BBC Breakfast star Charlie Stayt is believed to have turn out to be the newest TV presenter focused by HMRC.
The morning present host, 41, and his spouse Annie Breckell, have been reportedly been served by the taxman with a petition over their agency on Monday.
It means the couple have turn out to be the newest in an inventory of excessive profile televisions hosts to face a battle with HMRC, after the likes of Lorraine Kelly, Gary Lineker, Kaye Adams and Eamonn Holmes all ended up in courtroom in recent times.
Their circumstances got here as the federal government cracks down on individuals who declare to be self-employed when they’re in impact working as staff of an organization – one thing that sees them pay much less in tax than they need to.
This has had various levels of success, with Kelly, Lineker and Adams all profitable their battles with the federal government physique, though Holmes was defeated and compelled to promote his dwelling to pay.
Charlie Stayt, pictured right here with Naga Munchetty on the BBC Breakfast sofa, faces a battle with HMRC after being served with a chapter petition
His firm – Stayt Restricted – lists each Annie and Charlie as administrators alongside Hogbens Dunphy Secretaries, an accountants and tax consultants primarily based in central London
It’s reported that Stayt has come into battle with HMRC over his firm Stayt Restricted, of which he and his spouse Annie are listed as administrators alongside Hogbens Dunphy Secretaries, an accountants and tax consultants primarily based in central London.
The agency, which describes itself as being concerned in ‘tv programming and broadcasting actions’, was £6,409 within the purple in response to accounts filed final December.
The submitting of a petition may threaten their idyllic household life.
The couple purchased their Twickenham dwelling in 2002 for £800,000. It has now sky-rocketed in worth to as a lot as £2.3million.
They’ve been collectively for greater than 20 years and have two youngsters, Pheobe and Jake, who’re each grown up. It’s believed that they nonetheless reside at dwelling with their dad and mom, Hey! reported.
Their battle with the taxman differs from different latest clashes between HMRC and TV presenters.
Different hosts have been focused by the federal government division over accusations that they had not paid sufficient tax.
Amongst these within the firing line have been Gary Lineker, Lorraine Kelly, Kaye Adams and Eammon Holmes, who have been alleged to have underpaid by thousands and thousands.
Nevertheless, regardless of having the total pressure of the federal government behind it, HMRC’s outcomes have been blended to say the least, with Lineker, Kelly and Adams all profitable their circumstances – a few of which dragged on the higher a part of a decade – towards the taxman in courtroom.
It comes as the federal government cracks down on tax avoidance utilizing laws often called IR35, designed to clamp down on tax avoidance by so-called ‘disguised staff’, who cost for his or her providers by way of restricted firms.
The foundations see all contractors that don’t meet HMRC’s definition of self-employment taxed at an identical fee to regular staff.
Among the many most excessive profile of those circumstances concerned Match of the Day host Gary Lineker, who was chased by the tax authorities for £4.9million it claimed ought to have been paid on earnings acquired between 2013 and 2018.
The taxman claimed that Lineker ought to have been classed as an worker of the BBC and BT Sport for his presenting duties, fairly than as a freelancer.
All through proceedings the presenter, 62, insisted all taxes have been paid on the earnings by way of a partnership arrange in 2012 along with his ex-wife Danielle Bux.
Gary Lineker was instructed by the taxman he ought to have been classed as an worker of the BBC and BT Sport for his presenting duties, fairly than as a freelancer, however he received his case in courtroom. Pictured: Lineker exterior his London dwelling in March 2023
The Match of the Day host was chased by the tax authorities for £4.9million, however received when a choose dominated he was self-employed. Pictured: Lineker on the Nationwide Theatre on Might 1, 2024
A tax choose got here down on his facet in courtroom, ruling that the IR35 laws didn’t apply as a result of have been direct contracts between the presenter and each the BBC and BT Sport.
The tribunal discovered that whereas Gary Lineker Media (GLM), which he arrange along with his then spouse in 2012, was a partnership to which IR35 laws applies, the attraction was nonetheless dismissed in full as a result of contracts existed.
