Income Shifting Legislation

Parasol PAYE umbrella company
Over 32,000 satisfied contractors.
Get paid quicker. Call 0800 5836000.

Taxpayers face 500k bill over Arctic Systems case

Posted Oct 25, 2007

The Professional Contractors Group has learned that even though British taxpayers are facing a bill of over half a million pounds for the cost of the taxman pursuing a small family business through the courts over a disputed £7,000, the Government claims it doesn't know how much the case has cost.

The PCG, which represents IT Contractors and Freelancers in the UK and supported Geoff and Diana Jones in their appeal against HM Revenue and Customs to the House of Lords, believes the total cost of the case will be in excess of £500,000.

Costs were awarded against HMRC at the hearing earlier this year, which means the taxpayer will foot the bill. You can read the background to the "Husband and Wife" court case here.

The PCG's MD, John Brazier, said, "It beggars belief that this amount of money could have been spent in pursuit of a seven thousand pound tax bill. We already know the human cost in terms of the years of stress for Geoff and Diana Jones, and we now know the true financial cost to the British taxpayer."

Meanwhile, the Government has revealed that it doesn't know the full cost of the case, and admitted that no records were kept of the time and overheads relating to HMRC employees who were working on the case.

Questions were raised in Parliament by Mark Prisk MP, who said, "While hundreds of thousands of small family businesses struggle under the weight of red tape imposed by the tax man, the very same organisation appears to be incapable of the most basic record keeping. One can't help but wonder if this case and its associated costs starkly illustrate the gap between the Revenue and people who are trying to run businesses properly and efficiently."

Please scroll down for related articles

Contractor Services


Related Articles

Government should be careful over income shifting plans
A leading tax body has said that in these turbulent economic times, it is more important than ever that the Government tackles "income shifting" in a careful manner.

Income Shifting - Government plans to revive proposals
According to a contractor news site, The Treasury is working to revive its proposals on income shifting, which would limit the ability for small businesses to share dividend income among spouses or partners.

Over 7,500 sign petition against income shifting proposals
The online petition against income shifting (or the "family business tax") has closed, having collected over 7,500 signatures.

Second Income Shifting EDM calls for sensible measures on family business tax
A second Early Day Motion has been tabled calling on the Government to use the income shifting delay as an opportunity to come up with a more fair way to deal with "family business taxation".

Income shifting legislation delayed in Budget 2008
Although Alistair Darling didn't even mention income shifting in his Budget speech today, hidden away in a Treasury press release comes the news that the proposed income shifting legislation will be postponed until 2009.

Income Shifting - pressure grows for Treasury re-think
Following many months of opposition to the Government's controversial "income shifting" proposals, the Treasury is under great pressure to bin the legislation.

Contractor group slams income shifting proposals as "conceptually retarded"
The PCG has condemned the Government's latest anti-enterprise brainwave, the so-called "income shifting" tax, as "conceptually retarded".

Income Shifting - might Chancellor back down on proposals?
There is mounting pressure on the Treasury to backtrack on its controversial plans to ramp up tax on family firms in the recently announced income shifting proposals.

Income Shifting - what it will mean for IT Contractors
We take a look at how the proposed income shifting legislation would impact IT Contractors.

Dedicated site set up to fight "income shifting" proposals
The PCG has set up a site dedicated to the campaign against the Government's proposed "income shifting" measures.

IoD calls income shifting legislation technically defective
The IoD says that the Government's proposed income shifting legislation is technically defective and hopeless.

Income Shifting - Contractors urged to write to their MPs
The PCG has welcomed an Early Day Motion in the House of Commons, attacking the introduction of so-called "income shifting" tax legislation - a tax on family businesses.

Contractors urged to sign Income Shifting petition
Contractors are being urged to protest against the so-called income shifting legislation by signing a petition on the No.10 website.

How much will the income splitting legislation cost you?
How much more tax will you pay if you are caught by the new income shifting legislation?

Income Shifting Legislation - CIOT has grave concerns
The CIOT says it has grave concerns about the implications of the Government's proposed "income splitting" legislation.

Qdosconsulting