NHS re-joiners targeted by promoters of tax avoidance schemes

Money Box

BBC

Business

4.2 • 804 Ratings

🗓️ 6 June 2020

⏱️ 29 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Key workers who are returning to the NHS to help it cope during the coronavirus pandemic are being targeted by promoters of tax avoidance schemes, a Money Box investigation has found.

Adverts posted on social media are designed to push key workers towards umbrella companies operating on the fringes of the law which, alongside standard ones, act as employers for freelance contractors.

Posing as a health care worker, our reporter was told how she could legally hide a large chunk of salary from the taxman saving thousands of pounds.

Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs (HMRC) is warning people not to sign up to what it describes as these "unscrupulous companies", saying some people could end up with large, unexpected tax bills.

Presenter: Paul Lewis Reporter: Anna Meisel Editor: Emma Rippon

Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0	You're about to listen to a BBC podcast, but this is about something else you might enjoy.
0:05.4	My name's Katie Lecky and I'm an assistant commissioner for on demand music on BBC Sounds.
0:10.8	The BBC has an incredible musical heritage and culture and as a music lover, I love being part of that.
0:17.5	With music on sounds, we offer collections and mixes for everything, from workouts to
0:22.4	helping you nod off, boogie in your kitchen, or even just a moment of calm. And they're all put
0:28.3	together by people who know their stuff. So if you want some expertly curated music in your life,
0:35.0	check out BBC Sounds.
0:41.3	BBC Sounds, music, radio, podcasts.
0:47.0	Hello, in this Moneybox podcast, we expose the unscrupulous companies which are targeting key workers with tax avoidance schemes. They promise them more money, using safe ways to pay
0:53.2	less tax and national insurance than they should.
0:56.2	Some of those targeted are among the reported 40,000 people coming out of retirement to risk their lives to help us all.
1:03.2	Anna Maesol has been investigating.
1:05.1	These companies are actively targeting workers returning to the NHS to help with the pandemic, as well as other key workers
1:12.4	who work as contractors. To give you an example, one of them says on Twitter, if you've been
1:17.9	drafted in to reinforce the NHS response to the hashtag coronavirus pandemic, we want to assist
1:24.2	you. Another tweet says, COVID-19, could you work as a contact tracer?
1:30.1	Some are offering a sign-up bonus. Thank you, NHS workers. We're looking to help our wonderful
1:36.2	NHS workers in this turbulent times and show our appreciation for the invaluable work being done.
1:42.8	Claim your £250 bonus.
1:45.0	The adverts are all designed to push key workers towards unscrupulous umbrella companies.
1:52.0	And just remind us what an umbrella company is.
1:55.0	The premise behind an umbrella company is to enable people to work flexibly
	...

Please login to see the full transcript.

Previous episode | Next episode

Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from BBC, and are the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Tapesearch.

Generated transcripts are the property of BBC and are distributed freely under the Fair Use doctrine. Transcripts generated by Tapesearch are not guaranteed to be accurate.