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Whistleblower reports to HMRC surge by 47% | Consensus HR | Herts, Beds

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Whistleblower reports to HMRC surge by 47% | Consensus HR | Herts, Beds

Whistleblower reports to HMRC have surged by 47% in the last year, according to research from law firm RPC. The number of reports rose from 106,920 in 2021/22 to 157,270 in 2022/23. Adam Craggs, head of RPC’s tax disputes, financial crime and regulatory team, said a large part of the spike in reports could be linked to fraud involving the government’s pandemic support. Data from the Department for Business and Trade shows that lenders responsible for distributing government-backed loans during the pandemic had flagged almost £1.7bn worth of potential loan fraud at the end of June, up 43% from three months earlier.  Craggs notes that the furlough scheme “was a magnet for fraudsters with significant sums lost in the public purse,” adding that the public “is understandably outraged by that, and this sense of outrage may be a driver in this large increase in reports of suspected fraud to HMRC.” RPC partner Michelle Sloane says that while HMRC currently pays whistleblowers on an ad hoc basis, standardising payments could encourage more whistleblowers to come forward, saying: “Paying informants is likely to increase the number of investigations, and will improve the quality of information HMRC receives.” 

 

Daily Mail

Our HR comment / advice – Whistle-blower reports to HMRC surge by 47% | Consensus HR | Herts, Beds

Matthew P Chilcott, FCIPD, ACEL, Owner of Consensus HR comments: “The Pandemic and Furlough is still hot in the news and in this article in the Daily Mail rightfully so!  This brings back memories of working during the Pandemic and witnessing the many problems it caused for businesses and our clients with their teams and businesses with loss of sales and near closure.  The Furlough scheme continually changed throughout, and we were writing updates consistently to ensure our clients were fully updated on the current law and how they could rightfully obtain monies from the Governments Furlough Scheme legally whilst also ensuring this was implemented to HR best practice and the law.  We can only imagine the amount of fraud that took place but hope that reasonable investigations will take place so as to ensure any business that did not have the intent to fraud the Government is not penalised.”

Whistleblower reports to HMRC surge by 47% | Consensus HR | Herts, Beds

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Whistleblower reports to HMRC surge by 47% | Consensus HR | Herts, Beds

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Unfair dismissal: Band of reasonable responses

UK office attendance at 40% as workers embrace flexibility | Consensus HR – Herts Beds

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UK office attendance at 40% as workers embrace flexibility | Consensus HR – Herts Beds

A survey on working habits in the UK has revealed that just 40% of employees are currently working five days a week in the office. Commuting time, the cost of eating out for lunch and other expenses are the biggest barriers to working full time at the office, said researchers in the report from Ipsos Karian and Box. Younger staff members, in particular, have expressed concerns about missing out on skills development when working remotely. Nearly half of workers aged 18 to 24 said they “always” or “frequently” felt lonely if they spent half their working week at home. Additionally, they feared they were learning fewer “critical skills” necessary for career progression and promotions. The survey suggested that employees who spend three days a week in the office strike the right balance between office and remote work, enabling effective career development discussions and idea generation.

 

The Sunday Telegraph

Our HR comment: – UK office attendance at 40% as workers embrace flexibility | Consensus HR – Herts Beds

Matthew P Chilcott, FCIPD, ACEL, Owner of Consensus HR comments: “This is a subject we have written about many times since the end of the Pandemic and a few of our blogs can be seen below.  Many companies are now getting their teams back into the workplace with many working Hybrid and in the office at least three days a week. We have found that many employers are stating that employees must be in the office Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and working from home Monday & Friday and some requiring all the team to return to the work place full-time.  Many articles are also showing that many people are finding the new working regime hard to handle and this article in ‘The Sunday Telegraph’ shows the effect it is having on the younger 18 – 24 year olds.  What is the answer?  This is still unknown and the consequences going forward for the business, their teams and the younger generation.

 

Here are a few of our other blogs written on the subject:

UK office attendance at 40% as workers embrace flexibility | Consensus HR – Herts Beds

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If you wish to talk to somebody about getting your team back into the office or looking at suitable solutions such as hybrid working, give us a call now.
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YOUR OUTSOURCED HUMAN RESOURCES DEPARTMENT.

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UK office attendance at 40% as workers embrace flexibility | Consensus HR – Herts Beds

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Cadigan: Firms are learning from remote shift.

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Cadigan: Firms are learning from remote shift.

