HMRC adds £4.6m penalty onto Augean’s mounting tax bills

Wetherby waste management group Augean has been issued with a £4.6m penalty by HMRC, which is to be added to its multi-million pound landfill tax assessments.

The latest notification, published today, is for Augean South. The £4.6m penalty covers the period starting 1 June 2013 and ending 30 May 2018. HMRC intend to issue the penalty on 30 August 2019.

Its tax bill for Augean South stands at £24.4m, for issues relating to various time frames. It Augean North business has also been hit with bills that add up to more than £14m, including interest.

Augean said: “The Group will vehemently challenge and appeal this intended penalty with the tax tribunal expected in 2020. The Group continues to believe, based on legal advice, that it has paid the correct amount of landfill tax and that HMRC’s assessments and intended penalty are incorrect. No financial provision will be made for HMRC’s assessments or the intended penalty based on legal advice received.”