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Investigations into sin taxes raise £3.9bn in 2018-19

09 December 2019
Issue: 4724 / Categories: News

There has been a 49% rise in extra tax collected through HMRC’s investigations into the underpayment of sin taxes to £3.9bn last year up from £2.6bn in 2017-18. These are taxes levied on alcohol cigarettes and gambling.

UHY Hacker Young said HMRC has focused its investigations on the smuggling of cigarettes and alcohol into the UK by criminal gangs. It suggested that a ‘hard Brexit’ could lead to a further upturn in smuggling. In the event of a no-deal imports from EU countries will be subject to the same limits as those from nations outside the bloc. 

Clive Gawthorpe partner said: ‘HMRC’s investigations into smuggled cigarettes and alcohol are one of its biggest earners. However the amount of extra tax collected shows the scale of the problem. Many consumers are not willing to pay the higher prices that result from the high taxes that the UK...

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