HM Revenue and Customs warns on further underpayment demands
Despite the fact that an estimated 6 million people in the UK have, or will soon, received demands for additional taxation because of errors by HM Revenue and Customs, it now appears that this 6 million figure was just an estimate and could even be higher!
HM Revenue and Customs dropped this bombshell this week in front of a Commons select committee enquiry into the issue which will heap further confusion and concern on more and more households across the UK. The whole situation is becoming messier by the week and despite the fact HM Revenue and Customs has taken legal advice regarding some of the older demands, which may not be valid, we still await definitive news and definitive advice.
The sooner this situation is sorted out the better because the relationship between the UK government, tax authorities and consumers and businesses is now at breaking point. Even though the new computer system seems to be working fine, and indeed has helped to address issues from the past, is it really fair to chase up taxpayers years after the event? Even though the initial hard ball attitude of HM Revenue and Customs has softened somewhat over the last few weeks it is still very much an "us and them situation".
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