HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) faces an increasing problem of older tax debts which are harder to collect, according to a spending watchdog.
The National Audit Office (NAO) said HMRC is facing increasing issues from debtors who do not engage with it.
Debt that was more than a year old and not covered by a payment plan increased from £5.3 billion before the coronavirus pandemic to £18.6 billion at the end of 2025-26, with cost-of-living pressures making it harder for some taxpayers to pay.
At the end of 2025-26,…