Portsmouth media company dissolved after deliberately defaulting on tax
A Portsmouth firm has been dissolved after defaulting on a five-figure tax payment.
A media company in Portsmouth deliberately defaulted on thousands of pounds of tax, according to HMRC.
HM Revenue and Customs has released a list of more than 150 business and individuals who deliberately defaulted on tax payments - being hit with penalties as a result. In every case, those named by HMRC deliberately failed to pay at least £25,000 in tax, and did not make a full disclosure when HMRC began its investigation.
On the list is a Portsmouth company called Rout Media Supplies Ltd, which dealt in the supply of media production equipment. The firm defaulted on tax payments totalling £27,289.80.
The company, registered to an address in King Edward’s Crescent, Stamshaw, was dissolved on May 19 this year, after a compulsory striking off.
Kevin Hubbard, HMRC's director of small business and individuals, said: “Too many high streets have businesses that are undercutting their honest neighbours by failing to pay the tax they owe.
“That is unfair to compliant businesses and to the communities they serve, and we are determined to tackle it.
“Among those named are takeaways, convenience stores and other high street businesses from across the UK – a reminder that HMRC's work to tackle non-compliance reaches into every part of the country.”
A further 151 names were listed by HMRC, with several being high street businesses such as takeaways, convenience stores and vape shops. Rout Media Supplies was the only company or individual listed from Hampshire, with the majority of penalties being dished out in London, Birmingham, Liverpool and Manchester.
In this case, deliberately defaulting on tax is not a criminal offence, instead being a civil matter. HMRC’s list does not include criminal convictions for tax fraud.
Over the next 12 months, HMRC has committed to making more than 30,000 interventions into tax fraud and criminal activity on our high streets, including deploying staff to visit businesses in-person, clamping down on rogue directors and tackling till fraud.
HMRC told The News that it cannot confirm or deny whether Rout Media Supplies Ltd paid its penalty before being dissolved.