Worldwide Disclosure Facility – UK Tax Experts
The Worldwide Disclosure Facility is HMRC’s official route for taxpayers to disclose undeclared offshore income, assets, and gains. If you have foreign property, overseas bank accounts, or inherited wealth abroad, it is essential to regularise your tax affairs before HMRC approaches you. Voluntary disclosure through this facility reduces penalties, avoids prosecution, and provides peace of mind. At Lanop Business & Tax Advisors, we combine technical expertise with a personal approach, guiding you through every stage. Our experienced team ensures accurate disclosure, penalty mitigation, and full compliance with UK tax law. Protect your finances, act now.
Protect Your Interests with Voluntary HMRC Disclosures
- If you fail to come forth disclosing your assets can trouble you to take control over the inquiry process taking months and years. Moreover, HMRC is strict, issuing a nudge letter to taxpayer or investigating other aspects of your business tax, even with any existing issues. This is why Lanop Business and Tax Advisors will help you with voluntary disclosures of your offshore activities, assets, and income sources, getting timely reliefs from tax penalties and strengthening your compliance position in UK. Here’s how we can help with HMRC worldwide disclosure facility.
Potentially
Lower Penalties
- Whether prompted or voluntary disclosure under WDF, we make sure your penalties are reduced or waved off, minimizing financial impact and legal consequences.
Preventing HMRC Investigations
- With our proactively reporting of your offshore income, we assist reducing the risk of audits, tax disputes, and unexpected compliance checks from HMRC.
Long-Term
Compliance
- We ensure ongoing adherence to UK tax regulations, preventing future liabilities, penalties, and maintaining financial transparency for businesses and individuals.
WDF - Service Overview
Whether voluntary disclosure to HMRC worldwide disclosure facility and prompted disclosures, we assist with every aspect of disclosing your offshore income and assets to HMRC.
Initial disclosure of your offshore income to HMRC; investigation support and negotiations; and timely corrective actions on additional nodes with HMRC and legal.
We help businesses understand the disclosure process. From managing preparation, documentation, and submission to HMRC, we remove under or overpayments, for reduced risks.
Carefully review your HMRC nudge letter with our top-tier legal guidance. We help you take the appropriate steps and all essential disclosure steps to avoid severe penalties.
We maximize savings on any possible deductions and reduce your penalties.
We help you avoid the risk of HMRC audits and inaccurate filings to effectively eradicate errors with top-tier penalty mitigation.
Detailed reviews, analysis, and assessment of tax history and financial documentation.
Prepare accurate documentation, manage correspondence and negotiate settlements
Round-the-clock advisory services, even after settling asset disputes with HMRC.
Who We Help
- Individuals with undeclared offshore income or foreign property
- UK expats managing overseas assets and bank accounts
- High-net-worth individuals with trusts or complex portfolios
- Business owners with cross-border investments and overseas branches
Why the Worldwide Disclosure Facility is Essential for Offshore Tax Compliance
If you’ve got overseas income or assets that haven’t been declared, now’s the time to deal with it, before HMRC does it for you. They’re no longer relying on guesswork. Thanks to global data-sharing agreements, they’re getting detailed financial information from over a hundred countries. That means things like foreign bank accounts, rental income from properties abroad, or old investment gains are now much easier for them to spot.
Challenges Clients Face
- Fear of large HMRC penalties
- Worry about criminal investigation
- Confusion over disclosure forms and deadlines
- Concerns about confidentiality and reputational risk
- Lack of clarity on how many years back disclosure goes
How Lanop Guides You Through the HMRC Worldwide Disclosure Facility
Going through the HMRC Worldwide Disclosure Facility can seem overwhelming at first. There’s paperwork, deadlines, and the fear of getting it wrong, but with the right support, it doesn’t have to be that way. At Lanop, we start by having a completely confidential conversation with you. It’s a no-pressure space where you can talk openly about your offshore income and assets, and we’ll walk you through what needs to happen next.
Once we understand your position, we move forward in clear, manageable steps. The first thing we do is carry out a full tax review to work out exactly what’s owed. That includes checking if any double-taxation agreements apply, and in some cases, they can reduce the amount due quite a bit. From there, we take care of preparing the official Worldwide Disclosure Facility forms, making sure everything is accurate and in line with what HMRC expects. Mistakes or missing information can hold things up or even raise red flags, and our job is to make sure that doesn’t happen.
