
Holly Willoughby's media company owes £377,000 in tax, court hears
Roxy Media, the media production and management firm once run by the TV presenter and her husband, Dan Baldwin, was issued with a winding-up order earlier this year, according to court filings.
The order means that His Majesty's Revenue & Customs (HMRC) could seek to shut down the business over unpaid taxes.
An HMRC spokeswoman previously said: 'We take a supportive approach to dealing with customers who have tax debts and only file winding-up petitions once we've exhausted all other options, in order to protect taxpayers' money.'
Ms Willoughby did not attend the short hearing on Wednesday, where Chief Insolvency and Companies Court Judge Briggs approved a 12-week adjournment.
Roxy Media must pay by then the £377,000, which has been reduced from an unknown amount.
In response to a request from HMRC to adjourn the hearing, Judge Briggs said: 'OK, that's fine, you have until July 9.'
The former This Morning host set up the company with her husband to specialise in managing media clients.
She recently paid tribute to another show she presented, Dancing On Ice, after the series was 'rested' with 'no current plans for another series', an ITV spokesman said last month.
Ms Willoughby began presenting the ice skating show in 2006, alongside Phillip Schofield, who resigned from ITV in 2023.

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Daily Mirror
43 minutes ago
- Daily Mirror
Martin Lewis says those aged between 18 and 39 should do this 'ASAP'
The financial expert said it could earn you thousands Money-saving expert Martin Lewis is sending out an urgent call to action for all 18 to 39-year-olds. The financial expert has highlighted that starting with a modest £1 could help you unlock significant amounts of cash, reports Lancs Live. On the subject of lifetime ISAs (LISAs), Mr Lewis broke down how these tax-free nest eggs work wonders by offering a hefty 25 per cent bonus for first-time homebuyers or retirement savers. Mr Lewis explained: "If you're aged 18 to 39 and you've never owned a house, then get a pound in a lifetime ISA now, assuming you don't already have one. "A lifetime ISA is a savings product where you can save up to £4,000 a year, and the state adds 25 per cent on top towards a qualifying first home. But there's a rule that says it has to have been open a year before you can get that bonus." The finance guru underscored the value of this scheme, stating: "Now that bonus is worth up to a grand a year for you, so you want to have the facility. And just putting a pound in now, even if you're not ready to use it, means when you are ready to use it, the clock will have been ticking." With eye on the future benefits, he added, "You would have had it open a year, so you're perfectly eligible to suddenly go and get the bonus when you want. "In fact, parents, on your kid's 18th birthday, why not get them a LISA and put a pound in it? "The LISA has its pros and it has its cons. There are some holes in it, and I'll go through those all in detail in the podcast. But it's absolutely worth making sure you have the facility to have a LISA set up and running as quickly as possible. And if it all goes wrong, the worst that can happen is you have to pay a 6p fine to take your one pound out at the end. I think it's worth it." READ MORE: 'That's insane' - American woman left utterly bamboozled trying to eat 'the European way' The small print There are certain conditions attached to using a LISA. If you are looking to buy a house with it, only first-time buyers can use it, which means you can't own, or have owned, a home in the UK or anywhere in the world. You will need to be buying a home for no more than £450,000, and it must be for you to live in. You must also use a traditional repayment mortgage. HMRC calculates bonus payments on a month-by-month basis, based on payments you make into your account from the 6th of the month to the 5th of the following month. LISAs can be combined if both the buying parties have one. As for the fee, this is scrapped once you turn 60. You can also withdraw the money if you are diagnosed with a terminal illness. There is a withdrawal fee of 25 per cent of any amount withdrawn if you are not buying a house, terminally ill, or have turned 60.


