London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Sunday, Sep 27, 2026

Labour's Tax Crackdown: Boosting HMRC to Fund NHS and School Breakfast Clubs, Raising £5.1bn Annually

Labour plans to fund policies on the NHS and school breakfast clubs by increasing tax collection efforts, promising up to £555m for officials.
This is expected to raise £5.1bn annually.

Rachel Reeves, the shadow chancellor, accused the Conservatives of failing to address tax dodging.

The Conservatives introduced 200 measures to combat tax non-compliance, but the Labour Party cannot yet specify how they will fund their promises without raising taxes.

Labour had previously planned to pay for these pledges by replacing the UK's non-dom tax regime.

The UK government is planning to change tax rules for non-domiciled individuals, who live in the UK but pay taxes in their home country, to fund a cut to National Insurance.

This move has raised questions for the Labour party, which has a self-imposed rule against borrowing for day-to-day spending.

In response, Labour's Shadow Chancellor, Rachel Reeves, has proposed an alternative plan to increase tax collections.

According to Labour, the tax gap between what is owed and what the government collects was £36bn in the 2021/22 financial year.

The Labour party proposes increasing funding to tackle tax evasion and fraud by investing £555m in hiring more tax officers and digitizing the tax office.

This approach is estimated to raise £5.8bn annually by the end of the parliament.

The National Audit Office head suggested the government could save £6bn yearly by addressing tax evasion and avoidance.

Labour aims to provide HMRC with the necessary resources to investigate tax evaders and modernize the tax office.

HMRC has been calculating the tax gap since 2005.

The text discusses the reduction of the gap between the UK's tax revenue and spending, which has fallen from 7.5% in 2005 to 4.8% in 2021/22.

The Labour party supports the proposed replacement of non-dom rules but suggests strengthening it by including foreign assets held in trust within UK inheritance tax and removing a 50% discount in the first year of the new rules.

These changes could bring in £1bn in one year and £2.6bn over the next Parliament.

The Liberal Democrats believe these changes are not enough and have proposed fully-costed plans to fund care for everyone.

It's common for governments to announce plans to increase revenue by reducing tax avoidance or evasion.

The text discusses the UK government's plan to increase corporation tax to help pay for COVID-19 recovery efforts.

However, the author notes that the Office for Budget Responsibility has expressed uncertainty about how much revenue this measure will actually generate and how quickly it can be brought in.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Analysis of Reform UK conference highlights deep political divisions over welfare and immigration
Bangladesh garment exports to the United Kingdom reach $915 million in early fiscal year
Royal Navy begins sea trials for new HMS Agamemnon hunter-killer submarine
New report suggests UK data centre expansion will create far fewer jobs than predicted
Major weekend closures announced for London Underground Piccadilly and Central lines
NHS leaders call for emergency winter funding to combat staffing shortages and rising illness
Far-right activist Daniel Thomas charged following alleged slashing of migrant dinghy
Home Secretary orders urgent review of border security following rise in small boat crossings
Prime Minister Andy Burnham to address Labour Party conference amid calls for long-term infrastructure plan
UK Treasury and Bank of England warn of rising inflation risks amid Middle East tensions
Royal Navy Diving Squadron Honoured for Global Bomb Disposal Efforts
UK State Pension Set to Approach £13,000 Per Year Under Triple-Lock
Rolls-Royce Wins Multi-Million-Pound Engine Contract with Philippine Airlines
TfL Questions Future of Heathrow Express Amid Proposed £33 Billion Expansion
Ed Miliband Warns Iran Against Hostile Operations on British Soil
S&P Global Manufacturing Index Signals Stabilization Amid Rising Fuel Costs
Prime Minister Andy Burnham Launches National Centre for Information Defence
UK Food and Drink Trade Deficit Surges to £21.1 Billion
OECD Upgrades United Kingdom Economic Growth Forecast to 1.1 Percent
Bank of England Faces Policy Challenges as Energy Prices Push Inflation Projections Higher
IMF Urges UK and Major Economies to Reduce Public Borrowing and Debt
UK Government Concedes Chagos Islands Sovereignty Deal is Dead Following Trump Opposition
Prosecutors Seek More Than 10 Years in Prison for Former DUP Leader Jeffrey Donaldson
UK Provided £66 Million in Emergency Security Funding for Mosques After Southport Disorder
Manston Inquiry Examines Role of Government Decisions in 2022 Overcrowding Crisis
Justice System Capacity Pressures Raise Concerns Over Release of Sex Offenders
UK Food and Drink Trade Deficit Widens to Record £21.1 Billion
UK Releases Climate Security Findings Previously Withheld Under Starmer
TalkTalk Races to Sell Consumer and Broadband Businesses as Administration Threat Looms
NHS Bodies Impose Minimum Two-Year Waits for ADHD and Autism Assessments
Andy Burnham Pledges £210 Million to Revive Boarded-Up High Streets
UK Borrowing Reaches £18.3 Billion in August Ahead of Autumn Budget
Vistry Cuts Profit Outlook as Losses Deepen and Private Home Sales Weaken
Reported Assaults on Great Britain’s Railways Rise Sharply
Far-Right Activist Daniel Thomas Arrested After Channel Dinghy Slashing
Ukrainians in Britain Face Greater Homelessness Risk as Host Payments Are Cut
Scottish Drug Deaths Rise as Synthetic Opioids Spread
UK Diesel Prices Approach Record High as Energy Costs Intensify
UK Food and Drink Trade Deficit Widens to Record £21 Billion
Britain’s Largest Planned AI Supercomputer Delayed by Power Grid Constraints
NHS Boards Impose Minimum Waits of Up to Two Years for ADHD and Autism Assessments
Police Arrest Far-Right Activist After Migrant Dinghy Slashed in English Channel
Synthetic Opioids Drive Renewed Rise in Scotland’s Drug Deaths
Reported Assaults on Britain’s Railways Rise 20% in a Year
Vistry Cuts Profit Forecast as Losses Weigh on UK Housebuilder
TikTok Drops Appeal and Accepts £12.7 Million UK Data Protection Fine
Russell Group Urges UK Government to Drop Proposed International Student Levy
Legal & General Plans to Cut 1,000 Jobs by Mid-2027
UK Health Bill Would Remove Independent Governors From NHS Foundation Trusts
BMA Raises Patient Safety Concerns Over Advanced Practitioners Filling Doctor Rotas
×