gmb45
18th June, 2009, 06:11 AM
my heart bleeds for them, theiving barstewards
Tax accountants say those who claim for furniture like Tam Dalyell who claimed ?18,000 for bookshelves before he retired could be liable for thousands of pounds
Tax accountants say those who claim for furniture like Tam Dalyell who claimed ?18,000 for bookshelves before he retired could be liable for thousands of pounds
MPs owe millions of pounds in extra taxes on their expenses claims after dodging levies paid by ordinary members of the public, financial experts claimed last night.
Hundreds could be liable for more tax when the full details of their expenses claims are laid bare today.
Tax accountants say those who claimed for furniture and made dubious travel claims could be liable for thousands of pounds because their payouts are a 'benefit in kind'.
Other MPs could be liable for capital gains taxes if they claimed home repairs and improvements as well as mortgage interest on their second homes.
Two million pages of receipts dating back four years will be posted on the Commons website today.
Stephen Herring, a tax expert with BDO, said that ordinary taxpayers can only claim expenses that are 'necessarily incurred' as part of their work.
He said: 'That's a very high hurdle to clear and many of the claims we have seen from MPs do not pass the test.'
He also said that HM Revenue and Customs will want to take payments for mortgage interest and home repairs into account when deciding whether MPs are liable for capital gains tax on the sale of their taxpayer-funded second homes.
Ian Miles, a tax expert with James Cowper, said: 'Some of the expenses claims that MPs made appear to lay them open to tax. If they claimed for items like duck houses or journeys they didn't undertake, those are clear benefits in kind.
'MPs claim for their spouses' travel. There is no way the rest of us can claim that our wives are essential to our contracts with our employer.'
Tax accountants say those who claim for furniture like Tam Dalyell who claimed ?18,000 for bookshelves before he retired could be liable for thousands of pounds
Tax accountants say those who claim for furniture like Tam Dalyell who claimed ?18,000 for bookshelves before he retired could be liable for thousands of pounds
MPs owe millions of pounds in extra taxes on their expenses claims after dodging levies paid by ordinary members of the public, financial experts claimed last night.
Hundreds could be liable for more tax when the full details of their expenses claims are laid bare today.
Tax accountants say those who claimed for furniture and made dubious travel claims could be liable for thousands of pounds because their payouts are a 'benefit in kind'.
Other MPs could be liable for capital gains taxes if they claimed home repairs and improvements as well as mortgage interest on their second homes.
Two million pages of receipts dating back four years will be posted on the Commons website today.
Stephen Herring, a tax expert with BDO, said that ordinary taxpayers can only claim expenses that are 'necessarily incurred' as part of their work.
He said: 'That's a very high hurdle to clear and many of the claims we have seen from MPs do not pass the test.'
He also said that HM Revenue and Customs will want to take payments for mortgage interest and home repairs into account when deciding whether MPs are liable for capital gains tax on the sale of their taxpayer-funded second homes.
Ian Miles, a tax expert with James Cowper, said: 'Some of the expenses claims that MPs made appear to lay them open to tax. If they claimed for items like duck houses or journeys they didn't undertake, those are clear benefits in kind.
'MPs claim for their spouses' travel. There is no way the rest of us can claim that our wives are essential to our contracts with our employer.'