Takeaways targeted countrywide as part of till fraud enquiries

Takeaways across England have been subject to unannounced inspections as part of HMRC’s investigation into electronic sales suppression (ESS).

The action by HMRC officers took place at 17 different outlets over the past couple of months. Eight businesses in London were targeted as well as outlets in Manchester Ipswich and seven premises in Newcastle.

These raids follow other till fraud enquiries which included the arrest of an individual in Manchester on 21 February and voluntary interview invitations issued to four people in the Cheshire area.

HMRC knows some takeaways are using ESS tools which are either software or devices that alter electronic point-of-sale records. They are used to under-report a business’s sales and evade tax.

On the surface a transaction might appear to go through as normal but ESS tools enable records to be manipulated – sometimes by deleting sales and linking to...