Residents Encouraged to Report Suspicious Vape Shops and Barbers in High Street Initiative

DODGY vape shops and barbers on the High Street must be ‘shopped’ over suspicions of tax fraud, the Chancellor says.

is urging the public to provide the “eyes and ears” for the taxman if they suspect these firms are breaking the law and blighting shopping areas.

Ministers have beefed-up the Report Tax Fraud system making it even easier to raise the alarm if something doesn’t look right. Information can be submitted anonymously.

The Chancellor, walking down a high street in his South Yorkshire constituency, said: “The people who know best are those who live locally.”

He added: “If you think there is a particularly dodgy business that might be dodging tax, here’s a way you can report it directly.”

The public will be asked to give specific information they have observed such as suspicious activity, locations and timings to do with money laundering or any other attempts to defraud the taxman.

He added: “It’s a way for us to pick up leads that might help us deal with tax fraud and businesses that aren’t paying their way but are also some of those that might be blighting the high streets for the future.

“Too many high streets have been blighted by dodgy shops that harm local communities and undercut honest businesses.

“If you see something that doesn’t look right, like suspected tax fraud or money laundering, use HMRC’s fraud reporting service and help protect our high streets.”

HMRC are expected to carry out more than 30,000 interventions this year to tackle the issue as part of an enforcement blitz.

PM Andy Burnham this week said town centres had been hollowed out after decades of decline and that town halls will receive more powers over the firms that open.

The public can report tax fraud by clicking on this government link