No immunity from tax for vaccine avoidance scheme

Laura Miller
clock

A tax avoidance scheme which abused the reliefs offered for research into life-saving vaccines to claim back £77m in tax has been rejected again by a tribunal.

Investors in the scheme used a Jersey-registered limited partnership which claimed to be involved in creating and exploiting intellectual property from research into vaccines against diseases such as HIV, flu, Hepatitis A and Hepatitis B. The Vaccine Research Limited Partnership scheme, promoted by Matrix Structured Finance, sought to exploit a tax relief for spending on research and development (R&D) by claiming back all the tax due on an alleged investment of £114m and a first year trading loss of £193m. However, the Upper Tribunal has now backed an earlier First-tier Tribunal rulin...

To continue reading this article...

Join Professional Adviser for free

  • Unlimited access to real-time news, industry insights and market intelligence
  • Stay ahead of the curve with spotlights on emerging trends and technologies
  • Receive breaking news stories straight to your inbox in the daily newsletters
  • Make smart business decisions with the latest developments in regulation, investing retirement and protection
  • Members-only access to the editor’s weekly Friday commentary
  • Be the first to hear about our events and awards programmes

Join

 

Already a Professional Adviser member?

Login

More on Tax Planning

Reeves has 'huge opportunity' to reform taxes in Autumn Budget

Reeves has 'huge opportunity' to reform taxes in Autumn Budget

‘Frankly, it’s become quite desperate’

Isabel Baxter
clock 14 October 2025 • 4 min read
IHT on pensions changes slammed as 'unworkable' - PIMFA

IHT on pensions changes slammed as 'unworkable' - PIMFA

Risk creating serious problems for bereaved families, trade body warns

Isabel Baxter
clock 24 September 2025 • 4 min read
IHT receipts rise again to £3.7bn as Autumn Budget looms

IHT receipts rise again to £3.7bn as Autumn Budget looms

Up £190m year-on-year amid government’s ‘fiscal bind’

Isabel Baxter
clock 19 September 2025 • 4 min read