NEARLY three million people in the Yorkshire region - three out of four - will this year pay the Government more than £583 million in unnecessary tax, an investigation reveals today.

Financial inertia or lack of understanding of the country's taxation regime is blamed in the findings of the TaxAction 1998 Investigation, conducted by IFA Promotion, the organisation that promotes independent financial advice to the public.

The three-month-long investigation in which IFA Promotion commissioned research from financial analysts MOR-PACE showed that on average each of the 2.9 million people in Yorkshire and the Humber wastes £200 each year in unnecessary payments.

Nationally the total tax waste by 36 million Britons - £6.9 billion - represents eight per cent of all taxes collected by the Inland Revenue.

Ann-Marie Martyn, chief executive of IFA Promotion, said this was the sixth year that the investigation had taken place and the amount of tax money wasted "continues to astound me, particularly since it reflects the amount paid by taxpayers in error or tax which can be avoided."

She stresses that an independent financial adviser could help thousands of people in the region plan their finances more efficiently at a time when free first consultation without obligation is being offered.

To get a free consultation voucher and details of three participating IFAs in your area phone 0117 971 1177.

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