How Lanop Helps
- Fixed-fee packages tailored to complexity
- Negotiation with HMRC to reduce penalties
- End-to-end support until disclosure is resolved
- Thorough review of your offshore assets and income
- Accurate preparation of Worldwide Disclosure Facility forms
The Risks of Delay and the Benefits of Voluntary Disclosure with HMRC
Many people delay disclosure, hoping HMRC will not notice their offshore assets. This is a dangerous assumption. With the Common Reporting Standard (CRS), banks and tax authorities worldwide automatically share account details with HMRC. Waiting increases the risk that HMRC will approach you first, leading to harsher treatment.
The Worldwide Disclosure Facility HMRC can go back up to 20 years, depending on whether HMRC believes the omission was deliberate. This means even long-forgotten accounts or inherited overseas property could trigger liability. Acting voluntarily allows you to limit the damage.
The benefits of timely disclosure include:
- Lower penalties compared to enforced discovery
- Reduced stress and faster resolution
- Protection of your reputation and financial standing
Lanop makes the process simple. We explain exactly what HMRC expects, help you gather documentation, and prepare the disclosure to a standard that HMRC accepts. With our guidance, clients achieve closure without unnecessary costs or risks.
The message is clear: the longer you wait, the greater the danger. By using the HMRC voluntary disclosure route today, you take back control of your finances. With Lanop’s expertise, you will have trusted advisors by your side, ensuring your disclosure is managed with care, professionalism, and complete confidentiality.
Award Winning Accountancy Firm in the UK
Our Identity
Integrity, honesty, and dedication are the core values at Lanop Business & Tax Advisors. Since launching our first Putney office in 2010, we’ve grown into a fully digital, UK‑based accounting and tax advisory firm that blends expert compliance with forward‑looking guidance and business strategy.
Our team of specialized chartered tax advisors and accountants delivers a full spectrum of services including tax planning, bookkeeping, VAT, payroll, and virtual finance director support all designed to help you manage your business more efficiently and confidently.
We believe accounting is more than numbers it’s about empowering your journey through modern finance. That means applying strategic insight, breaking down complex financial processes, and acting as your trusted partner not just submitting filings.
Put simply, Lanop Business & Tax Advisors is more than an accounting firm we are your strategic ally, dedicated to guiding your financial success with integrity, precision,
FAQ
Accountants for Worldwide Disclosure Facility
What is the Worldwide Disclosure Facility?
The Worldwide Disclosure Facility (WDF) is HMRC’s scheme that allows UK taxpayers to voluntarily declare undeclared offshore income, gains, or assets. It offers a chance to regularise tax affairs and usually results in reduced penalties compared to enforced discovery.
Who should use it?
Anyone with UK tax liabilities connected to overseas income, property, bank accounts, or investments should consider using the WDF. It is also relevant for expats, high-net-worth individuals, and families inheriting wealth from abroad.
How far back does HMRC go?
HMRC can investigate up to 20 years of offshore income or asset history. The number of years depends on whether the omission was accidental, careless, or deliberate, which is why professional advice is critical.
What are the penalties?
Penalties under the WDF vary depending on circumstances but can be as high as 200% of the unpaid tax if HMRC discovers the issue before disclosure. Voluntary disclosure usually reduces penalties and avoids harsher consequences.
Will I be prosecuted?
In most voluntary disclosure cases, prosecution is avoided as HMRC recognises your cooperation. However, serious or deliberate tax evasion can still lead to investigation, making professional guidance important for protection.
Is disclosure confidential?
Yes, the disclosure remains private between you, HMRC, and your advisor. At Lanop, we prioritise confidentiality and ensure that sensitive financial information is handled with the utmost care.
How long does it take?
The WDF process generally takes between three to six months, depending on complexity and the quality of documentation. Lanop works efficiently to minimise delays and ensure timely resolution.
Can I disclose jointly with my spouse?
Yes, joint disclosures are possible if both spouses have undeclared offshore income or assets. We ensure that both parties’ liabilities are calculated accurately and disclosed properly.
Do I need an accountant?
Although you can attempt disclosure yourself, errors or incomplete submissions can lead to higher penalties. An experienced tax advisor ensures accuracy, reduces risk, and handles negotiations with HMRC effectively.
What documents are required?
Commonly required documents include bank statements, investment records, rental income details, and inheritance documents. Lanop provides a clear checklist and supports you in gathering the correct information.
