Tax dodging and non-compliance during pandemic cost UK £9bn – NAO

HMRC moved 1,350 compliance staff due to Covid, National Audit Office says, and losses are expected to grow

Tax dodging and non-compliance during the pandemic cost the government 9bn, Whitehall's spending watchdog has found.

The loss to the public purse came as HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) moved thousands of tax compliance staff to Covid support schemes, reducing its capacity to investigate people and businesses not paying the right amount, according to the National Audit Office.