The figure, according to research from law firm RPC, shows that there has been a 6% increase from the 827 recorded in 2019-20 which was the lowest amount recorded in the last few years.

HMRC issued 1,276 requests in 2015-16 which increased by 19% to 1,507 requests in 2016-17. HMRC then issued 1,414 in the tax year 2017-18.

RPC states that the increase in such requests is due to HMRC increasing its compliance activity after its resources were diverted away to the support measures during the pandemic, adding that fraudulent abuse of the furlough scheme could be a potential factor in the increase in requests.