Skip to content 
Specialist support for HMRC decisions, penalties and tax disputes
Tax Appeals and Disputes
If you disagree with an HMRC decision, penalty or assessment, the way you respond matters. We help individuals, landlords, directors and businesses challenge HMRC decisions through the right route, whether that means a statutory review, Alternative Dispute Resolution, a tax tribunal appeal or a wider dispute-resolution strategy.
- Support with penalty appeals and disputed HMRC decisions
- Advice on statutory review, ADR and tax tribunal routes
- Advice on statutory review, ADR and tax tribunal routes
- Online, phone and in-person appointments across the UK
Book a Consultation for Tax Appeals & Disputes
Most tax disputes start with a letter, deadline or penalty
When You Need Help with a Tax Appeal or Dispute
Penalty Appeals
Late filing, late payment and other penalties are often challengeable, especially where the facts have not been fully considered.
Incorrect HMRC Decisions
If HMRC has made a decision you believe is wrong, you may be able to challenge it by review, appeal or dispute resolution..
Disputed Assessments
An assessment may be excessive, technically wrong or based on assumptions that need to be challenged properly.
Review Deadlines
Appeal windows are often short, and delay can make it harder to keep your options open.
Evidence Problems
Many disputes turn on records, explanations and timing rather than the headline issue alone.
Tribunal Risk
If agreement cannot be reached with HMRC, the matter may need to move toward formal appeal proceedings.
Different disputes need different routes
How Our HMRC Appeal Service Helps
Not every tax dispute should go straight to tribunal. In many cases the best approach is to review the decision, identify the strongest arguments, test whether HMRC will change position and choose the most effective route before costs and disruption increase. HMRC’s own process recognises several routes, including statutory review, Alternative Dispute Resolution, and the First-tier Tribunal.
Case Review and Strategy
We review the decision, penalty or assessment and identify the strongest technical and procedural points before a challenge is made.
Statutory Review
Where appropriate, we prepare and manage the internal HMRC review process so the matter is examined by another officer.
ADR Support
Alternative Dispute Resolution can help narrow issues and resolve some disputes without the time and cost of tribunal.
Tribunal Preparation
Where tribunal is needed, we help prepare evidence, submissions, timelines and procedural steps.
Penalty Mitigation
Where some tax remains due, we focus on reducing unnecessary penalties by improving the handling of the case.
Payment and Time to Pay
We advise on whether payment can be delayed during appeal and whether practical payment arrangements should be explored.
The best route depends on the facts, deadlines and the type of HMRC decision
Which Tax Dispute Route Is Right for You?
A good dispute strategy is not about escalating everything immediately. It is about choosing the route that gives you the best chance of resolving the issue fairly, efficiently and at proportionate cost.
01
Statutory Review
Often the first formal route where HMRC reconsiders a decision internally through a different officer.
02
Alternative Dispute Resolution
Useful where communication has broken down or facts and interpretation need structured discussion with a mediator.
03
Tax Tribunal Appeal
Appropriate where HMRC still refuses to change position and the case needs independent determination.
04
Complaint and Escalation
Some issues involve process, fairness or poor handling by HMRC rather than only the tax point itself
Early appeal strategy often shapes the outcome
Why Tax Appeal Advice Matters
The quality of the first response often affects everything that follows. A rushed appeal, weak explanation or missed deadline can narrow your options quickly. Good advice helps you preserve the strongest grounds, respond within time and present the dispute clearly from the outset.
Protect the Grounds
A strong appeal depends on identifying the right technical and factual grounds early.
Meet the Deadline
HMRC challenge windows are often short, and delay can weaken your position.
Reduce Escalation
The right route can resolve some disputes earlier and at lower cost than immediate formal litigation.
Support for individuals and businesses across the UK
Who Our Tax Appeals Service Helps
We support both personal and business clients where HMRC decisions, penalties or assessments need to be challenged properly. The facts may differ, but the same principles apply: protect the position, understand the process and choose the right route.
Individuals and Landlords
Support with personal tax penalties, Self Assessment disputes, rental income issues and related HMRC decisions.
