HMRC names and shames more small traders over tax

HM REVENUE and Customs has ‘named and shamed’ more individuals who have not paid their taxes.

Among the latest deliberate defaulters is Blackpool restaurant and takeaway owner Mohammed Atiq Mir, who has been fined £19,201.43 for failing to pay tax or duty on £34,288.37 between 2011 and 2012.

Another small trader is Scott Johnson of the Kippax pub in Newton Heath, Manchester, who has been fined £15,733.

Those included have already faced penalties for deliberate errors in their tax returns and deliberately failing to comply with tax obligations.

For the first time HMRC named and shamed five North West businesses for tax dodging in February this year.

HMRC’s Jennie Granger, director general for enforcement and compliance, said: “HMRC will publish the names of tax cheats every quarter. So, anyone who is thinking about avoiding their responsibilities should consider the consequences before they refuse to tell HMRC about their full tax liability.
 
“Cheating on tax is wrong and HMRC is dedicated to clamping down on the small minority of people who try to evade their responsibilities.

“Publishing these names encourages defaulters to make a full and prompt disclosure and cooperate with HMRC to avoid being named – all the named defaulters have exhausted the appeals process.”