HMRC, IRS Spotlight Partnership in Tax Fraud Rewards Programme
HMRC and IRS are collaborating to ensure HMRC’s Strengthened Tax Reward Scheme effectively combats serious tax avoidance and evasion, providing opportunities for whistleblowers.
On October 7, the Internal Revenue Service released a news article highlighting “its partnership with the United Kingdom’s whistleblower program, which . . . reinforces efforts to identify global tax evasion and strengthen cross-border compliance.” The announcement is welcome news for whistleblowers (referred to as informants under HMRC’s Programme) with information of serious tax avoidance and evasion involving high net worth individuals and large businesses.
HMRC launched its Strengthened Reward Scheme in November 2025 as part of a broader crackdown on economic crime in the United Kingdom that aims to close the UK’s multi-billion-pound tax gap. Under the Programme, eligible individuals that report information about serious tax avoidance and evasion that results in HMRC collecting at least £1.5 million in tax are entitled to a discretionary 15%-30% award.
HMRC’s Programme is modeled on the successful IRS Whistleblower Program in the United States, which has recovered over $8 billion in defrauded funds and paid over $1.4 billion in whistleblower awards since its inception in 2007. To that end, HMRC’s Programme incorporates key elements from the IRS Whistleblower Program, including a threshold for awards; a clear award range; no monetary caps on awards; and fostering a public/private partnership. Indeed, in the IRS article HMRC Chief Executive JP Marks emphasized the “close collaboration between” the two organizations as well as HMRC’s recognition of “the important role that informants play in helping protect the integrity of our tax systems.”
The IRS article coincided with HMRC and IRS officials appearing on a panel at The Anti-Fraud Coalition’s 26th Annual Conference to discuss their respective programs, commitment to working with whistleblowers to combat tax fraud, and close working relationship. Getnick Law partner Margaret Finerty—a lead attorney in the historic $263 million IRS tax fraud recovery from an individual taxpayer and who has played an instrumental role in advocating for and educating others about HMRC’s Programme—participated on the panel and educated listeners on recent tax court cases pertaining to the IRS Whistleblower Program.
The IRS article is a welcome confirmation that HMRC has set up its tax fraud rewards programme for success and an open invitation for whistleblowers with information regarding serious tax avoidance and evasion in the United Kingdom to come forward.
Getnick Law has worked for decades with knowledgeable individuals both domestically and internationally to assist them in reporting tax fraud. If you have information regarding a large tax avoidance or evasion scheme that impacts taxes owed to the United Kingdom or the United States, fill out our contact form or call us at (212) 376-5666.