HMRC is said to be traumatised to find that less than 1,500 medics have come forward to make disclosures under the Tax Health Plan (THP).

The THP was announced last Autumn and was designed, as part of a larger program to target specific groups of taxpayers in order to encourage them declare previously underdeclared tax liabilities. The move instantly upset the British Medical Association (BMA) who felt that it was being picked on. It spent months fending off complaints from its members.

The mood changed when it was discoverd that dentists were also included in the THP and many doctors decided to take a closer interest in their tax affairs and, according to one spokesman from the BMA, this resulted in more claims for expenses.

Gary Ashford, chairman of the Chartered Institute of Taxation (CIOT) Management of Taxes committee, said: 

“We understand that HMRC’s data suggested there were some 30,000 medical professionals who might have undisclosed tax liabilities. If only 1,500 have come forward, that is a considerable surprise and suggests that either many professionals are not taking this seriously – or of course that HMRC have failed to get their message across properly."   

“We have been told that HMRC will start using the full powers available to them for non-compliance in this area from 1 August. Any medical professional with undisclosed tax liabilities really should take advantage of this brief window to take advice and start getting their affairs in order. It’s clear to us that HMRC are intending to come down hard on defaulters.”