HMRC has indicated that although it is happy to offer help to those experiencing financial difficulties due to the virus crisis, it will not stop pursuing them for payment.

The tax body is stating that the investigation of tax-related fraud and the collecting of money that is owed will continue as normal from now on, after a brief suspension of these everyday enquiries when the pandemic first hit. A spokesperson for HMRC confirmed this return to full operations when speaking to Recruiter at the start of the month.

This spokesperson then went on to say that while HMRC would not be going into details about how it was tackling tax cases during the coronavirus crisis, it was doing everything that it possibly could to support the economy and businesses throughout it. The spokesperson pointed out that this help included reductions in VAT charges and deferrals of tax payments, before adding:

“We are prioritising work to support our customers, while tackling serious fraud, criminal attacks and those who promote tax avoidance. We will continue to work with customers if they want to settle their tax disputes with HMRC.”

The spokesperson concluded by saying that people would be given additional time to pay if they needed it. However with tax matters still being pursued during the crisis, business owners and traders may find that help from an affordable accountant who specialises in tax return services in South Yorkshire, or wherever they are located, would help relieve the pressure on them.