Being investigated by HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) can be a worrying and financially painful experience. If this is happening to you, or if you feel a need to make a voluntary disclosure, you need experienced professional help on your side as soon as possible.

You can get help from us today whether you have just received the first threating letter - or if you have been struggling to deal with the Revenue yourself. And if you have an existing tax advisor or accountant, we can easily take over all aspects of the enquiry, or work alonside them or behind the scenes without disturbing your existing day-to-day relationship.

British Taxpayers deals with investigations on a daily basis. What is worrying to you can be straightforward to us; and with our technical skills and experience at reducing the Revenue's demands, you can rely on us to miminise the financial pain.

You can rely on us to deal with everything on a completely confidential basis, and without making any judgements about what you have done or not done in the past. Whether things have gone wrong accidentally or deliberately, British Taxpayers will ease all of your concerns about dealing with the Revenue, present your case in the best possible light, and negotiate the lowest possible settlement.

There are different types of investigation. Some can be simple. Others, conducted by Compliance or Expatriate Units or the specialist Civil Investigation of Fraud offices, can be far-reaching. (See this link to the HMRC website for further background).

If not handled expertly, all are sure to cause you a lot of heartache, a large hole in your pocket, and - in the most serious cases - carry the risk of prosecution if things go really wrong.

A few investigations start as random Audits, but the majority are prompted by entries on your tax return (or lack of them). Others are prompted by information received from third parties (including overseas banks, tax authorities, and - most recently - the inside informer working at LGT Bank in Liechtenstein) and even neighbours, relations, "friends" or colleagues who might become anonymous informers. (As an example, see this link to a website where the Revenue are encouraging whistleblowers)

However straightforward the initial questions may be, you must always remember that the Revenue is trying to find out if you owe any additional tax, plus interest and penalties. As the Revenue has a 20-year time limit in most cases, a small adjustment can add up to a very large figure over time.

Although the Revenue has considerable legal powers, its conduct can be carefully regulated and, even if there is a problem with your tax returns, there is considerable scope to negotiate a settlement which may be far lower than the Revenue's initial demands. And this is especially true if you make a Voluntary Disclosure before the Revenue starts investigating your affairs.

If your returns are correct, then the Revenue's demands have to be rejected using the correct legal and factual arguments, and perhaps followed up with a claim for compensation.

If you get caught up in a tax investigation, call us to get immediate advice on what you should and should not say and do.

Our specialist investigation team is headed by Geoff Adams who describes himself as a “gamekeeper turned poacher”. His expertise at handling tax investigations started with specialist inside knowledge and experience gained (as gamekeeper) whilst working in the Revenue, and was then supplemented and used for the benefit of clients (as poacher) whilst pursuing a career in the tax profession.

With the Revenue, he career includes service as District Inspector in charge of offices focussing on investigations, and Senior Investigator within the Revenue’s Special Office (a predecessor to the new Civil Investigation of Fraud offices).

After moving to the tax profession, he became Director of Personal Tax at top London tax advisers Chiltern, later joining British Taxpayers as Managing Director.

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Or click here if you want to talk through your problems in confidence before making a decision about what to do.

Help is just a phone call away.