Supplier of housing for homeless linked to faith group tax avoidance scheme
Summary
A family business linked to housing for homeless people is also involved in a tax avoidance scheme using fake prayer sessions to reduce local taxes. There are legal claims that these companies misused a rule meant to exempt religious spaces from business taxes, costing councils money.Key Facts
- The Schreiber family controls a large property business called Midos Group and related companies.
- Some companies connected to Midos Group are accused in court of avoiding business taxes through a "faith room" scheme.
- The scheme uses a law that exempts business rates (a local tax) for spaces open for religious worship.
- These companies reportedly hosted fake prayer sessions in empty units to qualify for the tax break.
- Dover district council is suing to recover £1.7 million in unpaid taxes related to this scheme, involving Discovery Park science park owned by businesses linked to the Schreiber family.
- Evidence states that no real religious services were held and that staged videos were used to claim the exemption.
- Midos Management Co, which provides housing for homeless people to councils, operates separately but has overlapping family directors.
- The companies involved deny wrongdoing and say the scheme was legal and that prayer sessions did take place.
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