HMRC doubles surveillance team amidst the Angela Rayner stamp duty scandal

"HMRC has doubled its surveillance team, equipping 337 staffers with the skills to physically monitor tax evaders following the Angela Rayner scandal, according to official figures. The news comes amidst the resignation of Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner, after she was accused of tax evasion having underpaid stamp duty on the purchase of her £800,000 Hove flat by £40,000. According to HMRC guidance, surveillance powers include physical monitoring of individuals and businesses suspected of tax fraud. The process gives HMRC staff the powers to conduct 'drive-bys' at premises and properties and run test purchases of goods or services."

""The resignation of the deputy prime minister underlines the complexity of Britain's tax law and the serious consequences of getting it wrong. It's encouraging to see HMRC ramp up its core capabilities to identify and enforce the rule and hold individuals and businesses to account. For accounting practices, the deluge of new regulations, requirements and protocols means that one bad decision could lead to severe reputational damage and loss of customer trust. That's why implementing the latest AI and digital technology to modernise systems should be at the very top of the agenda.""

"Dr Janet Bastiman, chief data scientist, Napier AI, said, "With financial crime and money laundering on the rise, ramping up tailored training to enable HMRC staff to identify fraudsters and tax evaders is necessary investment. It's also crucial to make use""

HMRC doubled its surveillance cohort to 337 trained staff able to physically monitor suspected tax evaders, up from 171 two years earlier. The newly trained surveillance team cost £580,403 in the most recent financial year. HMRC guidance grants staff powers for physical monitoring, drive-bys at premises and properties, and test purchases to detect tax fraud. An additional 196 staff received criminal foundation training costing £316,816, while 2,179 employees trained in public and personal safety and 168 trained in courtroom skills. The expansion followed the resignation of Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner over underpaid stamp duty; industry experts urged tailored training and AI adoption.

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