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HMRC and ASA to restrict misleading tax avoidance scheme ads
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HMRC and ASA join forces to fight tax avoidance

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HMRC and the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) launched a joint initiative designed to cut out dishonest marketing by promoters of tax avoidance schemes.

15th Dec 2020
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The laudable aim of the joint action on tax scheme promoters is to “protect people from being presented with misleading adverts which may tempt them into tax avoidance”.

Enforcement notice

The ASA pack includes an enforcement notice that comes into effect from 31 January 2021. The ASA will use this to demand the removal of advertisements for tax avoidance schemes that are believed to incite lawbreaking.

Helpfully, the document includes examples of the kind of assurances that could be challenged. These are:

  • “HMRC friendly”
  • “fully compliant with HMRC legislation”
  • “100% HMRC compliant”.

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Replies (3)

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By Brend201
16th Dec 2020 10:58

Thank you Philip. I hope you are now fully recovered and your health is back to normal.

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paddle steamer
By DJKL
16th Dec 2020 12:01

Thanks Philip, interesting.

I do sometimes wish the ASA would aim its efforts at organisations that regularly fleece unsuspecting members of the public, namely politicians with their bus adverts and oven ready deals, they do far more damage to the nation's financial health than any number of dodgy tax scheme promoters.

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By petestar1969
16th Dec 2020 12:05

An ex-employer of mine got involved with a promoter of dodgy EBT's a good few years ago. I was never comfortable with it and said so at the time to no avail. The aftermath is still rumbling on but at least my ex-boss now lives in a really nice house bought off the back of the fees he charged on top of the promoters fees. The wally even did an EBT on his own business which is now in liquidation after a phoenix. Has he learned his lesson? Maybe....

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