Tax cheats, do you know one?

I disagree Casdon, asking for cash only raises a suspicion as to why they would do that.

I agree with Casdon. Many small independent local businesses prefer cash wherever possible to avoid having to pay the fees for things like contactless payments. It's unfair to assume that they are all tax frauds. Believe me, the 'powers-that-be' are well aware of the ones most likely to be committing the offences you cite there, Barleyfields.

MissAdventure

Sometimes supermarket checkouts have that "cash only" sign... hmmm 🤔
Makes you wonder.

Why?

Barleyfields

I disagree Casdon, asking for cash only raises a suspicion as to why they would do that.

You might be suspicious Barleyfields, but the tax inspectors would not go into a business just because you were suspicious, if you had no evidence.

It was my poor attempt at a joke, M0nica.

Once again I disagree Casdon. I think HMRC would be interested in any business which only took cash regardless of the size of the transaction. Cash for a purchase under £5 I can understand because of card charges. Cash for everything is difficult to explain and there are a number of nefarious reasons why that should be so. Do you seriously believe that the owners and employees of a business which takes cash only are declaring their true earnings/not involved in another cash business such as money laundering or drugs/able to live and work in the UK?

An ex-boyfriend of mine worked for the Tax Office and was aware of a large number of tax evaders (they're the ones who know exactly how much tax they owe but don't pay it until they're pushed into a very tight legal corner). He'd often say how surprised I'd be to know how many of them were very wealthy household names, but he never told me exactly who they were because, like all civil servants, he signed an undertaking never to divulge any details he saw or heard during the course of his work. That's probably how so many cheats get away with it for so long. I think there should be some variation of whistle-blowing in order to expose them, but that's probably just me being a grumpy old straight-ahead citizen.

They would be big organisations,from my knowledge of the system.
Huge, huge ones.

I assume HMRC got their money in the end, including penalties and interest. I don’t agree that civil servants should indulge in whistleblowing. If these people hadn’t paid up they would have been prosecuted and that would be reported by the media. I imagine they, stupidly, left payment to the last moment. An expensive thing to do.

Casdon

I don’t think anybody in authority would be interested if you reported a business for asking for cash only unless you had some specific evidence to prove that they were not paying tax, or that it was a cover for other dealings Barleyfield.

The police in my town don’t come if you phone to say there are dealers outside the school gates giving free vapes to children.

I think I know where you mean. It’s not uncommon I believe so the rozzers can’t be bothered.

And when they've finished there ☝️ they have to come here, because our station is closed.

Barleyfields

I disagree Casdon, asking for cash only raises a suspicion as to why they would do that.

What about my £4 on a scratch card?
The scratch card was a raffle prize too.

Where do we start and where does it end?
We need to continue using cash or we will find one day that we cannot

I don't want to see a completely cashless society. It has massive implications for control of citizens and invasion of privacy.

I don't think that preferring cash is a sign of anything nefarious - it saves on card fees for a start - but offering two separate prices for the same job (one for cheque/transfer and one for used fivers) is different. Why would someone do that unless they were hiding money from the taxman?

I can understand a window cleaner preferring cash, as it might be easier to have one system instead of more, but they are dealing in lots of small amounts. Rewiring a house or fitting a bathroom will cost thousands, and the difference between paying tax and not is substantial (and that's before you include VAT). Anyone complying with this will have to go to the bank several times to get enough money, so it will be inconvenient at best. They must know what is happening, and be colluding in it. If they weren't aware, surely they would ask why they couldn't pay another way?

We both use cash wherever we can in day to day transaction, I don’t want to see the choice removed.

I confess I hardly use cash now but my husband does so maybe we balance it up. I think lockdown and not wanting to handle money probably made me rely on my card more and now it's just a habit.

The black economy has always been around and probably always will be. If some people are being offered a substantial discount if they pay in cash for big jobs such as a new bathroom, then maybe they're prepared to turn a blind eye to what happens to that cash. My neighbour did just that, although it appears to have backfired on him as he was telling my husband just today that they did a shoddy job and there's been water leaking down into their basement and ruining everything stored there. Karma, perhaps?

I’m disappointed some people on here just aren’t very nice, karma, or only reporting people if they’ve been offended by them?
It’s against my nature I’m afraid to wish something bad on others.

I didn't say I wished bad on him - just suggested that maybe it was karma catching up with him? Not the same thing at all.