Finance Act 2003

The penalties U.K.

25 Penalty for evasion U.K.

(1) In any case where—

(a) a person engages in any conduct for the purpose of evading any relevant tax or duty, and

(b) his conduct involves dishonesty (whether or not such as to give rise to any criminal liability),

that person is liable to a penalty of an amount equal to the amount of the tax or duty evaded or, as the case may be, sought to be evaded.

(2) Subsection (1) is subject to the following provisions of this Part.

F1 (3) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

(4) Any reference in this section to a person’s “evading” any relevant tax or duty includes a reference to his obtaining or securing, without his being entitled to it,—

(a) any repayment, rebate or drawback of any relevant tax or duty,

(b) any relief or exemption from, or any allowance against, any relevant tax or duty, or

(c) any deferral or other postponement of his liability to pay any relevant tax or duty or of the discharge by payment of any such liability,

and also includes a reference to his evading the cancellation of any entitlement to, or the withdrawal of, any such repayment, rebate, drawback, relief, exemption or allowance.

(5) In relation to any such evasion of any relevant tax or duty as is mentioned in subsection (4), the reference in subsection (1) to the amount of the tax or duty evaded or sought to be evaded is a reference to the amount of—

(a) the repayment, rebate or drawback,

(b) the relief, exemption or allowance, or

(c) the payment which, or the liability to make which, is deferred or otherwise postponed,

as the case may be.

(6) Where, by reason of conduct falling within subsection (1) in the case of any relevant tax or duty, a person—

(a) is convicted of an offence,

(b) is given, and has not had withdrawn, a demand notice in respect of a penalty to which he is liable under section 26, or

(c) is liable to a penalty imposed upon him under any other provision of the law relating to that relevant tax or duty,

that conduct does not also give rise to liability to a penalty under this section in respect of that relevant tax or duty.

Textual Amendments

F1 S. 25(3) omitted (13.9.2018 for specified purposes, 31.12.2020 in so far as not already in force) by virtue of Taxation (Cross-border Trade) Act 2018 (c. 22), s. 57(1)(a), Sch. 7 para. 149 (with savings and transitional provisions in S.I. 2020/1449, reg. 3 and 2020 c. 26, Sch. 2 para. 7(7)-(9)); S.I. 2020/1642, reg. 4(a)

Modifications etc. (not altering text)

C1 Pt. 3 modified (17.12.2020 for specified purposes, 31.12.2020 in so far as not already in force) by 2018 c. 22, Sch. 7 para. 158(7) (as inserted by Taxation (Post-transition Period) Act 2020 (c. 26), s. 11(1)(e), Sch. 1 para. 10(6) (with Sch. 2 para. 7(7)-(9); S.I. 2020/1642 reg. 9)

C2 Pt. 3 continued (31.12.2020) by The Customs (Transitional) (EU Exit) Regulations 2020 (S.I. 2020/1449), regs. 1(2), 3(1)(b); S.I. 2020/1643, reg. 2, Sch.

Commencement Information

I1 S. 25 in force at 27.11.2003 by S.I. 2003/2985, art. 2

26 Penalty for contravention of relevant rule U.K.

(1) If, in the case of any relevant tax or duty, a person of a prescribed description engages in any conduct by which he contravenes—

(a) a prescribed relevant rule, or

(b) a relevant rule of a prescribed description,

he is liable to a penalty under this section of a prescribed amount.

(2) Subsection (1) is subject to the following provisions of this Part.

(3) The power conferred by subsection (1) to prescribe a description of person includes power to prescribe any person (without further qualification) as such a description.

(4) Different penalties may be prescribed under subsection (1) for different cases or different circumstances.

(5) Any amount prescribed under subsection (1) as the amount of a penalty must not be more than £2,500.

[F2 (5A) Where the conduct constituting a contravention of a relevant rule is a contravention of a condition imposed under regulations under section 20(1A), [F3 20B(2),] 22(1A) or 25(1A) of the Customs and Excise Management Act 1979—

(a) the Treasury may by regulations provide that, in prescribed circumstances, there are to be deemed for the purposes of subsection (1) of this section to be further separate contraventions of the rule, and

(b) the provision that may be made by the regulations includes provision replicating or applying, with or without modifications, any provision made by section 20A(1A) or (1B), 22A(1A) or (1B) or 25A(1A) or (1B) of the Customs and Excise Management Act 1979.]

