HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) is offering substantial financial rewards to UK households that provide information leading to the recovery of significant amounts of tax from fraudsters. Whistleblowers can receive between 15% and 30% of the tax collected if their tip results in HMRC recovering at least £1.5 million in unpaid tax, excluding penalties and interest.
Unlike many whistleblower schemes, HMRC’s Strengthened Reward Scheme places no cap on payouts. This means a tip that helps recover £100 million in tax could earn the informant between £15 million and £30 million.
To qualify, the information must be original, specific, and previously unknown to HMRC. The tip must directly lead to tax recovery of at least £1.5 million. People involved in the evasion or planning the fraud, current or former civil servants who gained information through their employment, and those required by law to disclose information are ineligible. Anonymous reports are accepted but do not qualify for payment.
HMRC encourages anyone suspecting deliberate tax evasion by individuals or businesses to report it confidentially. The agency assures that all reports are handled privately, and anonymity is respected if requested.
Reports should include clear and detailed information. While attachments cannot be uploaded directly to the online form, you can inform HMRC about additional evidence during the reporting process.
This initiative aims to strengthen the UK’s fight against tax evasion by empowering citizens to assist in uncovering large-scale fraud.