Covid-19 Support Scheme fraud

A freedom of information request has revealed that HMRC launched almost 13,000 investigations into alleged abuse of the government’s coronavirus business support schemes up to the end of March 2021. More than half of these interventions concern the furlough scheme, while a majority of the others relate to the Self-Employment Income Support Scheme. A spokesperson for HMRC said: ”We are taking tough action to tackle fraudulent behaviour.”