Talking on the First-Tier Tribunal (Tax) in London, Choose John Brook in March 2023: ‘As a matter of regulation, when Mr Lineker signed the 2013 BBC Contract, the 2015 BBC Contract and the BT Sport Contract for the availability of his providers, he did in order principal thereby contracting straight with the BBC and BT Sport.
‘As such, the intermediaries laws can’t apply – it’s only relevant ‘the place providers are offered not below a contract straight between shopper and the employee’.
‘On this case Mr Lineker’s providers have been offered below direct contracts with the BBC and BT Sport.
‘Though such a conclusion would possibly seem inconsistent with my conclusions that the intermediaries laws can apply to partnerships… that isn’t the case.’
James Rivett KC, Lineker’s consultant earlier stated in courtroom that there was a ‘coverage of taking a look at folks within the media’ at HMRC, earlier than criticising its legal professionals for laughing at strategies there was a political factor to their enquiries.
He stated: ‘That is only a panto chuckle. My shopper has been dragged via the papers accused of not paying earnings tax which has been paid.’
An HMRC spokesperson stated on the time: ‘The tribunal has confirmed the off-payroll guidelines apply to partnerships, as we’ve got all the time stated. Nevertheless, we don’t agree with its resolution that the foundations can’t apply on this case and we’re contemplating an attraction.
‘It’s our obligation to make sure everybody pays the suitable tax below the regulation, no matter wealth or standing.’
Lineker’s case got here after morning present star Lorraine Kelly received her personal battle with the taxman after being accused of utilizing the identical alleged loophole.
The Scottish TV host was chased for £1.2million by HMRC after it claimed she ought to have been handled as an worker of ITV and as such, topic to earnings tax and Nationwide Insurance coverage funds.
Lorraine Kelly (pictured) addressed her 2019 tax tribunal case, saying: ‘I do not need folks to suppose I’d do something to get out of paying what I must be paying.’
The Scottish TV host (pictured in 2021) made headlines when she received a £1.2million battle with HM Income & Customs (HMRC)
Lorraine Kelly escaped a £1.2 million tax invoice after a choose described her as an ‘entertaining woman’ who’s her personal boss in 2019
She had signed with ITV Breakfast in 2012 to current the ‘Dawn’ and ‘Lorraine’ exhibits, doing the deal via her providers firm, Albatel Restricted – however HMRC insisted she in actuality turned an ITV worker.
On the time, Kelly instructed Choose Dean she was ‘baffled’ by HMRC’s perspective and denied that tax and nationwide insurance coverage ought to have been deducted from her earnings below the PAYE system.
She stated she had been ‘freelance’ since 1992 and had since then labored for the BBC, Channel 4, Scottish TV, Sky and ITV, additionally writing weekly columns for the Solar newspaper.
She thought-about it an ‘honour and a duty’ that she is likely one of the handful of TV stars whose names are within the titles of their exhibits.
She will endorse business merchandise nevertheless she likes, launching a clothes vary for JD Williams, performing as a model ambassador for Avon and showing in a web based advert for furnishings firm, Wayfair.
Giving an instance of her independence, she stated she had refused to interview Elton John on a reside hyperlink from Australia at 4am as she was filming with the BBC later within the day.
Explaining the ‘give and take’ in her relationship with ITV, she stated she had been absent from the broadcaster’s morning schedule for 4 weeks in 2017 when she went on an expedition to Antarctica.
In the long run a choose dominated she was employed for her providers as an entertainer and was answerable for each her working day and her present.
‘We have been glad that Ms Kelly presents a persona of herself, she presents herself as a model and that’s the model ITV sought when partaking her,’ the choose stated.
‘All elements of the present are a efficiency, the act being to carry out the function of a pleasant, chatty and enjoyable persona.’
Kelly later stated that within the aftermath she may ‘chuckle’ on the remarks, including: ‘It was, sadly, a little bit of a misinterpretation however I knew what (the choose) meant. Clearly, it is given folks nice hilarity and I can reside with that.’
HMRC’s run of poor outcomes towards TV expertise continued when Unfastened Girls star Kaye Adams received her 10-year battle with them over a disputed £124,000 tax invoice.
