The number of property raids carried out by the taxman has fallen by 30% in a year as HM Revenue & Customs uses more sophisticated methods to gather evidence of evasion.
HMRC officers raided 471 properties in the 12 months to April, compared with 669 a year earlier, according to figures obtained following a freedom of information request.
Experts attributed the drop to the increased use of artificial intelligence (AI) and the expansion of HMRC’s “Connect” computer program, which is used to catch tax cheats.
HMRC launched Connect eight years ago. It can sift vast quantities of information and extra data is incorporated every year.
Algorithms can identify inconsistencies between data submitted by individuals and information from the Land Registry, credit card statements, overseas accounts