twobirds.com/en/news/articles/2020/uk/hmrc-are-encouraging-employees-to-report-businesses-for-abuse-of-the-governments-job-retention

HMRC announced that almost 800 people have reported their employers for fraudulently claiming money from the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme. It is very likely that criminal investigations and prosecutions will follow ...

10 July 2020
UK: HMRC announce their first "furlough fraud" arrest - only a concern for a small few?
www.twobirds.com/en/news/articles/2020/uk/hmrc-announce-first-furlough-fraud-arrest

HMRC have made their first arrest in connection to alleged CJRS fraud. HMRC have previously acknowledged that the scheme was open to abuse and so this latest announcement was perhaps only a matter of time. Nevertheless, ...

13 July 2020
UK: First arrests made in connection with alleged Coronavirus Bounce Back Loan Scheme fraud
www.twobirds.com/en/news/articles/2020/uk/first-arrests-made-in-connection-with-alleged-coronavirus-bounce-back-loan-scheme-fraud

It was reported on Friday 10 July 2020 that two men were arrested in North London in connection with fraudulent applications to the Coronavirus Bounce Back Loan Scheme (the "BBLS"). In addition to the arrests, the ...

28 July 2020
UK: New clawback and penalty measures in force for COVID-19 support payments: Businesses given 90 days to correct errors
www.twobirds.com/en/news/articles/2020/uk/new-clawback-and-penalty-measures-now-in-force-for-covid-19

On 22 July 2020, the Finance Bill 2020 received Royal Assent and became law. The Finance Act 2020, as it is now known, contains measures to ensure that Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme ("CJRS") or other COVID-19 support ...