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Ben Elliott

“Ben is an excellent advocate whose style combines attention to detail with persuasive force. He is an extremely hard worker and technically strong."

Legal 500 (2024)

"Ben is very good indeed, particularly given his level of call. He has a wealth of experience and excellent judgement."

Chambers and Partners (2024)

“Ben Elliott is a junior with an extensive practice who acts led and unled in cases at all levels of the UK courts system. He has expertise in handling a vast array of cases”

Chambers and Partners (2024)

"he is a silk in the making.”

Chambers & Partners (2022)

"Ben Elliott is technically very good, hard-working and easy to work with - a real rising star."

Chambers and Partners High Net Worth (2022)

"the best tax junior I have worked with.”

Chambers and Partners (2023)

"Ben will communicate with you and clients in a way that allows you to practically progress the case. He can handle a very complex and tricky case, showing maturity beyond his seniority."

Chambers and Partners (2023)
  • Call: 2012

Overview

Ben acts for clients from a wide range of industry sectors, including large multinationals, owner-managed businesses and high-net worth individuals. Legal 500 describes him as “an excellent advocate whose style combines attention to detail with persuasive force” and Chambers & Partners states “Ben is passionate about getting the right result for his clients and this is evidenced by his forensic approach to his cases and shines through in both his oral and written advocacy."

Ben has a wealth of litigation and advisory experience, including appearing in cases before the Court of Appeal, Supreme Court and Court of Justice of the European Union in tax appeals and claims for judicial review which concern corporate, private client and indirect tax issues. Ben also acts and advises in commercial and chancery proceedings with tax aspects, including cases concerning professional negligence, trusts, partnerships, insolvency, family law, and property conveyancing. He also acts and advises in cases concerning other charges, such as business rates and Community Infrastructure Levy.

Ben is the editor and co-author of the Tax Litigation Handbook and the author of the tax chapters in Sport: Law and Practice (Lewis and Taylor, 4th ed). He lectures and writes articles on a variety of subjects, and has particular specialism in relation to the taxation of cryptoassets (and other digital assets) and public law.

Ben is qualified to accept Public Access instructions. A copy of his privacy notice can be found here.

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Corporate and employment tax

A substantial portion of Ben’s practice relates to corporate and employment tax, including areas such as intangible fixed assets, group relief, unallowable purpose, cryptoassets and digital assets, tonnage tax, mixed member partnerships (MMP) and the salaried members rules (SMR), managed service companies (MSCs), the intermediaries legislation (IR35), disguised remuneration (Part 7A), offshore employment income, pensions, sovereign immunity, the employment tax treatment of providing cars to employees (including electric vehicles), penalties, the Transactions in Securities regime, taxation of Lloyd’s members and cases involving EU law issues (in particular, issues arising following the UK’s exit from the EU).

Recent cases include:

Recent advisory work and ongoing litigation includes:

Advising on the employment tax treatment of electric vehicles (and associated benefits).

  • Advice on corporate group restructuring for a number of offshore investment funds.
  • Advising on the application of the mixed member partnership legislation.
  • Appeal concerning whether compensation received in relation to an interest rate hedging product (IRHP) constitutes a post-cessation receipt of a partnership.
  • Judicial review relating to the application of the Disguised Remuneration Repayment Scheme 2020 (which provides for refunds of the Loan Charge).
  • Acting in appeals concerning contributions of assets to pension schemes.
  • Advising on the tax treatment of damages, settlement sums and compensation, including compensation for infringement of copyright, damage to property, unfair prejudice to minority shareholders, misselling of financial products, breach of trust and the failure of a public body to carry out its statutory duties.
  • Acting in proceedings involving umbrella companies and contractor loan schemes.
  • Advising on the tax treatment of EFRBS and FURBS.
  • Advising on settlement of employment tax liabilities arising from contributions to employee benefit trusts.
  • Appeal concerning the application of the intangible fixed assets regime concerning deductions claimed for the amortisation of goodwill on the combination of businesses.
  • Acting in proceedings concerning capital allowances and the tonnage tax regime.

Private client

Ben has a diverse private client practice including both advisory work and litigation. He is described by Chambers and Partners as “A rising star, who is extremely easy to engage with. He’s very hard-working and understands the technical issues of tax law that arise and also as   “hard-working” and “someone who provides clear advice”.

Recent work has included the application of double tax treaties, advising on the tax treatment of cryptoassets, tax advice in relation to both UK and offshore trusts, advising on business asset disposal relief, advice in relation to residence and domicile and acting in cases concerning heritage property, sovereign immunity, spousal exemption, relevant property and anti-avoidance regimes such as the transfer of assets abroad regime, the settlements legislation and the transactions in securities regime. Ben also advises in relation to tax issues arising in family law proceedings.

