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Taxation

Asked by Mr Richard HoldenConservativeTreasuryTabled Answered 4 September 2024UIN 2541

The question

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 30 July 2024 to Question 1811 on Taxation, what the tax gap of (a) 2005-06 and (b) 2022-3 is adjusted for inflation in (i) 2005-06 and (ii) 2022-23 real terms.

Answered by James Murray

The UK tax gap in 2022-23 is estimated to be 4.8% of total theoretical tax liabilities, or £39.8 billion in absolute terms. The tax gap has fallen from 7.4% of total theoretical liabilities in 2005-06, or £32.4bn in absolute terms.

The 2005-06 and 2022-23 tax gap estimates can be adjusted for inflation using the published GDP deflators available at: www.gov.uk/government/statistics/gdp-deflators-at-market-prices-and-money-gdp-june-2024-quarterly-national-accounts

The government is committed to tackling the tax gap, through increasing HMRC's compliance staff, investing in HMRC’s technology infrastructure, and making policy changes to tackle tax non-compliance. The government will set out further details at the budget.

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