HM Revenue & Customs ("HMRC") have confirmed that five plumbers have been arrested and around 600 are under civil investigation by HMRC for failing to pay the right amount of tax.

The arrests and investigations have taken place during a campaign targeting plumbers which invited them to put their tax affairs in order. Some of those involved owe up to £150,000. This is the start of co-ordinated action and more raids are expected to take place over the coming weeks across the UK.

HMRC have stated:

"We provided a chance for those we have arrested, and the 600 we are investigating, to come forward voluntarily and put things right. These arrests send a clear message that HMRC will take action against those who choose not to come forward and pay the tax they owe."

"These arrests are just the start. HMRC is considering hundreds of further cases for criminal investigations in the plumbing and medical professions. Some people may have thought we were bluffing when we said we have information that we will use to prosecute tax evasion."

Under the Plumbers Tax Safe Plan ("PTSP"), plumbers, gas fitters, heating engineers and members of associated trades who owe tax that they had not declared faced a maximum penalty rate of 20% if they disclose in full.

These HMRC statements and actions merely confirm what we already knew, namely that HMRC are becoming far more aggressive in terms of all investigation/enquiry type work.

The message is therefore clearer than ever, if you have a disclosure to make irrespective of the nature of the disclosure and regardless of your trade or profession, a full and unprompted disclosure is the best way to ensure HMRC do not come knocking at your door next .........

For further information, please contact Stuart Petrie ( This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it ).