Recent cases include:

Recent advice and ongoing cases include:

  • Advice on statutory residence, domicile and sovereign immunity.
  • Acting in appeal concerning the ownership of a joint bank account for inheritance purposes.
  • The restructuring of a property investment portfolio owned by a number of family trusts.
  • Advising on inheritance tax reliefs, including BPR and APR.
  • Advice on tax issues in relation to a claim for child support and maintenance payments.
  • Advising a number of trusts on the application of the relevant property regime to distributions and resettlements.
  • Advising on capital gains tax reliefs, including business asset disposal relief /entrepreneurs’ relief, hold-over relief and roll-over relief.
  • An appeal concerning the application of the transfer of assets abroad regime and a number of offshore trusts.
  • Acting in a appeal concerning the spousal exemption in the context of an interest in possession trust.
  • A judicial review and related tax appeal relating to the application of the settlements legislation, the transfer of assets abroad legislation and the attribution of chargeable gains accruing to an offshore trust.
  • Acting in proceedings concerning inheritance tax and national heritage assets.
  • Advising on the tax consequences of cryptoasset transactions and investments.

VAT and indirect tax

Ben has considerable indirect tax expertise, in particular in relation to VAT, SDLT, Land Transaction Tax, gaming duty, excise duty and customs duty, including penalties, surcharges and ancillary decisions (such as restoration of seized goods and revocation of approvals/licences).

Recent indirect cases include:

Recent advisory work and ongoing litigation includes:

  • Acting in a significant appeal and judicial review concerning the scope of the medical exemption (VAT)
  • Advising on the application of the lottery exemption (VAT)
  • Acting in a substantial appeal concerning the zero-rating of exports and input VAT recovery using alternative evidence
  • Advising on VAT Grouping and challenging HMRC’s refusal to permit retrospective grouping.
  • Advising on the land transaction tax treatment of student accommodation.
  • Advising and acting in litigation concerning customs duty on steel imports.
  • Advising on the excise duty treatment of Industrial denatured alcohol (IDA) and Trade Specific Denatured Alcohol (TSDA) used in manufacturing
  • Acting in an appeal concerning recovering input tax in relation to a charity’s business activities
  • Advising on the application of the medical exemption
  • Acting in an gaming duty appeal concerning the application of losses and HMRC agreeing to a non-standard accounting period.
  • Advising on Land Transaction Tax in relation to student accommodation.
  • Appeals concerning the customs classification of ceramics and electronic items.
  • VAT appeal on the recovery of input VAT and whether the business carried on constituted an economic activity.
  • Customs duty appeal concerning buying commission.
  • Advice on linked transactions in the context of SDLT.
  • Advising on the VAT treatment of compensation received in relation to breach of copyright and damage to property.

Public law

Ben has extensive experience of judicial review proceedings involving tax issues, in particular in cases concerning HMRC’s information powers, APNs and follower notices, the Disguised Remuneration Repayment Scheme 2020 and the Loan Charge, sovereign immunity and HMRC’s enforcement and seizure powers. He is the co-author of the Judicial Review chapter in the Tax Litigation Handbook.

Recent cases include:

  • HMRC v Payroll & Pension Services (PPS Umbrella Company) Limited [2024] EWCA Civ 995 – appeal concerning whether HMRC are obliged to provide cross-undertakings when seeking to appoint provisional liquidators pursuant to their public law duties.
  • HMRC v Purity Ltd [2024] EWHC 2965 (Ch) – proceedings concerning PAYE and HMRC’s power to wind up companies on the grounds of public interest (under section 85 Finance Act 2022).
  • R (Payeworx Ltd) v HMRC [2024] EWHC 2842 (Admin) – Claim for judicial review concerning employment tax and HMRC’s powers under s86 FA 2022.
  • R (Fluid System Technologies Ltd) v HMRC [2023] EWHC 2206 (Admin) and [2024] UKUT 00322 (TCC) – claim for judicial review concerning the loan charge and interpretation of the Disguised Renumeration Repayment Scheme 2020.
  • Murphy & Linnett v HMRC [2023] EWCA Civ 497 – an application for judicial review concerning claims under Extra-Statutory Concession B18 by UK beneficiaries receiving discretionary income payments from a non-resident trust for credit in respect of tax paid by the trustees on the UK source income.
  • R (on the application of Sibley) v HMRC [2021] EWHC 3195 (Admin) – judicial review challenge to the Disguised Remuneration Repayment Scheme 2020 (which provides for refunds of the Loan Charge)
  • A successful challenge to an HMRC amendment of a return claiming partnership losses (unreported).
  • R (Haworth) v HMRC [2021] UKSC 25 – Judicial review challenge to a follower notice and accelerated payment notice issued in relation to gains accruing to an offshore trust on the flotation of company (Ben was also invited to write an article on the case in Tax Journal).
  • Murphy and Linnett v HMRC [2021] EWHC 1914 (Admin) – an application for judicial review concerning the interpretation of extra-statutory concession B18 which provides relief for distributions out of non-UK resident discretionary trusts.
  • The Queen on the application of PML Accounting Limited v HMRC [2018] EWCA Civ 2231 – challenge to HMRC refusal to destroy information derived from an information notice.
  • Hillingdon LBC v Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government [2018] EWHC 845 (Admin) – claim for judicial review concerning the validity of a demand notice issued under the Community Infrastructure Levy Regulations 2010.
  • Plutus UK Bulk Store Limited v HMRC (Administrative Court) – application for an interim injunction to prevent HMRC destroying seized excise goods.
  • Biffin Limited and ors v HMRC [2016] EWHC 2926 (Admin) – claim for judicial review challenging HMRC decision to enforce liabilities that were subject to appeals.
  • Mohamed and ors v HMRC [2016] EWHC 2455 (Admin) – judicial review challenge to HMRC decision refusing to agree time to pay SDLT liabilities.

