SOME of Lancashire’s 15,800 self-employed people are being sent letters warning them over fraud.
HM Revenue and Customs has launched a crackdown on fraudulent tax credit claims, many of which are lodged by self-employed workers.
Hundreds of homes in Lancashire will get letters reminding people to stay on the right side of the law.
Failure by the self-employed to tell HMRC of a change in income can result in over-payment.
In some cases, that can lead to prosecutions for fraud.
David Gauke, from HMRC, said: “HMRC is determined to take a tough approach to targeting possible fraud among tax credit claimants.
“Last year, the government launched radical proposals to reduce the billions lost to tax credit error and fraud every year.”
Numbers of self-employed
Blackburn with Darwen 1,900
Blackpool 1,900
Burnley 900
Chorley 900
Fylde 700
Hyndburn 1,100
Lancaster 1,400
Pendle 1,100
Preston 1,300
Ribble Valley 700
Rossendale 700
South Ribble 1,000
West Lancashire 1,100
Wyre 1,200
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