Key facts
- HMRC can recover a debt directly from a bank account if it is over £1,000, The Independent reported.
- HMRC can take money from a couple's joint account to pay one partner's tax debt, per the report.
- The report said there is no plan to leave a minimum balance in an account after a deduction.
- The government cited a tailored affordability assessment, a right to appeal and a 28-day notice period as safeguards.
HM Revenue & Customs will be able to order banks to take regular deductions from a person's current account to recover overdue tax, under powers reported by The Independent on November 5, 2026. The report said the tax authority could recover a debt directly from a bank account if it is over £1,000.
The powers extend to joint accounts. HMRC will be able to take money from a couple's joint account to pay one partner's tax debt where no sole account is accessible, and it will not recognise how much the partner who does not owe tax has contributed.
The government has said it will only consider joint accounts if there was no viable sole account, and that where HMRC holds the necessary information it will notify the non-debtor before any deduction and provide an opportunity to object. A tailored affordability assessment, a right to appeal and a 28-day notice period are among the safeguards cited.
The report said there is no plan to leave a minimum amount in an account, which it said raises concern that some people could be left without enough to pay rent, mortgages or utility bills. The government said it did not think a minimum account balance was a necessary safeguard because other measures would provide enough protection.
The report did not state when the powers take effect or the maximum debt HMRC can pursue.