Chancellor of the Exchequer John Healey has granted HMRC new powers to raid couples’ joint bank accounts to claim unpaid taxes, meaning tax authorities will be able to take money directly from a joint account to pay for one partner’s tax debts, with no guarantee that a minimum amount will be left in the account. But some tax experts have argued that this could leave vulnerable women in financially coercive or abusive situations more at risk.
Mother-of-two Nicola Jaques MBE, 40, was impacted by her ex-husband’s secret gambling addiction, which saw bets being placed using their joint account. She now works for Beacon Counselling Trust (BCT), a gambling and mental health charity that supports people and families affected…