britain is a tax dodgers paradise

[Sysman]

http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/avoidance/vision-strategy.htm
1. "tax we think ought to be collected"??
Make the rules and then stick to them.

2. "Avoid their responsibilities"??
You mean, it is my responsibility not just to obey the rules, but to make sure that you get what you had in mind to get?

Here we have to look at public sector employee mentality. Their thinking seems to be based on "Because we don't get that, private sector employees* shouldn't have that either". They certainly don't understand concepts such as getting paid late or having customers go bust on you.

* I deliberated about the use of "employees" there, but in the public sector everyone is an employee. A lot of them simply don't understand what self employment is all about - e.g. not getting paid when ill.

[denver2k]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2...y-taxavoidance

britain is one of the biggest culprits for tax avoidance, all those foreign rich folk that are here and have sweet deals with hmrc. How much tax does al fayed pay?

How much tax Al Fayed is paying should not be an issue, instead of that look at number of people he's providing employment (who eventually pay taxes)....

As all Limited Company owners do, presumably he too does go down this route

"Low Salary+High expenses+High Dividend + (Some loopholes ) = Low Taxes"

Fair enough ...init....

As long as he's paying reasonable council tax , providing employment(without making people redundant) and other bits and bobs, its alright....Why should any1 pay taxes for junkies of Chatsworth Estate...

Unfortunately at this point of time, Britain need rich foreigners (and their money in economy) more than they need Britain...

[Sysman]

I also love the fact that we are now "customers".

So as a customer, can I take my business elsewhere?

Well you could, but that is exactly what Broon is trying to make impossible with his war on tax havens. If that isn't monopolistic and/or cartel behaviour I don't know what is.

[expat]

My main point is this:

When I first came across the distinction between tax evasion (dishonest, illegal, a crime) and tax avoidance (structuring your affairs within the law to reduce tax paid, therefore legal) it seemed perfectly clear. It still does.

But this HMG and HMRC are now denying that. To them, it is not enough that your actions are legal, they have to be "fair" and you have to accept your "responsibilities" (as defined, or ill-defined, by them) and allow them to collect "the tax (they) think ought to be collected".

To me this is far beyond what is acceptable use of power by the government.

[Doggy Styles]

I totally agree expat. They draft their legislation based on woolly-****** concepts like "fair", "deemed" and "should".

Before this government, legislators (of all parties) always used to go to great lengths to make their laws black and white, and if they couldn't, they chuck it out as an unworkable law.

[Cyberman]

The biggest tax-evaders are MPs so as far as I am concerned it is fair game for everybody else also. Good luck all !!