Skirr by Paul

HMRC’s AI just cut child benefit for 23,500 families because it only tracks when you leave the UK, not when you come back…and thats not the scary bit. Fly out of Liverpool, return via Dublin? Flagged as emigrated. Benefits suspended. Appears to be no human check. This isn’t fraud prevention, it’s government overreach dressed as…

The UK investment scene is an absolute joke. It’s packed with investors too sheepish to bet on startups or new companies. UK investors are slow as hell, taking a ridiculous amount of time to decide anything. Angel groups are among the worst—I’ve literally sat in rooms watching angel investors review pitches, and one sarcastic comment…

Are you aware of HMRC’s use of military-grade surveillance on ordinary citizens? HMRC’s use of AI and data-mining tools, developed by defence contractor BAE Systems, to monitor taxpayers raises profound ethical concerns. Deploying military-grade surveillance on ordinary citizens and small businesses feels like a betrayal of public trust. In simple terms, a defence contractor is…

About a month ago, I joined a roundtable organised by the wonderful team at Barclays with politicians to discuss the business environment in Scotland because of course, politicians would know best… What I didn’t expect was to hear from so many businesses in the exact same position I was with Hypervine’s HMRC R&D tax credits.…

HMRC is using AI for tax enforcement but is this the right approach? Instead of simplifying compliance and fostering growth, HMRC seems focused on surveillance. The question is whether the government wants to enable wealth creation or squeeze a shrinking pool of taxpayers. AI could reduce admin burdens and create a fairer environment for business.…