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Disguised remuneration tax avoidance schemes

Find out how to recognise disguised remuneration tax avoidance schemes and settle your tax affairs with HMRC.

Updates to this page

From:
HM Revenue & Customs
Published:
7 November 2017
Last updated:
26 November 2025
Show all updates

  1. Page updated after publication of government response to the independent loan charge review in the Autumn Budget 2025.

  2. Page updated to reflect the recent publication by the government of the terms of reference for the new independent review of the Loan Charge.

  3. Page updated to reflect government's announcement that there will be a further independent review of the loan charge.

  4. Disguised remuneration: tax avoidance by selling future business revenues to a revenue service trust (Spotlight 57) added to the collection.

  5. The guidance 'Apply for a refund or waiver from the Disguised Remuneration Loan Charge Scheme 2020' has been added to the page.

  6. First published.

The government has published its response to the independent loan charge review in the Budget 2025. 

HMRC is reviewing what this means for customers and you can find the latest update here.

Disguised remuneration tax avoidance schemes aim to avoid paying Income Tax and National Insurance contributions by paying part or all of your pay as a:

  • loan
  • salary advance
  • grant
  • annuity

These payments are claimed to be non-taxable, often without explanation.

Settlement terms

The 2020 settlement terms allow you to settle your use of a disguised remuneration scheme.

Issue briefing

Guidance

Find out more on how to settle your tax affairs, and how to report and pay the disguised remuneration loan charge.

Identifying tax avoidance schemes

You can also find out more information in tax avoidance — don’t get caught out and tax avoidance schemes currently in the spotlight.

Changes to the loan charge

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