What costs the taxpayer more each year, benefit fraud or tax evasion by big businesses?

Tax evasion, though not specifically corporate tax evasion, costs the UK Treasury almost 15 times more than benefit fraud.

The most recent figures indicate that 15 billion pound is lost through tax evasion compared to 1.1 billion lost through benefit fraud.

A very good question. One the government would never honestly answer, certainly as far as the evasion by big business. Too many in government or associated in the running of it, have vested interests in businesses, as directors and large investors.So you don't rock the boat you are sailing in.

As far as the benefit fraud is concerned, I am sure nobody has a true figure, because it is possibly classed as acceptable losses. By that I mean to investigate all the frauds within the benefit system would need an army of investigators, probably costing as much as the loss in frauds..

The estimates vary (benefit fraud is reckoned to be around £15- 30 million, whilst tax avoidance is put at around £40 million, but the figures are disputed) , but going after tax avoiders is more fruitful than benefit cheats for the simple reason that benefit fraud is done by poor people each stealing a little, whilst tax dodging is done by a smaller number of people each stealing a huge amount. Get one tax thief and you get as much money as a few thousand benefit fraudsters.

I've heard that tax evasion is about £40 billion a year in Britain.

But the government will never go after their mates in the City: they'll be looking for lucrative Directorships when they leave office. (Look at Tony Blair.)

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If the tax people know how much tax is being evaded by big business, why don't they tighten up the rules and go after the bastards?

Government and benefit fraud. The government can't even police itself with billions going to dead end "projects" without accountability and oversight...i.e. bridges to nowhere.

benefit fraud.

i should think its benefit fraud