Insolvency and enforcement

Ben has significant experience acting and advising in relation insolvency and enforcement cases, in particular in matters involving tax liabilities. He is the co-author of the Payment, Enforcement and Insolvency chapter in the Tax Litigation Handbook. Ben’s work includes:

  • Acting for petitioning creditors and debtors in both bankruptcy and winding up proceedings.
  • Acting for both claims and defendants in claims by companies against directors, in particular in cases involving historic tax liabilities.
  • Advising liquidators on the validity of tax (and other) liabilities claimed in liquidation.
  • Directors disqualification proceedings.
  • Acting for liquidators in tax appeals and other proceedings.
  • Negotiating time to pay agreements.
  • Civil claims in which tax issues arise.
  • Proceedings involving the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002.
  • Advising and acting in cases concerning APNs and follower notices.
  • Penalties (including penalties for refusal to comply with information notices).
  • Claims for judicial review challenging HMRC’s ability to enforce tax debts.

Notable cases include:

  • HMRC v Payroll & Pension Services (PPS Umbrella Company) Limited [2024] EWCA Civ 995 – appeal concerning whether HMRC are obliged to provide cross-undertakings when seeking to appoint provisional liquidators pursuant to their public law duties.
  • David-Ajibola Adeola Olabode v HMRC [2024] EWHC 1861 (Ch) – application to set aside provisional liquidators in relation to an alleged liability for NICs.
  • Hillingdon LBC v Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government [2018] EWHC 845 (Admin) – claim for judicial review concerning the validity of a demand notice issued under the Community Infrastructure Levy Regulations 2010.
  • Biffin Limited and ors v HMRC [2016] EWHC 2926 (Admin) – claim for judicial review challenging HMRC decision to enforce liabilities that were subject to appeals.
  • Mohamed and ors v HMRC [2016] EWHC 2455 (Admin) – judicial review challenge to HMRC decision refusing to agree time to pay SDLT liabilities.

Professional negligence

Ben acts and advises in relation to professional negligence disputes, particularly those concerning tax-related issues. He acts for both claimants and defendants in cases concerning a variety of subjects including:

  • Incorrect trust drafting leading to additional inheritance tax liabilities.
  • Failure to make claims within time limits.
  • Failure to draw attention to applicable extra-statutory concessions.
  • Incorrect advice in relation to capital gains tax relief.
  • Failed tax planning (including tax avoidance arrangements and estate planning).

Ben also acts in cases in which professionals are seeking to rectify errors, including setting aside for mistake claims, rectification, and variations under the Variations of Trusts Act 1958.

Directories

Ben is ranked as a leading junior in Legal 500 and Chambers & Partners in the following categories:

  • Tax
  • Tax: VAT and Excise
  • Tax: Corporate
  • Tax: Personal
  • Crypto and Blockchain Assets
  • Tax: Private Client

Chambers Global (2025)

“Ben Elliott is a well-regarded junior, frequently handling complex tax cases. Elliott appears, led and unled, in major private client tax litigation matters, and is developing expertise in the taxation of cryptocurrency assets.”

 “Ben is a superb tax lawyer and has a very approachable, friendly and open manner with both clients and those instructing him, which is much appreciated.”

 “Ben is great; he’s one of the go-to juniors. He works really hard, and his level of experience and the types of cases he has done relative to his level of seniority are very good.”

