HMRC notification letter (Image: Getty)
MPs have warned HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) that its failure to report details of a breach affecting around 100,000 taxpayers is “unacceptable”. The Treasury Committee said it was only alerted to the information when a notification was published on the HMRC website on the same day as a live session.
On June 4, it emerged that HMRC had lost ￡47 million after a phishing scam breached tens of thousands of tax accounts.
Article continues belowADVERTISEMENT
Undo
DON'T MISS
Powered by
Disaster for Keir Starmer as tens of thousands demand general election now in new petition
Rachel Reeves tax bombshell as 3.35m people's savings to be hit
Embarrassing loopholes exposed in UK-France migrant deal - 'completely unworkable!'
Labour is conducting an assault on rural Britain with cruel family farm tax
Labour blasted for 'assault on rural Britain' with 'cruel' farmer tax raid
Rachel Reeves has lost Labour the election and sent farmers to Reform UK
Breathtaking betrayal of UK taxpayers that even Emmanuel Macron can see
Fury over suggestion state pension age could be increased to 80
Jeremy Corbyn at war with Angela Rayner over plans to concrete over Britain's allotments
Keir Starmer's false advertising and 3 assurances Labour are failing on
Trump signs deal to deport migrants to Rwanda in total embarrassment for Keir Starmer
Keir Starmer's smokescreen treaty with France will only escalate migration crisis
New poll reveals exactly what Brits think of migration - it's bad news for Keir Starmer
Yvette Cooper issues major update in migrant crime row: 'It's important'
Nigel Farage issues 8-word statement after Reform trans row erupts
Sadiq Khan's last resort shows exactly how Mayor of London's lost the plot
First migrants to be returned to France set to be detained within days
New poll reveals Keir Starmer and Rachel Reeves are now less popular than Donald Trump
How PM Nigel Farage can reverse 'strategic shrinkage' of Labour and Tories
How Rachel Reeves could stop migrant boats with one tax change
Disaster for Keir Starmer as tens of thousands demand general election now in new petition
Rachel Reeves tax bombshell as 3.35m people's savings to be hit
Embarrassing loopholes exposed in UK-France migrant deal - 'completely unworkable!'
Labour is conducting an assault on rural Britain with cruel family farm tax
Labour blasted for 'assault on rural Britain' with 'cruel' farmer tax raid
Rachel Reeves has lost Labour the election and sent farmers to Reform UK
Breathtaking betrayal of UK taxpayers that even Emmanuel Macron can see
Fury over suggestion state pension age could be increased to 80
Jeremy Corbyn at war with Angela Rayner over plans to concrete over Britain's allotments
Keir Starmer's false advertising and 3 assurances Labour are failing on
Trump signs deal to deport migrants to Rwanda in total embarrassment for Keir Starmer
Keir Starmer's smokescreen treaty with France will only escalate migration crisis
New poll reveals exactly what Brits think of migration - it's bad news for Keir Starmer
Yvette Cooper issues major update in migrant crime row: 'It's important'
Nigel Farage issues 8-word statement after Reform trans row erupts
Sadiq Khan's last resort shows exactly how Mayor of London's lost the plot
First migrants to be returned to France set to be detained within days
New poll reveals Keir Starmer and Rachel Reeves are now less popular than Donald Trump
How PM Nigel Farage can reverse 'strategic shrinkage' of Labour and Tories
How Rachel Reeves could stop migrant boats with one tax change
Disaster for Keir Starmer as tens of thousands demand general election now in new petition
Rachel Reeves tax bombshell as 3.35m people's savings to be hit
Embarrassing loopholes exposed in UK-France migrant deal - 'completely unworkable!'
