HMRC Account Freezing Orders (AFOs): Legal Guide to Challenging AFOs
HMRC’s intensified crackdown on financial crime has driven a 170% rise in Account Freezing Orders (AFOs) over the past three years. An AFO allows HMRC to freeze funds in accounts suspected of criminal activity for up to two years. The number of AFOs has surged from 125 in 2021/2022 to 341 in 2023/2024, with the value of frozen assets also rising, posing serious risks to financial stability and business operations.