Steve Cadigan, LinkedIn’s first HR director, says senior leadership teams are having to navigate the complexities of hybrid working, telling the Times that the first question recruiters are now asked when they call a candidate about an opportunity is whether the job can be done remotely. He says: “We’ve never faced a moment like this in the history of work where most businesses created value in-person and now have switched to remote.” Firms, Mr Cadigan adds, are “really still going through learning. There is no benchmark.” On finding the right work pattern and set-up, he says: “My recommendation is to do lots of experiments, have lots of quick feedback loops and be open and honest with your team, to say, ‘Hey, we don’t know exactly [how this works] but we hear you that you want more freedom, flexibility and autonomy’.”

The Times

Our Comment: Cadigan: Firms are learning from remote shift.

Matthew Pinto-Chilcott – FCIPD, ACEL, Owner of Consensus HR comments: “
This is a very interesting article published in The Times last week and highlights how recruitment has changed drastically since the Pandemic.  Many companies are finding that when recruiting they are being asked this question regularly when the vacancy expresses it is office based.  Many applicants and especially Generation Z following the ability to allow them to work from home during the Pandemic are now asking if the role for which they are applying can also be Hybrid?   There have been many articles written by a range of publishers since the Pandemic in relation to Hybrid and companies need to ensure that when interviewing and writing the Job Description for the role that they fully consider the practicalities of working hybrid, should it be asked.  As previously commented within some our blogs many businesses have now adapted with them working in the office 3 days and two days open to flexibility and you only have to look at the roads on a Monday or Friday when it can be seen that they are quieter.  Business Owners have to take ownership of these request and manage it correctly and legally to best practice”.

Cadigan: Firms are learning from remote shift.

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If you need support with getting your team back to the office or Hybrid in general, give us a call now.
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YOUR OUTSOURCED HUMAN RESOURCES DEPARTMENT.

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Cadigan: Firms are learning from remote shift.

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Money and Calulator

Higher minimum wage helps drive record pay rises

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Higher minimum wage helps drive record pay rises

UK wages are rising at their fastest rate in 20 years, excluding the pandemic, in part because of a rise in the minimum wage.

Matthew Pinto-Chilcott, FCIPD, ACEL, Owner of Consensus HR comments: “This is a very interesting article form the BBC today in relation to high UK wages due to the rise in the minimum wage and was part of a news article I heard on the way to work today.  This was also in conjunction with unemployment going down as well to pre pandemic levels.”

Regular pay excluding bonuses increased by 7.2% in the three months to April, although it still lags behind the cost of living, official figures show.

The minimum wage – known as the National Living Wage – rose to £10.42 in April for those aged 23 and over.

It came as UK unemployment fell slightly and the numbers working rose.

Darren Morgan, director of economic statistics at the Office for National Statistics (ONS), said: “In cash terms, basic pay is now growing at its fastest since current records began, apart from the period when the figures were distorted by the pandemic.

“However, even so, wage rises continue to lag behind inflation.”

Andrew Hunter, co-founder of the job search engine Adzuna, said the rise in the minimum wage had had a “significant” impact.

“Nearly two million workers in the UK saw an almost 10% increase in pay this spring,” he told the BBC’s Today programme.

“What we’re seeing is some signs of optimism from British employers during what is often a time of year where discussions around pay and bonuses are had. So we are seeing wage improvements.”

Workers in multiple industries have held strikes since last summer as pay rates fail to keep pace with inflation – the rate at which prices rise. But the gap is narrowing, with inflation falling to 8.7% in April.

However, the Bank of England has warned sharp increases in wages are likely to prolong the UK’s still high rates of inflation. And there are fears the Bank will have to increase UK interest rates by more than previously thought to get the inflation rate down.

This is affecting the mortgage market, where lenders have been putting up borrowing rates and pulling deals.

Mr Hunter said: “Your average worker will be delighted that their pay on average is going up, but that’s not necessarily a good thing for inflation.”

According to the ONS, the number not working due to long term sickness climbed to another record high.

Around 2.6 million people are now not working due to health problems, the ONS said.

The UK economy is currently struggling to grow, as the soaring cost of living and rising interest rates squeeze households.

By Daniel Thomas
Business reporter, BBC News

However, the jobs market remains resilient, with the total number of people in work rising to its highest level ever in the three months to April.

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YOUR OUTSOURCED HUMAN RESOURCES DEPARTMENT.

For further information on any of the HR subjects we provide, please click the heading below:

Higher minimum wage helps drive record pay rises

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