(6) The Treasury may by order amend subsection (5) by substituting a different amount for the amount for the time being specified in that subsection.

(7) A statutory instrument containing an order under subsection (6) may not be made unless a draft of the instrument has been laid before, and approved by a resolution of, the House of Commons.

(8) In this Part “relevant rule”, in relation to any relevant tax or duty, means any duty, obligation, requirement or condition imposed by or under any of the following—

[F4 (za) Part 1 and sections 40A and 40B of the Taxation (Cross-border Trade) Act 2018, as they apply in relation to the relevant tax or duty;]

(a) the Customs and Excise Management Act 1979 (c. 2), as it applies in relation to the relevant tax or duty;

(b) any other Act, or any statutory instrument, as it applies in relation to the relevant tax or duty;

F5 (c) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

F6 (d) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

F7 (e) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

(f) any relevant international rules applying in relation to the relevant tax or duty.

(9) In subsection (8)—

• F8 ...

• “relevant international rules” means international agreements so far as applying in relation to a relevant tax or duty and having effect as part of the law of any part of the United Kingdom by virtue of—

  (a)

  any Act or statutory instrument, F9 ...

  (b)

  F9 ...

Textual Amendments

F2 S. 26(5A) inserted (13.9.2018 for specified purposes, 31.12.2020 in so far as not already in force) by Taxation (Cross-border Trade) Act 2018 (c. 22), s. 57(1)(a), Sch. 7 para. 150(2) (with savings and transitional provisions in S.I. 2020/1449, reg. 3 and 2020 c. 26, Sch. 2 para. 7(7)-(9)); S.I. 2020/1642, reg. 4(a)

F3 Word in s. 26(5A) inserted (11.7.2023) by Finance (No. 2) Act 2023 (c. 30), s. 340(6)

F4 S. 26(8)(za) inserted (13.9.2018 for specified purposes, 31.12.2020 in so far as not already in force) by Taxation (Cross-border Trade) Act 2018 (c. 22), s. 57(1)(a), Sch. 7 para. 150(3)(a) (with savings and transitional provisions in S.I. 2020/1449, reg. 3 and 2020 c. 26, Sch. 2 para. 7(7)-(9)); S.I. 2020/1642, reg. 4(a) (as amended by Taxation (Post-transition Period) Act 2020 (c. 26), s. 11(1)(e), Sch. 1 para. 10(4) (with Sch. 2 para. 7(7)-(9); S.I. 2020/1642, reg. 9)

F5 S. 26(8)(c) omitted (13.9.2018 for specified purposes, 31.12.2020 in so far as not already in force) by virtue of Taxation (Cross-border Trade) Act 2018 (c. 22), s. 57(1)(a), Sch. 7 para. 150(3)(b) (with savings and transitional provisions in S.I. 2020/1449, reg. 3 and 2020 c. 26, Sch. 2 para. 7(7)-(9)); S.I. 2020/1642, reg. 4(a)

F6 S. 26(8)(d) omitted (31.12.2020) by virtue of Taxation (Cross-border Trade) Act 2018 (c. 22), s. 57(3), Sch. 8 para. 110 (with savings and transitional provisions in S.I. 2019/105 (as amended by S.I. 2020/1495, regs. 1(2), 21), S.I. 2020/1545, Pt. 4 and 2020 c. 26, Sch. 2 para. 7(7)-(9)); S.I. 2020/1642, reg. 4(b) (with reg. 7)

F7 S. 26(8)(e) omitted (13.9.2018 for specified purposes, 31.12.2020 in so far as not already in force) by virtue of Taxation (Cross-border Trade) Act 2018 (c. 22), s. 57(1)(a), Sch. 7 para. 150(3)(b) (with savings and transitional provisions in S.I. 2020/1449, reg. 3 and 2020 c. 26, Sch. 2 para. 7(7)-(9)); S.I. 2020/1642, reg. 4(a)

F8 Words in s. 26(9) omitted (30.3.2018) by virtue of The Finance Act 2003, Part 3 (Amendment) Order 2018 (S.I. 2018/461), arts. 1, 5(c)(i) (with art. 6); words further omitted (13.9.2018 for specified purposes, 31.12.2020 in so far as not already in force) by virtue of Taxation (Cross-border Trade) Act 2018 (c. 22), s. 57(1)(a), Sch. 7 para. 150(4)(a) (with savings and transitional provisions in S.I. 2020/1449, reg. 3 and 2020 c. 26, Sch. 2 para. 7(7)-(9)); S.I. 2020/1642, reg. 4(a)

