Eight charged for taxation credit fraud

Date: 31st October 2008

Alleged tax evasion of more than £260,000 has led to eight people being arrested, HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) has revealed.

Seven women and one man from the West Midlands have been charged following an investigation by the department into a number of unrelated false claims for child tax credit.

HMRC believes that the children for which the £266,500 in taxation credits was claimed either did not exist, had been taken into care, or had falsified disabilities.

Assistant director for investigation at HMRC, Adrian Farley, commented: "Action in tackling the ruthless theft of money from the public purse will send a clear and firm message to those falsely claiming tax credits.

"We have robust and effective teams in place to investigation and to ensure this illegal activity is ended."

In other news, the deadline for paper self-assessment tax returns is today (October 31st), or alternatively, business start-ups can file online before January 31st 2009.