Coronavirus: Returning NHS Workers and Tax Avoidance Schemes

Workers returning to the NHS to help respond to the coronavirus outbreak are being targeted by promoters of tax avoidance schemes. These schemes are variants of the widely discredited loan charge schemes for which specific anti-avoidance legislation was introduced. Usually scheme promoters will claim that you can take home over 80% of your pay.

The arrangements all have common features (such as the use of an umbrella company). Usually you will receive your payment in two forms:

• a small salary payment that is put through payroll as earnings
• a larger payment that is described as non-taxable such as a loan,annuity, shares or capital advance 

HMRC have published a warning on this area that can be found here.

If you a returning NHS worker and have been offered a tax planning arrangement that sounds too good to be true, please get in touch and we will be happy to look at the scheme documents and offer advice.