3.9 people in Yorkshire pay £602 million in unnecessary tax (consumer)

More than eight out of ten (83%) taxpayers in Yorkshire will waste a staggering £602 million in tax in 2006, amounting to £154 per adult, according to top findings from the fourteenth annual TaxAction* investigation, commissioned by IFA Promotion.

IFA Promotion, the organisation promoting the benefits of Independent Financial Advice, surveyed people in Yorkshire on their attitudes to tax and found more than three quarters (78%) have seen their tax burden rise over the last year; however the majority (77%) is doing nothing about it.

The research also found that the three most resented taxes in Yorkshire are:-

• Petrol duty
• TV licencse fee of £121
• Income tax
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But with £154 being thrown back at the tax man through poor planning, much of this resentment could be eliminated, and for many just a few simple measures could help stamp out a great deal of the wastage, says IFAP, which has launched a website to help people to stop squandering tax: www.taketaxaction.co.uk.

David Elms, Chief Executive of IFA Promotion, said, “The overwhelming confusion about how to make  the most of tax breaks, credits and reliefs has resulted in the majority of people in Yorkshire squandering too much of their hard-earned cash unnecessarily.  No one likes paying tax, yet too few people do anything about it.  Sitting down with an independent financial adviser is a great place to start.”