Telegraph
4 hours ago
- Telegraph
HMRC accused of cutting secret loan charge deal with large companies
The tax office gave secret 85pc discounts to large companies involved in the loan charge scandal, documents s. A Freedom of Information request has suggested that HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) reached generous settlement deals with multi-million pound companies who used payroll loan schemes. Meanwhile, independent contractors were hit with life-changing bills. The agreements came to light after a campaigner submitted a Freedom of Information request which was then revealed in Parliament by Conservative MP, Greg Smith, during Treasury Questions on Tuesday. HMRC said it does not recognise the claims. MPs said the revelation was 'staggering'. Sarah Olney, Liberal Democrat MP for Richmond Park, said: 'It is unacceptable that victims have been consistently refused the justice they deserve while large companies received settlements a decade ago. 'This information shows the need for a proper, independent inquiry that looks at the whole loan charge scandal.' The loan charge is a controversial law that left 50,000 self-employed workers with crippling tax bills and has been linked to 10 suicides. It was introduced in 2017 to target contractors who were paid through non-taxable loans rather than salaries. The loan schemes date back to the 1990s, and were often marketed as HMRC-compliant by respected tax advisers. But HMRC maintains that it never approved the schemes. It used the loan charge to claw back the unpaid tax from the workers, with many facing bills that exceeded their income. MPs and campaigners have accused HMRC of unfairly targeting and ruthlessly hounding the contractors while failing to go after the scheme promoters. Now, minutes of a meeting from 2019 between Lord Amyas Morse, who led the 2019 loan charge review, and the leader of the latest review, Ray McCann, reveal that HMRC offered discounts to settle the tax bills of employers who used the schemes. In the minutes of the meeting, Mr McCann is recorded as saying: 'The earlier settlement opportunity that had been open to large companies had included significant discounts, so that eventually the companies settled for somewhere in the region of 15pc in 2015.' He went on to say 'the contractors weren't offered these terms', and 'settlement opportunities have always had a discount, and contractor one is the only one that didn't.' Mr McCann is currently concluding the loan charge review, which was launched in January 2025 after calls from MPs. A former HMRC inspector, he was president of a professional body of tax advisers called the Chartered Institute of Taxation from 2018 to 2019. According to official figures, 800 companies paid HMRC £1bn through financial settlements related to the schemes between 2011 and 2015. This works out an average tax liability of £1.25m per firm. In Parliament earlier this week, Mr Smith said: 'A recent Freedom of Information request has revealed that, for a number of schemes, HMRC has settled with large corporations for just 15pc of what was owed. 'With the loan charge review ongoing, does the Chancellor agree with me that individuals should be treated no differently from the large corporations for which this precedent has been set?' Liberal Democrat MP Angus Macdonald, another APPG member, has tabled an Early Day motion – supported by 18 MPs so far – expressing 'astonishment' about the deals and the fact they have 'never been revealed to Parliament'. Mike Warburton, The Telegraph's tax columnist and former director at accountants Grant Thornton, said: 'These revelations have shown in stark contrast the way the Treasury and HMRC have treated large corporate taxpayers on the one hand and small contractors on the other.' Critics of the loan charge argue it retroactively punishes contractors who signed up to the schemes in good faith. The large timeframes involved create massive tax bills as years' worth of interest has rolled up on the debt. In one case, an individual earning £13,000 a year landed a £250,000 bill, according to the minutes of the meeting between Mr McCann and Lord Morse. Steve Packham, of the Loan Charge Action Group, said: 'Ten people have killed themselves as a direct result of HMRC's ruthless persecution of people who the Chancellor herself has described as 'victims of mis-selling'. 'Yet we now know that just a year before the loan charge was introduced to Parliament, HMRC agreed a deal with large companies letting them pay just 15pc of what they said they owed.' MPs and campaigners are now demanding that the Government offer contractors the same 15pc terms given to large corporations and open an inquiry into the scandal. Mr Smith, co-chairman of the Loan and Taxpayer Fairness APPG, said: 'It's absolutely staggering to discover that just a year before the loan charge was introduced to Parliament, that HMRC agreed a deal allowing large companies to settle for just 15pc of what HMRC said they owed, for use of similar arrangements.' He continued: 'Regardless of what Ray McCann recommends in his report on settlement terms, all those facing the loan charge and those pushed to settle to avoid it must all be offered no more than 15pc as full and final settlement.' HMRC said all settlements are agreed after considering the individual facts of each case and made under our published settlement terms. A spokesman said: 'We don't recognise these claims. We're absolutely committed to ensuring every taxpayer, regardless of size, pays the tax that's legally due. 'Given an independent review is under way it would be inappropriate for us to comment further.'


Daily Mirror
8 hours ago
- Daily Mirror
Parents can save up to £2,700 with simple childcare change
Parents can save up to £2,700 on their childcare costs this summer by making one simple arrangement with another family - and it's all completely legal Parents are being advised they could cut their childcare expenses by up to £2,700 this summer by sharing the costs with other families. As the school holidays approach, many parents find themselves spending more for childcare, particularly if they need additional support. However, parents can ease the financial pressure with nanny sharing. This clever arrangement involves two or more families hiring the same nanny, who can either look after all the children together or divide their time between the households. Not only does this significantly cut down on costs, but it also makes the option of having a nanny far more accessible. Nannywage's director Robert King explained: "Nanny rates vary widely, with averages ranging from £11 to £14 per hour across the UK. In London, where demand is higher, rates typically range from £15 to £16 per hour. Families hiring full-time nannies often face weekly costs of £400 to £750." How to save with nanny sharing Robert added: "Nanny sharing is a smart and cost-effective way for families to manage childcare expenses without sacrificing quality. Across the UK, sharing a nanny who typically charges £11 to £14 per hour could reduce individual rates to £5.50 to £7 per hour per family. 'In London, where hourly rates are higher, sharing costs can lower rates to £6 to £9 per hour." Summer holiday savings He continued: "Over the six-week school summer break, a private full-time nanny in the UK could cost between £2,640 and £3,360. With a nanny share, these costs drop to between £1,056 and £1,680 per family, saving parents anywhere from £1,584 to £2,160 during the holidays. For many, it's an ideal solution that balances affordability with high-quality childcare. "In London, where nanny rates are higher, parents can expect to pay between £3,600 and £4,500. Sharing a nanny brings this down to between £1,440 and £2,700 per family, making it a practical option for managing costs." Clear agreements in nanny sharing "Nanny sharing helps families split costs fairly while benefiting from high-quality care. Each employer should have clear agreements and separate contracts outlining schedules, holidays, and expectations. With proper planning, families can make sure the arrangement is both cost-effective and compliant with employment laws." Split tax codes and NI contributions "Families sharing a nanny can save money while managing tax and payroll responsibilities smoothly. By splitting tax codes and National Insurance contributions proportionally, parents only pay their share of the nanny's costs. Professional payroll services can handle these complexities, ensuring compliance with HMRC and giving families peace of mind."