Overview

• The Direct Recovery of Debts programme, paused during the pandemic, has been reactivated in a controlled "test and learn" phase.
• The power applies to established tax debts of £1,000 or more and can draw funds from bank accounts, including cash ISAs.
• Safeguards include leaving at least £5,000 across accounts, acting only after appeal periods and ignored contact, and an automatic right to appeal disputed sums.
• Officials say the measure targets those who can afford to pay but refuse, while advisers urge struggling taxpayers to seek "time to pay" instalment plans.
• Recent figures cite £42.8bn in unpaid tax, with £630m allocated to strengthen recovery efforts and 2,400 additional debt management staff hired.