Economic Crime Levy: what it means for your business

The Economic Crime Levy was introduced in the 2020 Budget, as a method of raising £100 million per year to fund the 2019 Economic Crime Plan and tackle money laundering.

A technical consultation period is currently underway. This will end on 15 October 2021, so that the final legislation can be included in the 2021/22 Finance Bill.

What types of businesses will the Levy affect?

The new levy affects businesses with revenue over £10.2 million per annum, that are also regulated for Anti Money Laundering purposes.

Depending on the amount of revenue, businesses will fall into one of three categories:

• Medium firm (£10.2 million to £36 million)
• Large firm (£36 million to £1 billion)
• Very large firm (over £1 billion in revenue). 

How much will the Levy cost?

The actual fees to be faced by businesses will vary according to the size of the company and will be specified in the Finance Bill.

However, early indications are that the Levy will vary between:

• £5,000 to £15,000 for medium firms
• £30,000 to £50,000 for large firms
• £150,000 to £250,000 for very large firms

The Levy will be collected by the appropriate supervisory body for each entity, such as the Financial Conduct Authority, HMRC, or the Gambling Commission.

When does the Levy come into force?

The levy year starts from 1st April 2022 and will be collected in 2023/24.  This is a year later than originally planned, giving businesses a little more time to recover from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

How can we help?

If you would like further information, or you want to speak to someone about how this Levy might affect your business, please contact your usual LF contact for guidance.