F9 Words in s. 26(9) omitted (13.9.2018 for specified purposes, 31.12.2020 in so far as not already in force) by virtue of Taxation (Cross-border Trade) Act 2018 (c. 22), s. 57(1)(a), Sch. 7 para. 150(4)(b) (with savings and transitional provisions in S.I. 2020/1449, reg. 3 and 2020 c. 26, Sch. 2 para. 7(7)-(9)); S.I. 2020/1642, reg. 4(a)

Modifications etc. (not altering text)

C3 Ss. 26, 27 applied (17.7.2014) by Finance Act 2014 (c. 26), s. 102(2)

Commencement Information

I2 S. 26 in force at 27.11.2003 by S.I. 2003/2985, art. 2

27 Exceptions from section 26 U.K.

(1) A person is not liable to a penalty under section 26 if he satisfies—

(a) the Commissioners, or

(b) on appeal, an appeal tribunal,

that there is a reasonable excuse for his conduct.

(2) For the purposes of subsection (1) none of the following is a reasonable excuse—

(a) an insufficiency of funds available to any person for paying any relevant tax or duty or any penalty due;

(b) that reliance was placed by any person on another to perform any task;

(c) that the contravention is attributable, in whole or in part, to the conduct of a person on whom reliance to perform any task was so placed.

(3) Where, by reason of conduct falling within subsection (1) of section 26 in the case of any relevant tax or duty, a person—

(a) is prosecuted for an offence,

(b) is given, and has not had withdrawn, a demand notice in respect of a penalty to which he is liable under section 25, or

(c) is liable to a penalty imposed upon him under any other provision of the law relating to that relevant tax or duty,

that conduct does not also give rise to liability to a penalty under section 26 in respect of that relevant tax or duty.

(4) A person is not liable to a penalty under section 26 in respect of any conduct, so far as relating to import VAT, if in respect of that conduct—

(a) he is liable to a penalty under any of sections 62 to 69A of the Value Added Tax Act 1994 (c. 23) (penalty for contravention of statutory requirements as to VAT), or

(b) he would be so liable but for section 62(4), 63(11), 64(6), 67(9), 69(9) or 69A(7) of that Act (conduct resulting in conviction, different penalty etc).

Modifications etc. (not altering text)

C3 Ss. 26, 27 applied (17.7.2014) by Finance Act 2014 (c. 26), s. 102(2)

Commencement Information

I3 S. 27 in force at 27.11.2003 by S.I. 2003/2985, art. 2

28 Liability of directors etc where body corporate liable to penalty for evasion U.K.

(1) Where it appears to the Commissioners—

(a) that a body corporate is liable to a penalty under section 25, and

(b) that the conduct giving rise to the penalty is, in whole or in part, attributable to the dishonesty of a person who is, or at the material time was, a director or managing officer of the body corporate (a “relevant officer”),

the Commissioners may give a notice under this section to the body corporate (or its representative) and to the relevant officer (or his representative).

(2) A notice under this section must state—

(a) the amount of the penalty referred to in subsection (1)(a) (the “basic penalty”), and

(b) that the Commissioners propose, in accordance with this section, to recover from the relevant officer such portion (which may be the whole) of the basic penalty as is specified in the notice.

(3) If a notice is given under this section, this Part shall apply in relation to the relevant officer as if he were personally liable under section 25 to a penalty which corresponds to that portion of the basic penalty specified in the notice.

(4) If a notice is given under this section—

(a) the amount which may be recovered from the body corporate under this Part is limited to so much (if any) of the basic penalty as is not recoverable from the relevant officer by virtue of subsection (3), and

(b) the body corporate is to be treated as discharged from liability for so much of the basic penalty as is so recoverable from the relevant officer.

(5) In this section “managing officer”, in relation to a body corporate, means—

(a) a manager, secretary or other similar officer of the body corporate, or

(b) a person purporting to act in any such capacity or as a director.

(6) Where the affairs of a body corporate are managed by its members, this section applies in relation to the conduct of a member in connection with his functions of management as if he were a director of the body corporate.

Commencement Information

I4 S. 28 in force at 27.11.2003 by S.I. 2003/2985, art. 2