Revealed: the £45m computer helping HMRC extract £2bn from tax dodgers

HM Revenue and Customs have been able to extract £2bn from tax-dodgers through a new £45 super-computer, the Sun has reported.

The computer called “Connect” has helped HMRC officials to access “more data than the British Library”.

Created by Mike Hainey, it helps inspectors go through “a billion pieces of information” to crackdown on tax evaders.

Speaking about the new computer, treasury minister David Gauke said, “The vast majority of taxpayers are honest and end up paying more because of the small minority who don’t play by the rules.”

So far, the new computer has helped nail a maisonette address that is being used to submit bogus tax refund claims from 105 different people.

Another £1m was recovered from a scam where an 81-year-old roofer was claiming blind person’s allowance.