Labour is conducting an assault on rural Britain with cruel family farm tax
Labour blasted for 'assault on rural Britain' with 'cruel' farmer tax raid
Rachel Reeves has lost Labour the election and sent farmers to Reform UK
Breathtaking betrayal of UK taxpayers that even Emmanuel Macron can see
Fury over suggestion state pension age could be increased to 80
Jeremy Corbyn at war with Angela Rayner over plans to concrete over Britain's allotments
Keir Starmer's false advertising and 3 assurances Labour are failing on
Trump signs deal to deport migrants to Rwanda in total embarrassment for Keir Starmer
Keir Starmer's smokescreen treaty with France will only escalate migration crisis
New poll reveals exactly what Brits think of migration - it's bad news for Keir Starmer
Yvette Cooper issues major update in migrant crime row: 'It's important'
Nigel Farage issues 8-word statement after Reform trans row erupts
Sadiq Khan's last resort shows exactly how Mayor of London's lost the plot
First migrants to be returned to France set to be detained within days
New poll reveals Keir Starmer and Rachel Reeves are now less popular than Donald Trump
How PM Nigel Farage can reverse 'strategic shrinkage' of Labour and Tories
How Rachel Reeves could stop migrant boats with one tax change
Get the latest politics news straight to your phone Join us on WhatsAppOur community members are treated to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. Read our Privacy Policy
Senior civil servants at HMRC told the Treasury Committee that 100,000 people have been contacted, or are in the process of being contacted, after their accounts were locked down in what they said was an “organised crime” incident which started last year.
On Tuesday, the committee published a letter from the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) stipulating that it had not discussed the phishing incident with HMRC and was not aware of it prior to the hearing on June 4.
The committee also published a letter sent via email from its chairwoman Dame Meg Hillier to John-Paul Marks, chief executive, HMRC.
Sponsored
Click Here
Here's The Estimated Cost of a 1-day Gutter Guards Installation
Undo
The letter said: “I am alarmed that it was never deemed necessary to inform Parliament about an issue which affected such a vast number of taxpayers and led to the loss of ￡47 million of public money.
“To discover this information during a session from press reports and without adequate time for the committee to review the information in detail is unacceptable.”
Trending
The letter said the committee is seeking responses from HMRC as to “why was Parliament not notified earlier about the loss of ￡47 million of taxpayers’ money, whether through a written ministerial statement and/or public or confidential letters to the Treasury Committee and the Public Accounts Committee?”
The committee is also seeking responses over why the update was published on the day of the committee hearing on the work of HMRC and who else in Government was told about the incident and when.
It also wants to receive a timeline of how the incident unfolded and find out what measures HMRC has put in place to ensure that such incidents do not happen in future.
DON'T MISS
Powered by
Breathtaking betrayal of UK taxpayers that even Emmanuel Macron can see
Fury over suggestion state pension age could be increased to 80
Jeremy Corbyn at war with Angela Rayner over plans to concrete over Britain's allotments
Keir Starmer's false advertising and 3 assurances Labour are failing on
Trump signs deal to deport migrants to Rwanda in total embarrassment for Keir Starmer
Keir Starmer's smokescreen treaty with France will only escalate migration crisis
New poll reveals exactly what Brits think of migration - it's bad news for Keir Starmer
Yvette Cooper issues major update in migrant crime row: 'It's important'
Nigel Farage issues 8-word statement after Reform trans row erupts
Sadiq Khan's last resort shows exactly how Mayor of London's lost the plot
First migrants to be returned to France set to be detained within days
New poll reveals Keir Starmer and Rachel Reeves are now less popular than Donald Trump
How PM Nigel Farage can reverse 'strategic shrinkage' of Labour and Tories
How Rachel Reeves could stop migrant boats with one tax change
Put a Bread Clip in Your Wallet When Traveling. Here's WhyTrendGuruTips |
Undo
Disaster for Keir Starmer as tens of thousands demand general election now in new petition
Rachel Reeves tax bombshell as 3.35m people's savings to be hit
This 60-Second Quiz Is Helping Virginia Drivers Save on InsuranceAutoSaveMax |
Learn More
Undo
Embarrassing loopholes exposed in UK-France migrant deal - 'completely unworkable!'
