Business Tax Investigations

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An HMRC enquiry or compliance check is unwelcome at any scale. The cost is real, the disruption is significant and the choices made in the opening weeks shape the eventual outcome far more decisively than anything that happens later. Getting the wrong adviser in place at the start of an investigation is a mistake that is very difficult to recover from.

Our tax investigations team represents businesses through HMRC interventions of every kind, from routine compliance checks to Code of Practice 8 and 9 investigations, with the experience, judgement and steadiness the situation calls for.

Backed by a comprehensive tax fee insurance of up to £100,000, we ensure that you are fairly represented throughout a HMRC enquiry.

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How we act when HMRC gets in touch

If you receive any correspondence or communication from HMRC relating to a potential enquiry or dispute, you should speak to us immediately.

Early intervention allows us to control the narrative, manage communication and protect your position from the outset.

Where applicable, we will make a claim under the policy and credit the proceeds against your professional fees.

You may remain liable for any costs not covered by the policy and we will always be clear with you about that position.

Why Macalvins

Tax investigations require more than technical knowledge. They demand composure, clarity and the ability to operate confidently under scrutiny.
Our personal tax investigation support sits within a wider ecosystem of tax, forensic and advisory expertise, which provides a joined-up response to compliance checks.
Three things define how we run this work:

Partner-led from the first letter

The opening response, the strategic positioning of the case and the substantive correspondence sit with the partner. The judgement applied to the difficult decisions is the judgement of experience.

Considered, not reactive

We do not respond hastily to information notices or settlement proposals. Each response is considered against the eventual outcome we are working towards, with the timetable managed accordingly.

Resolution that closes the matter

The objective is a documented settlement and a clean line under the issue, with whatever procedural protections (suspended penalties, agreed future arrangements) are appropriate to ensure it does not return.

Businesses come to us in an investigation when the stakes are real and they need a calm, experienced guide through the process.

They want people who have been here before, who know how HMRC operates and who will be in the room from the first letter – not brought in after the case has already moved in directions that are harder to recover from.

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Here is what our clients have to say…

Macalvins have been running the Payroll and Pension Plan for Hayes & Yeading United Football Club for over 10 years.… Read more

Bernard Bitmead

I love the people of macalvins. they are warm and very dependable. and that what matters to me in any… Read more

SUJOY GHOSH

I have been MaCalvins for the past 6 years and I have found them excellent in every department. They manage… Read more

John Gill

I’ve been with MaCalvins since 2013, they are managing my company business accounts and my personal tax returns in a… Read more

Taghreed Altuhafi

Excellent service and understanding of our business needs

Kanesh Rajani

Thank you Macalvins for excellent service over the years

S Hodzic

Why choose Macalvins?

With our team, you get precision, continuity and the kind of considered advice that comes from people who know your numbers as well as you do.

As a Top 100 UK accountancy firm with international reach through PrimeGlobal, Macalvins brings that depth of expertise to every client, at every stage of growth.

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Insights

Frequently Asked Questions

We have just received an HMRC letter. What is the first step?

Speak to us before responding. The opening reply often sets the procedural and substantive tone of the entire enquiry and material disclosed early is difficult to retract. We will review the letter, the underlying position and the appropriate response before anything is sent back.

What is the difference between COP 8 and COP 9?

Code of Practice 8 covers serious enquiries where HMRC does not currently suspect fraud. Code of Practice 9 is issued where fraud is suspected and offers the taxpayer the opportunity to make a full disclosure under the Contractual Disclosure Facility in return for protection from criminal investigation. Both require experienced representation from the outset; the procedural and substantive differences are significant.

Can you act alongside our existing accountant?

Yes and that is a common arrangement. Where the existing accountant continues to handle the routine compliance, our team takes the investigations workstream. We co-ordinate appropriately so the position presented to HMRC is unified and the standing relationship with the existing adviser is preserved.