EFL referees win tax battle against HMRC that lasted over a decade

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EFL referees have won a tax battle against HM Revenue & Customs after a lengthy legal battle that has lasted a full decade.A tribunal has handed down a major ruling confirming that English football referees working in League One, League Two and further down the pyramid are self-employed, not employees.HMRC had been chasing Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL) for £584,000, claiming unpaid taxes on matches officiated between 2014 and 2016.The tax authority said these referees should be treated as payrolled staff because they were under the control of the not-for-profit organisation that manages match officials.

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TRENDING Stories Videos Your Say The tribunal found that while HMRC could tick two of its key tests, the relationship between PGMOL and the referees simply didn't have "the defining hallmarks of employment".It found that the officials in question maintained other income streams and were not financially reliant on PGMOL for their livelihoods.Crucially, referees...

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