VAT and Customs Team

Today's complex mix of compliance regimes and anti-avoidance legislation is making it more difficult for many businesses to cope with the increasing demands of the newly-merged department of HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC).

With a dedicated VAT & Customs team based in the City of London and in the North-West we are well-placed to service clients throughout the UK. We are justifiably proud of our track record in resolving VAT and Customs tax disputes with the authorities and in helping clients formulate Tax Planning Strategies. Our team has many years' experience and extensive specialist skills in this important, complex and often controversial area of taxation.

Areas of Expertise

As well as dealing with normal disputes with HMRC, we can also assist you with the new process for the Civil Investigation of Fraud (now known as CIF and based on the old Hansard procedure). This process applies to all new Code of Practice 9 cases opened by SCI and local fraud teams within HMRC spread around the UK.

Types of work undertaken:

• VAT liability of construction services; negotiated £12million assessment to nil.
• VAT output and input tax liabilities on retail wine merchant. £400,000 liability settled but offset by £300,000 in input tax not claimed.
• VAT liability on footwear; exposure reduced from £8million to nil.
• Resisting claim for £200,000 anti-dumping duty on behalf of an importer of electrical goods from the Far East: case ongoing
• VAT liability of promotional clothing in music industry; saved £1.2million over 3 years.
• VAT and duties counter investigation in drinks wholesaler reduced from £10 million assessment to nil.
• Advice on tax mitigation structure adopted by financial services providers: case ongoing
• The conduct of Judicial Review proceedings and appeals to the VAT and Duties Tribunals following denial by HMRC of input tax recovery by high tech sector traders: several cases all ongoing.

If you are being challenged by HMRC over your current VAT or Customs declarations such as the liability of a new product, errors found in your records, assessments raised by HMRC, VAT under declarations or the technical treatment of a disposal of a property, it is vital that you receive experienced, focused and relevant advice, to resolve what can be serious and complex problems.

At Halliwells we provide a valuable and cost-effective service delivering the right result for you and your business assisted by the full range of Halliwells professional services. Our capability to deliver a successful outcome to your tax difficulties is second to none.