VATF91000 - Litigation: Who is responsible for VAT fraud civil litigation?
Note: This manual is currently under review. Some content may be withdrawn or revised during this process. If there is anything within this manual you use regularly, please email [email protected] to let us know. In the meantime, you should check the other guidance available on GOV.UK from HMRC.
The VAT Fraud Team
The VAT Fraud Team has overall policy responsibility for all civil litigation of VAT fraud in HMRC and is the client of the Solicitor’s Office. In all cases of serious fraud and cases where policy issues arise, the VAT Fraud Team will have responsibility for checking Statements of Case and Counsel’s skeleton arguments and attending case conferences, where practical. The VAT Fraud Team will also attend interlocutory and full hearings to provide any instructions to Counsel and solicitors, if needed.
Solicitor’s Office
The SNCF Litigation team within Solicitor’s Office is responsible representing HMRC in most of its civil litigation arising out of MTIC and Supply Chain VAT fraud (VATF23500). In particular it defends appeals brought by taxable persons in the VAT Tribunal seeking to challenge decisions to deny input tax recovery and/or deregistration generated by transactions tainted by Missing Trader fraud.
All other non-MTIC litigation is undertaken by the (This content has been withheld because of exemptions in the Freedom of Information Act 2000).