Protect Your Business From Costly HMRC Checks with Tax Investigation Fee Protection

Tax investigations can be stressful, time-consuming, and costly—even if you've done nothing wrong. HMRC is increasing its scrutiny of businesses and individuals, using sophisticated technology to identify potential tax discrepancies. Defending your tax position requires expert knowledge and can result in substantial professional fees.

At gHawk Accounting, we understand the financial and emotional burden of an HMRC enquiry. That’s why we’ve partnered with Vantage Fee Protect to offer our clients comprehensive Tax Investigation Fee Protection—covering the professional costs of defending your case and providing access to expert legal and compliance advice when you need it most.

Why HMRC Investigations Are on the Rise

HMRC is ramping up compliance checks, using powerful tools and extensive data sources, including:

✅ The Connect Database – cross-referencing tax returns with bank records, Land Registry data, and even online transactions.

✅ Digital Tracking – using Making Tax Digital (MTD) to compare financial patterns and flag anomalies.

✅ Social Media Monitoring – analysing lifestyle indicators to detect undeclared income.

✅ International Data Sharing – accessing offshore banking details to track income worldwide.

✅ Expanded Powers – gaining authority to demand information from businesses like Amazon, Apple, and financial institutions.

No one is immune to an HMRC investigation. Any taxpayer—self-employed individuals, landlords, retirees, or business owners—can be selected for review, often at random. If that happens, the burden of proof is on you to justify your tax position.

The Cost of an HMRC Enquiry

An investigation can take months, sometimes years, to resolve. During this time, you will need to:

🔹 Respond to detailed and intrusive questions.

🔹 Provide extensive documentation to prove your innocence.

🔹 Pay for professional representation to defend your case.

💡 According to the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB), a full HMRC investigation lasts an average of 16 months, with potential accountancy fees exceeding £5,000.

Real-Life HMRC Investigations & Their Costs

📌 Two Brothers' Family Business – Faced an HMRC investigation for exceeding the VAT registration threshold and allegedly failing to register on time. HMRC disputed the VAT registration dates and demanded proof that the company should have registered three years earlier. £1,500 in accountancy fees.

📌 Husband & Wife Partnership – Accused of tax discrepancies; HMRC later admitted mistaken identity. £7,500 in accountancy fees.

📌 Self-Employed Consultant – Overstated expenses due to bookkeeping errors; HMRC negotiated a reduced settlement. £5,000+ in accountancy fees.

📌 Retired Individual – Bank reporting errors triggered an investigation, which was later dismissed. £2,000 in accountancy fees.

The reality? Even when no additional tax is due, professional fees can be significant.

The Solution: Tax Investigation Fee Protection

With our Tax Investigation Fee Protection service, you get:

✔ Full professional defence – We handle HMRC on your behalf.

✔ No unexpected costs – Most professional fees covered in full.

✔ Peace of mind – You won’t feel pressured to concede just to avoid legal costs.

Bonus Business Support

As a free extra, you’ll also gain unlimited expert telephone support on:

📞 Employment Law – Handling performance management, TUPE, redundancies, and more.

📞 Health & Safety – Fire safety, risk assessments, first aid, and compliance guidance.

📞 General Legal Issues – Any UK personal or business-related legal queries.

📩 Contact us today to enrol in the service and gain peace of mind!