Kaye Adams, 61, had been arguing she is self-employed for her work carried out between 2013 and 2017 – when internet hosting ‘The Kaye Adams Programme’ on BBC Radio Scotland
HMRC argued the presenter, who was employed as a freelancer throughout her time at BBC Scotland
Through the proceedings vital weight was positioned on the very fact Adams had been a contract journalist for 20 years
The 61-year-old ended up in courtroom 3 times over the course of a decade as she argued she was self-employed when she hosted ‘The Kaye Adams Programme’ on BBC Radio Scotland between 2013 and 2017.
Like in different circumstances the federal government claimed she was an worker and owed 1000’s in unpaid taxes from her time on the present, for which she was paid £155,000 per 12 months to current a minimal of 160 programmes for the BBC.
HMRC argued the presenter, who was employed as a freelancer throughout her time at BBC Scotland by way of her firm Atholl Home Productions Ltd, owed £81,150.60 in earnings tax and £43,290.98 in nationwide insurance coverage contributions.
Adams appealed to the First Tier Tax Tribunal and first received her case in April 2019. Nevertheless, HMRC repeatedly refused to simply accept the choice, main to 3 extra hearings.
However the TV star, initially from Grangemouth, Stirlingshire, received a 3rd courtroom battle in November when a courtroom dominated she was a contract employee.
The previous Strictly Come Dancing contestant then pleaded with the tax authority to not attraction and stated the last decade of economic limbo had been ‘nearly insufferable’.
After reviewing the choice, HMRC stated in January this 12 months they’d not attraction the judgement as it might not be ‘proportionate’ to contest it given the case has been ‘ongoing for a variety of years’.
Adams later slammed HMRC, saying she was ‘totally horrified on the behaviour of this division’ after spending almost £300,000 in authorized charges defending herself.
She stated: ‘They [HMRC] have the facility to damage good, sincere hard-working folks’s lives with no penalties.
‘It’s not simply lives they’re trashing, HMRC is making a mockery of the laws. Self-employed standing is now decided in response to the strain utilized by HMRC and danger administration on the a part of media firms, not in response to the regulation.
‘This can be a pyrrhic victory for me. I’ve received my case towards HMRC and I’ve spent on authorized charges almost £300,000, which ought to have been in my pension. Justice eh!’
The taxman did succeed of their case towards Eamonn Holmes, nevertheless, after it claimed he owed HMRC £250,000 in unpaid levies.
The This Morning host was pressured to promote his beloved home in east Belfast to repay his huge tax invoice after officers dominated he was a employees member for broadcasters fairly than a freelancer.
Eamonn Holmes was pressured to promote his beloved home in east Belfast to repay an enormous invoice after a £250,000 tax battle with HMRC
The TV presenter, pictured right here exterior the Tric Awards in July 2022, claimed HMRC had ‘taken away every little thing I ever labored for’
Eamonn Holmes believes that the stress of his £250,000 tax row triggered his extreme bout of shingles which may’ve left him blind
They allegedly requested for 10 years of retrospective tax and nationwide insurance coverage funds from him, regardless of the presenter saying he was given vacation or sick pay.
He claimed in February final 12 months that he was interesting towards the ruling, and stated the listening to was ‘probably the most demanding expertise exterior of dropping my father’.
He instructed NVTV earlier this 12 months that the lack of his dwelling was ‘like they’ve taken away every little thing I ever labored for’.
The 64-year-old stated that the stress of the row triggered a extreme bout of shingles which may have left him blind.
The TV star stated: ‘I used to be like a lamb to the slaughter – it was probably the most demanding, humiliating expertise.’
Describing the sickness he added: ‘It was scary to see it. It regarded as if somebody had taken a baseball bat to my face and smashed me a few bit.’
In response Eamonn’s tax battle, a HMRC spokesperson instructed MailOnline: ‘We take the wellbeing of all taxpayers severely and do every little thing we are able to for many who have interaction with us to get their tax affairs so as, together with by providing inexpensive cost plans.’
