COP9 Disclosures
COP9 investigations are some of the most serious tax enquiries HMRC can launch, and they are always stressful for the individuals involved.
When accountants give bad advice on how to handle a COP9 disclosure, the situation can quickly worsen, leaving clients exposed to harsher penalties or even criminal investigation.
You can call or email us directly to schedule an appointment with one of our tax experts. In preparation for this meeting we recommend that you upload your documents through our client portal.
All communications are treated in the strictest of confidence and are not shared with HMRC or your financial representative, unless express written permission is granted by yourself.
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How Bad COP9 Advice Happens
The COP9 process, through the Contractual Disclosure Facility (CDF), gives taxpayers the opportunity to admit deliberate tax irregularities in exchange for immunity from prosecution. Accountants often get this process wrong by:
- Advising clients to ignore or delay responding to HMRC’s COP9 offer.
- Failing to explain the risks of non-cooperation.
- Preparing incomplete or inaccurate disclosures.
- Advising against disclosure when it was the safest option.
- Lacking the specialist knowledge needed to handle complex investigations.
Bad advice in this context can be disastrous, since HMRC is dealing with suspected deliberate fraud.
What’s at Risk The risks of poor COP9 advice are extremely serious:
- Loss of immunity from prosecution, leading to possible criminal charges.
- Substantial financial penalties, often higher than in other investigations.
- Backdated tax liabilities, covering many years of undeclared income.
- Damage to reputation, both personally and professionally.
- Emotional stress, as the process is intrusive and can drag on for years if mishandled.
When accountants get it wrong, it is the client who suffers the consequences.
How We Help
At Tax Investigation Helpline, we have the specialist expertise required to handle COP9 disclosures correctly. We provide:
- Independent assessment: We review your case and identify where poor advice has caused problems.
- HMRC representation: We take over all communications with HMRC, ensuring your rights are protected.
- Disclosure preparation: We prepare full and accurate disclosures to secure the best possible outcome.
- Negotiation: We work to reduce penalties and bring the matter to a swift conclusion.
- Accountability: We help you take action against negligent accountants who failed to support you properly.
Our goal is always to protect you from unnecessary risk and achieve the most favourable resolution possible.
Common Issues We See Some of the most frequent problems caused by poor COP9 advice include:
- Accountants encouraging clients to deny wrongdoing despite strong HMRC evidence.
- Incomplete disclosures that worsen penalties.
- Missed deadlines leading to escalation of HMRC action.
- Advising clients to handle HMRC directly without specialist representation.
- Accountants lacking experience but still attempting to manage COP9 cases.
These errors can make an already difficult process much more dangerous.
Don’t Let Bad Advice Put You at Risk If you’ve been misadvised on a COP9 disclosure, the consequences can feel overwhelming. You may face the possibility of prosecution or financial ruin because of your accountant’s mistakes. But you don’t have to face this alone.
At Tax Investigation Helpline, we’ve helped many clients recover from poor COP9 advice. With our expertise, you can reduce penalties, secure immunity from prosecution, and pursue accountability from negligent advisors.
Contact Us Today
If HMRC has contacted you under COP9, or if your accountant has given you bad advice during a disclosure, call Tax Investigation Helpline today. We’ll take control of your case, defend your position, and ensure you are not left paying the price for poor guidance.
