Many people would agree that the only thing worse than getting an incorrect tax demand is getting a refund only to be told, shortly after you have probably spent it, that you must pay it back. The dreaded brown envelopes are due to arrive on doormats across the country but despite this HMRC continue to shrug and insist that this is just how tax works.

Crystal Umbrella Services Ltd has gone into administration. On 28 October 2010 Asher Miller and Henry Lan, of David Rubin & Partners LLP were appointed as joint administrators. Crystal Umbrella Services Ltd has however, been bought by another company owned by its own parent group. Spokesmen for the company have been quick to say that they have done this as the group is ‘restructured

Unemployment had an unexpected dip in October suggesting that the job market may not be as damaged as people think. Employment also improved largely to an increase in self employed and part-time workers.

The government has recently reported that a standoff between trade unions and CBI have greatly hindered attempts to reform new employment legislation giving equal rights to 1.3 agency workers

How exactly have HMRC gotten into such trouble recently? It is widely agreed that the PAYE system is outdated and simply cannot cope with the complexities of modern work patterns.

Just weeks after the Revenue were scrutinised for their blunder over millions of incorrect PAYE bills they are under fresh pressure as MP’s launch an inquiry into HMRC’s effectiveness. This comes just days after they were warned to prepare for imminent job cuts.

Last week current Employment Minister Ed Davey announced that as of January next year any cases of employers found to be in breach of the current national minimum wage laws will be publicised.

Uncollected tax for the last financial year has risen to an estimated £42bn according to HMRC. This is £2bn more than early estimates suggested which means HMRC failed to bring in 9% of potential taxes.

A Skull discovered at Morecambe Bay during the summer this year has been confirmed as one of the 23 Chinese cockle-pickers who drowned there in 2004. The 23 cocklers were swept out to sea as they harvested cockles against a rising tide at Morecambe Bay

It has emerged that the HMRC computer system was telling people they were owed five-figure tax refunds. The error was initially spotted by chartered accountants Blick Rothenberg when they spotted a note on the self-assessment account of one of its clients which said a refund was due.