The opening of the new flagship UK Government hub in Edinburgh moved a step closer yesterday when the property developers Artisan Real Estate formally handed over the keys of the building to Scottish Secretary David Mundell. Continue reading Progress on UK Government’s flagship Edinburgh Hub
More than £5 million has been raised by a HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) taskforce tackling dishonest dog breeders selling pups on the black market. Continue reading Revenue crackdown on black market puppy dealers
HMRC is warning people with landline phones to be cautious due to criminals using phones to contact victims following a rising focus on SMS and email phishing. Continue reading HMRC warns of telephone scams
The new Help to Save tool in the HMRC app lets savers set goals and personal reminders
Over 80,000 people have signed up to the UK government’s new saving account – Help to Save – depositing over £10 million. Continue reading New tool helps savers get a 50% UK government boost
More than 200,000 workers who were paid less than the minimum wage have been identified following a record government clampdown.
Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs (HMRC) achieved record enforcement results this year, identifying £15.6million of underpayments.
The number of workers identified as underpaid was double that in 2016/17 and the highest number since the National Minimum Wage came into force. In every case, the government instructs employers to repay their workers and enforces the return of the missing cash.
The rise in cases follows increased efforts by HMRC to promote compliance and improve employer awareness of the minimum wage.
Business Minister Kelly Tolhurst, said: “We are dedicated to stopping underpayment of the minimum wage. Employers must recognise their responsibilities and pay their workers the money they are entitled to.
“The UK’s lowest paid workers have had the fastest wage growth in 20 years thanks to the National Living Wage and today’s figures serve as a reminder to all employers to check they are getting their workers’ pay right.”
Over the past year, 56 employers took advantage of a HMRC pilot scheme where employers were encouraged to come forward outside of an investigation. This resulted in nearly £250,000 in arrears being declared for just under 700 workers.
The year also set a new record for penalties issued by the government, with £14 million in fines issued to employers.
More than 600 employers who were found to have underpaid their workers the minimum wage were named in 2017/18. This is the largest number in any single year since the scheme began in 2014.
This year, the social care, retail, commercial warehousing and gig economy sectors have been prioritised by HMRC for enforcement of the minimum wage. This is alongside employment agencies, apprentices and migrant workers. These sectors are where non-compliance with National Minimum Wage is believed to be more widespread.
Penny Ciniewicz, HMRC Director General of Customer Compliance, said:
“HMRC is committed to ensuring that workers receive the wages they are legally entitled to, irrespective of their employer’s size or business sector, and today’s figures highlight our success over the last year.
“If anyone thinks they are not receiving at least the minimum wage, they can contact the Acas helpline on 0300 123 1100 in confidence or submit a query online through our complaints form.”
Low Pay Commission Chairman Bryan Sanderson said: “All workers are entitled to be paid at least the minimum wage, so it is good to see increased focus on enforcement bearing fruit and securing more arrears for more workers.
“Awareness of the minimum wage is vital for workers and employers alike, and strong enforcement is critical to its success.”
Funding for minimum wage enforcement has reached record levels, rising to £26.3 million in 2018/19 from £20 million in 2016/17.
For more information about your pay, or if you think you might be being underpaid, get advice and guidance at www.gov.uk/checkyourpay. Workers can also seek advice from workplace experts Acas.
The SNP’s Gordon Macdonald has written to the UK government calling for reassessments of Child Tax Credits in Scotland to correspond with Scottish school term times, following reports of delayed payments. Continue reading Tax Credits centred on English term times leaves Scots families struggling
HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) today announced that just over 3 million customers are yet to complete their 2016 to 2017 returns with only one week to go before the 31 January deadline. Continue reading A third of tax returns are outstanding a week before deadline
Fifteen Scottish firms are among more than 350 UK companies to have been “named and shamed” by the UK government as national minimum and living wage offenders yesterday. Andthat lenghty list could have been even longer – HMRC is currently investigating more than 1,500 open cases. Continue reading Mininimum wage abuse employers named and shamed
Ten of the most bizarre excuses used by unscrupulous bosses found to have underpaid workers the National Minimum Wage have today been revealed by the government.
Excuses for not paying staff the minimum wage include only wanting to pay staff when there are customers to serve and believing it was acceptable to underpay workers until they had ‘proved’ themselves.
The list has been published today to coincide with a new awareness campaign to encourage workers to check their pay to ensure they are receiving at least the statutory minimum ahead of the national minimum and national living wages rising on 1 April 2017.
The £1.7 million campaign aims to make sure workers are being paid at least the National Minimum Wage, or National Living Wage, depending on their age, and is part of the government’s commitment to making sure the economy works for all.
Investigators from HMRC have revealed some of the worst excuses given to them by employers caught out for underpaying staff, which include:
By law, all workers must be paid at least £7.20 an hour if they are aged 25 years and over, or the National Minimum Wage rate relevant to their age if they are younger.
Business Minister Margot James said: “There are no excuses for underpaying staff what they are legally entitled to. This campaign will raise awareness among the lowest paid in society about what they must legally receive and I would encourage anyone who thinks they may be paid less to contact Acas as soon as possible. Every call is followed up by HMRC and we are determined to make sure everybody in work receives a fair wage.”
Workers are encouraged to regularly check their pay to ensure they are receiving at least the minimum or living wage, depending on their age.
For more information and to report underpayment, visit www.gov.uk/national-minimum-wage or contact Acas for free and impartial advice.
Ten of the most terrible excuses for missing the 31 January tax return deadline have been revealed today by HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC).
Many of the excuses claim it was someone else’s fault – pets, girlfriends, work colleagues and even the President of the United States are named and blamed for taxpayers’ tardiness!
The excuses were all used in unsuccessful appeals against HMRC penalties for late filing and payment. Here’s the full list:
HMRC Director General of Personal Tax, Ruth Owen, said:
“People can have a genuine excuse for missing a tax deadline, but owning a pet with a taste for HMRC envelopes isn’t one of them.
“You need to file your 2013/14 tax return online, and pay what you owe, by 31 January. But it’s best to do it now, to allow plenty of time to sort out any issues with your return. That way, you’ll avoid the busy period for our phone lines as the deadline approaches”.
All outstanding 2013/14 tax returns must now be submitted online, as the 31 October paper-filing deadline has passed. To send an online tax return, you must be registered for HMRC Online Services. This involves HMRC sending you an Activation Code in the post, and you need to allow 10 days for it to arrive.
Simple, straightforward advice on Self Assessment can be found at HMRC’s new Facebook page.
Help and advice on filing your return – including how to register for online filing – is also available from the GOV.UK website or the Self Assessment helpline on 0300 200 3310 (open 8am to 8pm, Monday to Friday, and 8am to 4pm on Saturday).
