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Original poster

To report her for tax evasion?

537 replies

hooveringhamabeads · 20/08/2017 12:32

I know of someone who is making around £1k a week, but hardly declares any of her income (she doesn't pay any tax at all so declaring less that £10k of it). She also claims tax credits.

I don't particularly like this person and am tempted to report her. Problem is, pretty much all the money she receives is in cash, so is there any way that the HMRC would actually be able to prove or disprove what she's earning?

OP posts:
W0nder · 21/08/2017 22:40

What are you worrying about?

I'm not the one worrying here. It's other people here who are worrying what others might or might not be declaring/paying.

W0nder · 21/08/2017 22:41

Can you explain to me what public services would look like if we all paid the same rate of tax?

I can't know until it happens and obviously it would depend on what that percentage is.

ProphetOfDoom · 21/08/2017 22:42

An aquaitances'parents were breeding v expensive dogs but not declaring income. HMRC used their FB advertising page as evidence of their earnings as well as paper trail that went with the KC papers.

They did wonder if they had been reported but HMRC do not reveal that info and whilst they were aggrieved at being caught wider members of the family think they're idiots/would have happened eventually & if everyone else pays tax so should they.

I also have friends who practised tax avoidance for contractors using a tax company who managed how they were paid and the HMRC have caught up with them too. Fortunately my friends saved the tax so can pay back the 60k owed but many contractors in that industry are up the creek.

Death and taxes - both unavoidable.

mounyaandyiolanda · 21/08/2017 22:43

w0nder

What would you do with the personal allowance? You do realise that is cut by £1 in every £2 after £100,000...

You don't know what they'd look like because there probably wouldn't be many public services.

Huppopapa · 21/08/2017 22:43

Just a thought, W0nder: If by accident of history I were Jacob Rees-Mogg and so a) inherited millions and b) had hundreds of thousands spent on my education from which I gained huge opportunities that no-one poor would ever have, such that after I have been elected to Parliament, I was still receiving over £1M per year from a business I set up in which minions manage the money of my chums, AND the result was that each year I had huge amounts I could not possibly spend, you think it is 'fair' that I pay the same percentage of that to pay for all the infrastructural goods that support my business than a hospital cleaner?

mounyaandyiolanda · 21/08/2017 22:44

Oooooor are you going to tax everyone at 45% thus obliterating the earnings of someone on a lower wage?

Lilylonglegs · 21/08/2017 22:45

She is probably submitting expenses to make up the shortfall which means you can't prove it. 1k a week is a nice healthy profit.

mounyaandyiolanda · 21/08/2017 22:46

lily

Expenses have to be proven and can be disallowed

TreasureInMyTummy · 21/08/2017 22:47

If you are confident this lady does not pay tax then Report her, hmrc can and does investigate and prosecute tax evasion in the hidden economy ( where it's cash in hand.)

I pay tax, I don't get why people are saying snitch hotline. Everyone should contribute what they can and it's their fault if they are prosecuted if they are found to be cheating the revenue and not paying tax due.

VeryCunningStunt · 21/08/2017 22:52

She is probably submitting expenses to make up the shortfall which means you can't prove it

But HMRC will be wise to inflated/erroneous expenses claims, and would uncover it in an investigation, wouldn't they?

W0nder · 21/08/2017 22:57

you think it is 'fair' that I pay the same percentage of that to pay for all the infrastructural goods that support my business than a hospital cleaner

Yeah, why not?

Huppopapa · 21/08/2017 23:03

Because I get disproportionate benefit out of it.
Because what I have left after tax is so much more than I need while others can never acquire enough to support themselves.
Because luck is not evenly distributed.
Because getting everyone to pay the same rate is untenable and will lead to a drop in revenue.
If you want a 10% top rate of tax, go to live in Bangladesh. If you want the quality of services provided in Switzerland, you will have to put up with a top rate of tax of 60%. That is not merely a coincidence.

W0nder · 21/08/2017 23:05

What would you do with the personal allowance?

Get rid of it perhaps...

GoldTippedFeather · 21/08/2017 23:06

Wonder - Do you have any knowledge of how taxation/the economy/government works or do you just think up an idea and with no knowledge of the outside world think yeah that'll do?

W0nder · 21/08/2017 23:18

Because I get disproportionate benefit out of it.

How so? I don't know anything about Rees-Mogg's business(es) and how they benefits from tax funded infrastructure.

Also wouldn't it be fair that he has more benefit seeing as the same percentage of his income will equate to far more than that of the hospital cleaner?

W0nder · 21/08/2017 23:19

Do you have any knowledge of how taxation/the economy/government works or do you just think up an idea and with no knowledge of the outside world think yeah that'll do?

Somewhere in the middle. Why? Feel free to educate me or make any points you wish.

tryinghardnottocry · 21/08/2017 23:40

If you are 100% certain this woman has been running a business why not simply ring up HMRC and ask for a tax return for the last 4 years and when they ask for your name and address give this woman's details

Light the blue touch paper and retire to a safe distance

Justdontdoit · 21/08/2017 23:47

You are just jealous of her, if you liked her you wouldn't even think of that as an option. I don't agree with anyone dodging tax as its not fair on the rest of us who pay ours. However, I think you have a serious case of the green eyed monster and whatever you decide to do you should look into your own life to make the changes that you need to in order to not be jealous of someone else life. I even bet you spend quite a bit of time comparing your life (whether you admit it or or). Who needs enemies with friends like you eh?!?!?

nursy1 · 21/08/2017 23:51

If she is claiming benefits and evading tax you should report her. I pay my tax and don't cheat ( ok - round up the odd bit of mileage). It means the rest of us who are paying as we should or on PAYE end up paying more because there is not enough to pay for stuff we use.

LilQueenie · 21/08/2017 23:54

you say tax credits but is it working tax credits or are you assuming child tax credit.

Also unless skip diving for essentials everyone pays tax in some way.

Mittens1969 · 22/08/2017 00:08

I don't get at all how you can be sure of this, I never know anyone's financial affairs and nor do I try and find out. And I can't imagine having any interest in worrying about what is essentially not my place to know.

I don't think you should report it, as I don't see how you can have enough genuine financial information to be sure of your facts. As a pp has pointed out, if you're filling in blanks, your dislike for this woman will mean you will put a negative spin on whatever you do know.

user1489675144 · 22/08/2017 00:54

All of us taxpayers are paying more because of people like her.

Report her.

Ippydippyskyblue · 22/08/2017 01:36

I agree with scrabbler3. If everyone paid their taxes, including these large corporations like Starbucks and Amazon, then maybe the tax rate for us minions would go down. It's the corporations I despise. Especially when they employ clever accountants who know all the loop holes to get out of paying the tax they should.
So my answer is yes, but do it anonymously and try to make it sound, maybe by overstating how much she earns, as though it wasn't reported by you!
Yes, I know many people say it's sour grapes, etc, but I think if they realised just what effect all this extra income would have upon our economy, and them personally, I suspect they'll see it differently.

limecordial · 22/08/2017 02:59

If you are going ahead make sure you can provide screen shots of all the social media activity re the business. As you say we don't know the whole story but yes, she's stealing by not paying tax that she should and by claiming tax credits and that's not on

FritzDonovan · 22/08/2017 03:20

You are just jealous of her, if you liked her you wouldn't even think of that as an option.
Not necessarily. I had a friend who was doing similar. I did like her, but it did make me think less of her. Why should anyone earning a decent wage get away without paying tax? They use tax funded amenities, I assume?

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