Labour is conducting an assault on rural Britain with cruel family farm tax
Clinical trials are underway. Invest in OA research.Cytonics | StartEngine |
Learn More
Undo
Labour blasted for 'assault on rural Britain' with 'cruel' farmer tax raid
Rachel Reeves has lost Labour the election and sent farmers to Reform UK
Live Updates: Insurance Coverage GIP & GLP-1 AgonistsGoodRx |
Learn More
Undo
Breathtaking betrayal of UK taxpayers that even Emmanuel Macron can see
Fury over suggestion state pension age could be increased to 80
This Simple Home Trick Is the Greatest Enemy Tinnitus HasHearWellCenter |
Undo
Jeremy Corbyn at war with Angela Rayner over plans to concrete over Britain's allotments
Keir Starmer's false advertising and 3 assurances Labour are failing on
Here's Why This 1 Day Garage Floor Coating Is Sweeping VirginiaGarage Flooring USA |
Learn More
Undo
Trump signs deal to deport migrants to Rwanda in total embarrassment for Keir Starmer
Keir Starmer's smokescreen treaty with France will only escalate migration crisis
Here's What a Dental Implant Might Cost You in 2025 (See Price List)Dental Implants | Search Ads |
Read More
Undo
New poll reveals exactly what Brits think of migration - it's bad news for Keir Starmer
Yvette Cooper issues major update in migrant crime row: 'It's important'
AI Trading Bot Delivers Impressive Gains in Just a WeekFX Market Insights |
Read Now
Undo
Nigel Farage issues 8-word statement after Reform trans row erupts
Sadiq Khan's last resort shows exactly how Mayor of London's lost the plot
Throwback 'Donut House' in Arizona's Paradise Valley sells for a sweet $4.5 million-plusHomes.com |
Undo
First migrants to be returned to France set to be detained within days
New poll reveals Keir Starmer and Rachel Reeves are now less popular than Donald Trump
The 1 Household Item That Visibly Tightens Saggy SkinGlamourSkin |
Learn More
Undo
How PM Nigel Farage can reverse 'strategic shrinkage' of Labour and Tories
How Rachel Reeves could stop migrant boats with one tax change
Disaster for Keir Starmer as tens of thousands demand general election now in new petition
Rachel Reeves tax bombshell as 3.35m people's savings to be hit
Embarrassing loopholes exposed in UK-France migrant deal - 'completely unworkable!'
Labour is conducting an assault on rural Britain with cruel family farm tax
Labour blasted for 'assault on rural Britain' with 'cruel' farmer tax raid
Rachel Reeves has lost Labour the election and sent farmers to Reform UK
Breathtaking betrayal of UK taxpayers that even Emmanuel Macron can see
Fury over suggestion state pension age could be increased to 80
Jeremy Corbyn at war with Angela Rayner over plans to concrete over Britain's allotments
Keir Starmer's false advertising and 3 assurances Labour are failing on
Trump signs deal to deport migrants to Rwanda in total embarrassment for Keir Starmer
Keir Starmer's smokescreen treaty with France will only escalate migration crisis
New poll reveals exactly what Brits think of migration - it's bad news for Keir Starmer
Heart Surgeon Begs Americans: Stop Drinking Almond MilkWell Being For All
Undo
Sponsored LinksSponsored Links
Undo
Sponsored LinksSponsored Links
Put Baking Soda in the Toilet, Here's WhyLifeHacksBay
Undo
Sponsored LinksSponsored Links
Lookup Anyone's Home Value Instantly by Address (Take a Look)QuestionHero
Undo
Sponsored LinksSponsored Links
The letter asked for a reply by June 24 2025.
Meanwhile, the letter from Glenn Collins, head of technical and strategic engagement, ACCA, to Dame Meg, dated June 5, said: “While we regularly engage with HMRC, including earlier in the year about issues relating to agent account access, we have not received any communication from HMRC on the issue of taxpayer account breaches until yesterday.
“We have highlighted to HMRC our frustration that HMRC has not been transparent or timely in its communication over this important issue.”
SUBSCRIBEInvalid email
We use your sign-up to provide content in ways you've consented to and to improve our understanding of you. This may include adverts from us and 3rd parties based on our understanding. You can unsubscribe at any time. Read our Privacy Policy