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Newsletter issue - August 2012.

These are teams of tax investigators who target particular trades in defined geographical areas with one-to-one visits. A typical taskforce team will include specialists to cover the taxes the business pays: VAT, PAYE, and corporation tax. It may include a computer expert to help with the computerised business records or the till. The Tax Office plans to have over 30 taskforce teams operating round the country by April 2013.

We have summarised below the target areas for the taskforce teams, as they have been announced. Each team has a target of about 300 businesses in the specified areas and trade sectors to visit.

Normally the taskforce team will arrange a time to visit the business and inspect the records, either by phone or letter. Please tell us as soon as you get a letter or call to arrange this. If we can speak to the tax inspector at this stage we may be able to limit the scope of the visit, or get it cancelled. For example if we can confirm that all your staff are always paid through PAYE, give the PAYE scheme reference number and the amount of PAYE and NI paid in the previous tax year, the PAYE specialist may stay at home.

Areas and trades targeted

• London: Markets, property rentals, property transactions, restaurants, fraudulent repayments
• South West: Restaurants, motor trade, fast food outlets
• South East: Overdue tax returns
• Midlands: Taxi firms, restaurants
• East Anglia: Property rentals
• North East: Property rentals, motor trade
• North West: Restaurants, construction, landlords
• Yorkshire: Taxi firms, motor trade
• Nottinghamshire: Motor trade
• Northern Ireland: Hair and beauty
• Scotland: Pubs & nightclubs, fast food outlets, restaurants, scrap metal dealers, landlords
• South Wales: Restaurants, motor trade
• North Wales: Restaurants, construction, landlords