At least £2.4m was paid to other parties

Director barred after HMRC left unpaid

Firm went into liquidation with a total deficiency of more than £150k
Director failed to comply with statutory obligations to submit VAT returns

A director of a paper and board supplier has been disqualified for failing to file VAT returns.

Heidi Annette Saunders was one of the directors at Daniel Paper & Packaging Ltd, based in Woodford, Cheshire.

The Insolvency Service Report into her conduct found that she had failed to comply with statutory obligations to submit VAT returns “for thirteen consecutive VAT quarters from the VAT quarter ended 11/18 to the VAT quarter ended 11/21”.

Furthermore, Saunders failed to make the necessary payments to HMRC as and when they fell due, and caused or allowed the company to trade to the detriment of HMRC from January 2019 until 31 March 2022, when the firm was placed into administration.

At the date of administration the VAT amount owed was £92,794, including surcharges, and remained outstanding.

The firm owed unsecured creditors £256,143.

HMRC was the biggest creditor, with a total shortfall of £156,101 including corporation tax, penalties and interest.

The Insolvency Service also found that between 14 January 2019 to 29 March 2022 at least £2.4m was paid to various parties “of which amount at least £1,912,554 was paid to connected companies”.

During the same period nothing was paid to HMRC in respect of the company’s VAT liabilities. 

Saunders has been disqualified for three-and-a-half years.

The ban came into force on 25 April. 

Her month of birth is January 1965 and her last known address was in Handforth, Wilmslow.