HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) will gain new powers to recover unpaid taxes directly from joint bank accounts starting in July 2029. The policy could affect couples where only one partner owes money, with no guaranteed minimum balance left untouched.

The UK government’s latest tax recovery proposals mark a significant change in how authorities pursue unpaid debts, according to The i Paper.

The Treasury’s Budget “red book” says that from July 2029, HMRC will have a new power to “recover lower value tax debts through regular instalments directly from the bank accounts of individuals and companies who can afford to pay but repeatedly fail to do so”.

Read more: Fascist agenda continues under ‘anti-fascists’: UK couples face a new financial risk as HMRC targets shared bank accounts