To blame the tax man / the govt for not writing the rules properly?

[BonaDea]

Watching panorama.

Seems to me that these companies and advisors are simply trying to save themselves money legitimately by operating within the current law. What do people expect? That they (and individuals too?) just send a blank cheque to HMRC?

If the rules don't work, change them!

[dons flame retardant suit]

It's so complicated. Plenty of people wouldn't pay any more tax than they had to. I'm willing to bet the presenter of the programme has done himself. If he works for the BBC he will be a freelancer. Freelancers claim expenses against tax to make their profits, and this their liability, go down. So if he's so much as added an extra sandwich receipt to his expenses he has technically avoided tax too. There are many many legal ways of reducing liability. That's why tax advisors exist- a whole industry based on informing people with enough money how best to do this. That in itself isn't immoral or, obviously, illegal.

The person who put it best I thought was the guy who simply said that the government says one thing and does another. It's all very well criticising those who go to obscure lengths to find new loopholes. But they are there. Nobody can really determine what is and isn't outside of the 'spirit' of the law. So legislation needs to be a lot clearer basically.

YANBU as an individual/company you are obliged to abide by the law, if you can reduce your tax bill whilst remaining within law then you've done nothing wrong.