Re: The state benefits system mega-thread. Many merged.
 

Err, no, avoidance is always legal, by definition. If not paying tax is achieved by illegal means, it is by definition 'evasion'. Someone may claim it's one when it's the other, but that's a different matter. The problem with the figures quoted above is that the activists behind them think as you do - they wish to simply declare a proportion of tax avoidance to be illegal, without there having been any trial or due process. That is not how a free society based on the rule of law functions.

Re: The state benefits system mega-thread. Many merged.
 

No avoidance isn't always legal hence vodafone had to pay all that cash back and why we now have general anti abuse rules in place.

Re: The state benefits system mega-thread. Many merged.
 

If measures are shown to be illegal, then they are not avoidance, they are evasion. It's very simple.

Re: The state benefits system mega-thread. Many merged.
 

Is this not obvious? Avoidance is when people or companies use laws to avoid paying tax.

Re: The state benefits system mega-thread. Many merged.
 

It is obvious to all but those who wish to make tax a moral rather than a legal issue, the better to inflate figures such as those posted above.

Re: The state benefits system mega-thread. Many merged.
 

It's not very simple at all nor is it obvious Russ, they exist in the murky waters that need a court judgement to decide if it's legal often under advice that the judgement will go against them but happy to try their hand knowing it can take years to be decided and a favourable settlement with hmrc could follow

Re: The state benefits system mega-thread. Many merged.
 

I think you're just under the impression that avoidance and evasion are the same thing.

Re: The state benefits system mega-thread. Many merged.
 

And after that comment I'm under the impression you're not up to this debate

Re: The state benefits system mega-thread. Many merged.
 

The sooner IDS gets the boot the better... Why or how does he get away with it all I don't know.

http://www.theguardian.com/society/2...-credit-delays

Looking more like a repeat of the NHS IT system.

Re: The state benefits system mega-thread. Many merged.
 

It's a massive change to the system and delays are therefore not a surprise. Personally I think it's the way to go as the benefits system has become fragmented and far too complicated. Whether it's achievable technically and/or at what cost is a different matter and as has been proved many many times over the decades, such reform doesn't often come cheap or without problems and isn't always possible in the form originally envisaged for various reasons. There's no doubt that we have a bloated, complex and user-unfriendly benefits system and trying to reform it is not a bad thing but it won't be easy and it'll be interesting to see how this pans out.

Re: The state benefits system mega-thread. Many merged.
 

Just to add hmrc is successful in 80% of cases it brings against the most aggressive tax avoidance schemes

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/g...heme-promoters

Re: The state benefits system mega-thread. Many merged.
 

So what is the difference between tax avoidance and evasion?

Re: The state benefits system mega-thread. Many merged.
 

what has tax evasion and tax avoidance got to do with the mega benefits thread?

Re: The state benefits system mega-thread. Many merged.
 

Your answer should start from http://www.cableforum.co.uk/board/35660701-post762.html

Re: The state benefits system mega-thread. Many merged.
 

still do not it really has to do with benefits 3 pages or more on the difference between tax evasion and tax avoidance. Anyway none of my business of course