BCG faces HMRC tax probe in consulting sector crackdown

Boston Consulting Group (BCG) is the latest professional services firm to be scrutinised by HMRC over its partnership structure and tax calculations for senior staff. The tax authority is conducting an inquiry into how the consulting group determines whether its partners are technically self-employed or employees for income tax and national insurance contribution (NIC) purposes, according to BCG s recent Companies House filings. The consulting firm, which employs around 33,500 people globally, said in the filings it had hired external legal counsel to help examine its approach to the so-called salaried members rules, which apply to all firms that follow the LLP structure. The matter is under discussion, and the partnership has engaged external legal counsel who has affirmed the partnership s position on the matter, the filings said. The consulting group added in the filings that if HMRC s position were ultimately upheld, the partnership could become liable for additional