HMRC collects extra £16bn from big business with more ‘hands-on’ approach

UK tax authorities secured an additional £16 billion from large corporations in 2025 through a more aggressive enforcement strategy, marking a 20% year-over-year increase in collections from major enterprises. The shift follows a policy overhaul prioritizing real-time audits, AI-driven risk assessment, and stricter transfer pricing scrutiny, targeting multinationals with complex cross-border operations. Officials attributed the surge to expanded data-sharing agreements with global tax bodies, enabling faster detection of discrepancies in corporate filings and profit-shifting schemes. Critics argue the approach risks deterring investment, but HMRC defended it as necessary to close a £34 billion annual "tax gap," with big business contributing disproportionately to unpaid liabilities. The strategy includes dedicated compliance teams for high-risk sectors like tech and finance, where underreporting has historically been most prevalent.