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Tax Penalty and Good Character

Posted: Fri Aug 16, 2024 5:12 pm
by amkay
Hello,

According to the below HO good character guidance document(link below - page 9), if someone has failed to pay taxes for which they were liable, they will not normally be considered to be of good character. Does it mean that if someone receives a tax penalty for not submitting the self-assessment tax form will not be considered a good character?

Also, are tax penalties one of the penalties that must be disclosed?

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.u ... racter.pdf

Re: Tax Penalty and Good Character

Posted: Fri Aug 16, 2024 6:16 pm
by contorted_svy
Any fixed penalty notice must be disclosed for citizenship, including those received from HMRC.

Have you received such a penalty? If so, have you made efforts to pay what you owed? Do you have other penalties or convictions?

One FPN alone for taxes you did pay in the end is unlikely to cause a rejection. A pattern of offences, or serious fraud, would be casting a more convincing doubt on good character.