HMRC urged to justify new ‘reckless’ tax offence with jail term

The Government is consulting on a new criminal offenceRory Poulter19:31, 19 Aug 2026HMRC is under fire over proposals to create a new criminal offence that could see people jailed for making “reckless” false statements about their tax affairs. The plans have prompted strong criticism from the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA), which is urging the tax authority to justify why existing powers are not sufficient.‌While the body says it backs efforts to protect the integrity of the system, it questions whether another offence is needed when civil penalties and established fraud offences are already available. The ACCA argues HMRC already has routes to tackle errors, including penalties for inaccuracies and failures to notify, alongside criminal offences designed to cover fr