Philip .

I started by filing away documents. Now I investigate complex fraud.

In 2014 I was under threat of redundancy so moved cities and joined a different government department to secure a job. That big change gave me the confidence I needed to realise I could accomplish a lot more than I originally thought possible and I've been promoted four times since then to what I think is the best job in HMRC; carrying out civil investigations of serious and complex tax fraud. I started my career at the bottom of the ladder in terms of Civil Service grades and have now reached a senior level which is genuinely something I never imagined accomplishing when I first joined the Civil Service in 2008. I've worked for three different government departments covering social security administration at DWP, a decision maker at the Home Office on Human Rights applications to remain in the UK, and since 2016, in tax compliance roles at HMRC. When I applied to join HMRC in tax compliance my intentions were solely about gaining another promotion and the additional pay that came with it. I knew next to nothing about tax. Luckily for me, I discovered quite early on from joining the department that I was actually quite good at the job but most importantly, I really enjoyed it. I inadvertently found out I already had lots of the skills required to succeed and started to carve out a career for myself. Ever since I joined HMRC I was always fascinated by the work of its Fraud Investigation Service (FIS) and I made it my goal to join them by developing my skills and experience. In 2019 I was promoted again and joined FIS as a Civil Investigator. In early 2022 I was promoted into my current role as a G7 Civil Investigator. I can't see myself ever wanting to work anywhere else.

I investigate serious and complex tax fraud

As a Civil Investigator in HMRC's Fraud Investigation Service I am responsible for carrying out investigations into any fraud across all taxes and duties that HMRC are responsible for. The day-to-day duties of the role and wide ranging and cover the following areas: Reviewing suspected fraud referrals from compliance teams across HMRC Carrying out background checks on individuals, companies and other entities involved in suspected frauds Studying legislation, case law, policy and guidance to develop my understanding of technical areas. Reviewing business records such as bank statements, company accounts and invoices to identify anomalies and areas to pursue Developing professional relationships with customers and their representatives who tend to be senior tax professionals at well-known accountancy firms such as tax partners or directors Interviewing those people suspected of fraud to obtain facts and information from them Applying for the tax equivalent of a court order by presenting applications to judges at the Tax Tribunal to obtain information and documents from third parties such as banks Using my negotiating and influencing skills to bring investigations towards a mutual settlement Issuing a wide range of tax assessments and penalties where settlement hasn't been possible. Attending the Tax Tribunal as a witness where customers appeal decisions I make In addition to the day-to-day duties, I also regularly work with colleagues in other parts of HMRC to progress my investigations, such as: Criminal investigators to develop cases for criminal action Economic Crime teams to obtain restraint or freezing orders where assets may be dissipated Policy teams to obtain advice on technical areas Risk and Intelligence Service to obtain information and documents from offshore tax jurisdictions Solicitors and Legal Services where customers request a review of, or appeal decisions I have made. As a senior investigator I am also responsible for mentoring and developing the knowledge of colleagues on HMRC's graduate programme, called the Tax Specialist Programme, and colleagues at grades below my own. Senior investigators also tend to have carved out a niche for themselves within their role; a specialist in a particular area that colleagues will refer to for advice on that subject. My own is around the use of HMRC's Information and Inspection powers and I deliver training to FIS colleagues on how to use them in investigations.

Each day is different from the last

Because I investigate suspected fraud involving any tax HMRC are responsible for, which could involve any types of entity such as individuals, companies, even charities, it means variety is a huge part of the job. One day I'm preparing an application to the Tax Tribunal to obtain approval to request statements from a bank, the next I'm sat across the table from somebody I've accused of fraud seeking to gain as much information from them as possible. It is fascinating to understand, unravel and then prove to the required evidential standard, how someone has committed fraud, how much they benefitted by, where the money was hidden, what it was spent on etc. In addition to that, the part of FIS I work in allows a great deal of freedom and flexibility in how I work. My standard working week is 37 hours but I can choose to work more or less than that depending on the balance of my flexible working hours scheme. Depending on whether I have any meetings planned I can also work those hours as I like. I could work 7am to 10am and take a break for a couple of hours to run some errands and then return at 12 and carry on with my day. Because of my experience I also have the freedom to decide how I will carry out an investigation and develop my own strategy for each case (all with my manager's awareness of course!). The most rewarding part of the job is bringing money into the public purse to fund the UK's vital public services. When I've managed to obtain that money from somebody who has been committing fraud it feels extra rewarding; knowing that money isn't funding someone's lavish lifestyle anymore but goes to our hospitals, police, schools and every other area which needs it to allow society to properly function.

You will find the job that is perfect for you

I wouldn't describe the first half of my Civil Service job history as a career, more a means to an end. Until I joined HMRC I had no idea what I wanted from a job and what motivated me, and I expected that to continue for years to come. It was only when I started my first tax compliance role that I quickly learned that I found the job very interesting and that I was good at it; the perfect combination. Without realising it I had developed a lot of the skills and attributes which you need in this type of role from some of my previous jobs; a keen eye for detail, instinctively examining the little things which don't seem quite right, and most importantly, being very, very nosy! What I did learn from my earlier Civil Service career was that if I wanted to reach the more senior grades that nobody was going to carry me on their shoulders to get me there and I needed to seek out my own opportunities to develop my skills and experience. I knew the limitations of my earlier roles in terms of developing my skills and realised I needed to work a variety of roles to gain that wide ranging experience. I moved initially from a wholly admin role to a decision making role and the skills I learned there still stand me in good stead today. I then moved to a junior manager role to gain some valuable leadership experience and improve my confidence. Therefore, my biggest advice would be if you've got a role or career in mind don't be afraid to move around into different roles and different departments. You will be exposed to different types of work and gain wider experience and along the way you may find that perfect combination of interesting work and being good at it too. Once you've found something like that, you know where your career likely lies. Also, ask for career help from those who've been around the block. Seek out a mentor or resources such as this to guide you on your career path and advise you if you feel you need that help.

Two years of hard work which led to a judge's commendation

Over two years I had been working on an investigation which involved around 30 entities suspected of a large, complex fraud. My work started from the very bottom; understanding who was involved, what businesses they were involved in, the assets they owned, the lifestyles they were living and most importantly, how much income they were receiving that I could charge tax on. I spent the best part of 12 months carrying out wide ranging research on these issues using HMRC and open-source systems. I then brought three Tax Specialist Programme colleagues into the investigation to convert that very jumbled research into something coherent which I could present to a judge to obtain their approval to obtain statements for dozens of bank accounts which the entities controlled. The exposure my colleagues had on this work led to one of them streaming into the Fraud Investigation Service to continue their future career as a Civil Investigator. After almost two years I presented my application to the judge and answered their questions for four hours before they approved everything I was applying for. The evidence I obtained from the banks was crucial in proving my case and I identified around £1million of tax at risk. Whilst that was incredibly satisfying, my proudest moment was receiving a commendation from the judge for the quality of the application. I also used examples of the work I'd done on this investigation as part of my job application for my current role as a G7 Civil Investigator, showing those on the panel I was capable of leading some of the most serious and complex investigations anywhere in HMRC.