Tax hitmen to track your spending

Credit reference agencies will cross-check details of the income people declare on their tax returns against their spending patterns to identify "high" and "medium" risks of both illegal and legal tax avoidance, the Daily Telegraph reports. People identified to HM Revenue and Customs will then be subject to more detailed investigations. About two million people are expected to be scrutinised under the programme, which may lead to privacy concerns. HMRC will today unveil the "successful" results of a pilot programme involving about 20,000 people which will now be extended nationally. ...