HMRC signs first TV sponsorship deal

HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) has signed its first sponsorship deal in a bid to encourage small businesses to improve their record-keeping.

HM Revenue and Customs
HM Revenue and Customs advert

The HRMC is to sponsor The Business Inspector, a four-part series to be broadcast on Five from 17 March.

Stephen Banyard, business customer unit director at HMRC, says it hopes the show will raise awareness of the importance of good record keeping.

“We know small businesses want to get their tax right. But we also know failure to take reasonable care costs the Exchequer over £6bn a year, with a major cause being poor record keeping,” he says.

Recent HMRC activity includes educative campaigns aimed at demystifying the tax return process that used the strapline “tax needn’t be taxing”.

The weekly series is presented by entrepreneur and star of Channel 4’s Secret Millionaire Hilary Devey who is chief executive and chairman of The Pall-Ex Group.

HMRC is co-producing the series with Five and Optomen Television.