Directors and Owner-Managers
Help where personal and business tax issues overlap, including PAYE, dividends and company-related disputes.
Companies and Employers
Representation in Corporation Tax, VAT, PAYE and broader business tax disputes.
Advisers and Referrals
Support where a second opinion, specialist dispute input or tribunal strategy is needed.
Flexible support across the UK
Speak Online, by Phone or In Person
We offer flexible appointments for tax appeals and disputes across the UK. You can speak to a specialist UK tax advisor online, by phone or in person, depending on urgency, complexity and how you prefer to work.
Get early guidance quickly where a deadline is close or HMRC has just issued a decision.
Arrange a face-to-face appointment where the dispute is sensitive or more detailed discussion is needed.
Send the HMRC letter or decision notice and we will advise on the most appropriate next step.
Appointments available online, by phone, and in Birmingham, Manchester and London.
Trusted support in difficult HMRC disputes
What Clients Say About Our Tax Appeals Support
Clients come to us when they need calm, structured advice in stressful circumstances. They value clear strategy, careful handling and the confidence that deadlines, evidence and dispute routes are being managed properly.
I needed urgent tax investigation advice after HMRC opened a check into our VAT position, and the team handled it exceptionally well. They explained the process clearly, dealt with HMRC professionally and gave me confidence that the matter was being managed by experienced tax investigation accountants who understood exactly what was at stake.
Daniel Wainwright
Building Contractor
I contacted Tax Accountant when I received an HMRC letter and needed a tax investigation specialist to review my position properly. Their support was calm, thorough and highly professional from the start. If you need a reliable tax investigation service, I would not hesitate to recommend them.
Charlotte Pembroke
Interior Designer
Your Questions - Our Answers
Common Questions About Tax Appeals and Disputes
How can I appeal an HMRC decision?
If you disagree with an HMRC decision, you will usually need to challenge it within 30 days of the date on the decision letter. In many cases you can ask HMRC for a review or appeal to the tribunal, depending on the decision and the route available. The right approach depends on the type of tax involved, the wording of the decision and whether there is enough evidence to challenge HMRC’s position effectively.
What deadlines apply to tax appeals?
HMRC generally gives you 30 days from the decision letter to challenge a decision or penalty. If you ask for a review and still disagree afterwards, you will usually have another 30 days from the review conclusion to appeal to the tribunal. Missing a deadline does not always end the matter, but late appeals are harder and usually need a reasonable excuse.
What is Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) with HMRC?
Alternative Dispute Resolution, or ADR, is a process that uses an independent HMRC mediator who has not been involved in the case to help both sides discuss the dispute and try to narrow or resolve it. It does not replace legal rights, but it can be faster and less expensive than going straight to tribunal in the right case.
What happens at a tax tribunal hearing?
If a dispute is not resolved by review or ADR, it may proceed to the First-tier Tribunal (Tax Chamber). The tribunal considers the evidence and arguments from both sides before making an independent decision. Preparation matters because the strength of the documents, the clarity of the appeal grounds and the handling of facts can materially affect the outcome.
Can I delay payment while my appeal is in process?
Whether payment can be delayed depends on the type of tax and the route being used. In some direct tax cases payment may be postponed while the dispute is ongoing, but the position is different in other taxes and in hardship situations. This is one of the reasons appeal strategy should be reviewed early, especially where the amount in dispute is significant.
Can a tax advisor help with tax penalties?
Yes. A tax advisor can help assess whether a penalty is appealable, whether a reasonable excuse exists, and whether the facts or behaviour have been categorised correctly by HMRC. Penalty disputes often turn on detail, timing and evidence rather than only the amount charged.
What is a statutory review by HMRC?
A statutory review is an internal HMRC review carried out by a different officer from the one who made the original decision. It gives HMRC a chance to reconsider the matter before the dispute moves to tribunal. In the right case, it can resolve the issue earlier and more cheaply than formal proceedings.
Do you handle both personal and business tax disputes?
Yes. Tax appeals and disputes can arise in both personal and business tax matters, including Self Assessment, Corporation Tax, VAT, PAYE and penalty cases. The right strategy depends on the tax involved, the facts under review and the route available to challenge HMRC’s position.