HMRC puts plumbing industry under the microscope

Date: 27th April 2011

Small businesses operating in the UK's plumbing industry could be encouraged to seek the assistance of a specialist tax accountancy service following a recent government announcement.

HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) has revealed that it is set to "turn up the heat" on the sector by sending letters to 50,000 plumbers, gas fitters and heating engineers.

The documents will alert workers to the chance to utilise a time-limited tax plan allowing them to put right any anomalies in their tax affairs.

Under the terms of the plan, such workers will be offered a low rate penalty of ten per cent when making a full disclosure of any tax they owe.

Mike Wells, HMRC's director of risk and intelligence, said: "Our aim is to make it easy for plumbers to contact us, make a full disclosure of income and face a reduced penalty.

"We are using a variety of intelligence sources to target plumbers who have not declared their full income and I urge tradespeople in this group who think they owe tax on their income to get in touch with HMRC and get their tax affairs in order simply and on the best available terms."

Posted by Jacob Williams