Anti-Tax Evasion Policy

Last updated: 6 February 2026

Introduction

This policy sets out SpeyTech's commitment to preventing the facilitation of tax evasion in accordance with Part 3 of the Criminal Finances Act 2017. SpeyTech operates SpeyBooks, an accounting software platform for UK businesses.

SpeyTech takes a zero-tolerance approach to the facilitation of tax evasion, whether under UK law or the law of any foreign country. We are committed to acting professionally, fairly, and with integrity in all business dealings.

Scope

This policy applies to the sole proprietor, all contractors, consultants, agents, and any third party providing services for or on behalf of SpeyTech in any capacity ("associated persons").

It covers all activities relating to the operation, development, and provision of the SpeyBooks platform and any associated services.

Definitions

Tax evasion is the deliberate and dishonest cheating of HM Revenue & Customs or a foreign tax authority, resulting in a loss of tax revenue. It is a criminal offence. Tax evasion is distinct from legitimate tax planning and tax avoidance, which involve using lawful reliefs and allowances to minimise tax liability.

Facilitation of tax evasion means being knowingly concerned in, or taking steps with a view to, the fraudulent evasion of tax by another person. Under the Criminal Finances Act 2017, a business commits an offence if an associated person criminally facilitates tax evasion and the business has failed to put in place reasonable procedures to prevent such facilitation.

Our position

SpeyTech will not:

  • Facilitate, participate in, or condone tax evasion by any person.
  • Aid, abet, counsel, or procure the commission of a tax evasion offence.
  • Design, build, or promote features in SpeyBooks that are intended to enable or conceal tax evasion.
  • Turn a blind eye to any activity that could amount to the facilitation of tax evasion.

SpeyBooks and tax compliance

SpeyBooks is designed to support accurate, transparent bookkeeping and tax reporting. The platform:

  • Enforces double-entry accounting at the database level — transactions that do not balance are rejected by a PostgreSQL trigger before they can be committed.
  • Maintains immutable financial records — corrections are made through reversing entries, not by editing or deleting existing transactions. A full audit trail is preserved.
  • Produces MTD-ready VAT figures (Box 1–9) designed to align with HMRC's Making Tax Digital requirements, supporting accurate digital submissions.
  • Uses integer arithmetic (pence) for all monetary values, eliminating floating-point rounding errors that could produce inaccurate tax calculations.
  • Provides a complete API request log with 30-day retention, ensuring that all actions on financial data are traceable.

SpeyBooks is an accounting tool. It does not provide tax advice, and users are responsible for the accuracy of the data they enter and the tax returns they submit. We encourage all users to work with a qualified accountant for year-end filings and tax planning.

Prevention procedures

In line with HMRC guidance on reasonable prevention procedures, SpeyTech maintains the following:

Risk assessment

We assess the tax evasion facilitation risks associated with our business activities, including the nature of the platform (accounting software), the types of users (UK sole traders and limited companies), and the services provided. This assessment is reviewed annually.

Proportionate procedures

Our procedures are proportionate to the risks identified. As a sole-trader software business with no employees, the primary risk area is the design of the software itself. We mitigate this by building transparency and accuracy into the core architecture, as described above.

Top-level commitment

The proprietor of SpeyTech, William Murray, is personally committed to preventing the facilitation of tax evasion and maintains oversight of all business activities and software design decisions.

Due diligence

We conduct appropriate due diligence on contractors and third parties engaged to provide services on behalf of SpeyTech, proportionate to the nature of the engagement.

Communication

This policy is published publicly and forms part of the terms under which any associated person provides services for SpeyTech.

Monitoring and review

This policy and associated procedures are reviewed annually, or sooner if there is a material change in business activities, applicable legislation, or guidance from HMRC.

Reporting concerns

If you become aware of, or suspect, any activity that could amount to the facilitation of tax evasion — whether involving SpeyTech, its associated persons, or the use of SpeyBooks — please report it to:

All reports will be treated confidentially and investigated promptly. No person will be subjected to detrimental treatment for raising a genuine concern in good faith.

Consequences of non-compliance

Any associated person found to have facilitated, or failed to report suspected facilitation of, tax evasion may have their engagement with SpeyTech terminated immediately. SpeyTech will cooperate fully with HMRC and any relevant law enforcement authorities.

Legal framework

This policy is made in accordance with Part 3 of the Criminal Finances Act 2017 , which creates corporate offences for failure to prevent the facilitation of UK and foreign tax evasion. HMRC guidance on reasonable prevention procedures has informed the development of this policy.