 “Ben Elliott is a fantastic all-round barrister and good guy. Technically brilliant and very hard-working.”

Legal 500 (2025)

“Ben is passionate about getting the right result for his clients and this is evidenced by his forensic approach to his cases and shines through in both his oral and written advocacy.’” “Very strong advocate, thinks fast and is always on top of the detail, both the evidence and the technical legal points.”

Chambers & Partners (2025)

 “Ben Elliott is a junior with an extensive practice who acts led and unled in cases at all levels of the UK courts system. He has expertise in handling a vast array of cases including those relating to employment and payroll taxes, corporate tax and EU tax law”.

 “Ben is very bright and good tactically.”

 “He did the bulk of the work in our case and was very good at communicating with clients. He was responsive in a way some people at the Tax Bar are not.”

 Legal 500 (2024)

 “Incredibly hard-working and intelligent. Has a unique ability to explain extremely complex legal points in a very straightforward way during advocacy. Ben is not afraid to be confrontational and punchy when the situation requires it.”

“Ben is an excellent advocate whose style combines attention to detail with persuasive force. He is an extremely hard worker and technically strong.’

Chambers High Net Worth (2024)

“Ben Elliott  is a well-regarded junior,  frequently handling complex tax cases. Elliott appears, led and unled, in major private client tax litigation matters, and is developing expertise on the taxation of cryptocurrency assets.”

“Ben Elliott  is a fantastic all-round barrister and good guy. Technically brilliant and very hard-working.”

“Ben is great; he’s one of the go-to juniors. He works really hard, and his level of experience and the types of cases he has done relative to his level of seniority are very good.”

“Ben is a superb tax lawyer and has a very approachable, friendly and open manner with both clients and those instructing him, which is much appreciated.”

Chambers and Partners (2024)

“Ben Elliott is a junior with an extensive practice who acts led and unled in cases at all levels of the UK courts system. He has expertise in handling a vast array of cases including those relating to employment and payroll taxes, corporate tax and EU tax law.”

“Ben Elliott is instructed as sole counsel by both taxpayers and by HMRC in leading cases, and has an extensive private client tax litigation and advisory practice. He appeared in Sheiling Properties Ltd, the leading case on penalties for non-payment of accelerated payment notices.”

“Very enthusiastic, extremely hardworking and someone who gets things done.”

“Ben is very good indeed, particularly given his level of call. He has a wealth of experience and excellent judgement.”

Chambers High Net Worth (2024)

“Ben Elliott is a well-regarded junior, frequently handling complex tax cases. Elliott appears, led and unled, in major private client tax litigation matters, and is developing expertise on the taxation of cryptocurrency assets.”

“Ben Elliott is a fantastic all-round barrister and good guy. Technically brilliant and very hard-working.”

“Ben is great; he’s one of the go-to juniors. He works really hard, and his level of experience and the types of cases he has done relative to his level of seniority are very good.”

“Ben is a superb tax lawyer and has a very approachable, friendly and open manner with both clients and those instructing him, which is much appreciated.”

Chambers and Partners (2023)

“Ben Elliott is technically very good, hard-working and easy to work with – a real rising star.” “Already one of the leading tax juniors of his call, he is a great advocate and an industrious barrister.” “A rising star, who is extremely easy to engage with. He’s very hard-working and understands the technical issues of tax law that arise.” “Ben will communicate with you and clients in a way that allows you to practically progress the case. He can handle a very complex and tricky case, showing maturity beyond his seniority.”

Legal 500 (2023)

“Hard-working, willing to engage with the technical tax issues in a case and someone who provides clear advice.”

Chambers and Partners High Net Worth (2023)

“Ben is very good indeed, particularly given his level of call. He has a wealth of experience and excellent judgement.”

Chambers & Partners (2022)

“Ben is high-powered intellectually and a forceful advocate. He works extremely hard and already has a wide experience in the tax field; he is a silk in the making.”

Chambers and Partners High Net Worth (2022)

“Ben Elliott is “a rising star,” says an instructing solicitor, explaining that he is “extremely easy to engage with, very hard-working, understands the technical issues of tax law that arise. Ben will communicate with you and clients in a way that allows you to practically progress the case. He handles a very complex and tricky case, and his input has been critical, showing maturity beyond his seniority.” Another interviewee describes Elliott as “the best tax junior I have worked with.”

 

Career & education

Career

  • 2012: Called to the Bar (Middle Temple)
  • October 2013: Pupillage, Pump Court Tax Chambers
  • July 2014 – October 2014: Seconded to HM Revenue & Customs Solicitors
  • October 2014: Tenant, Pump Court Tax Chambers
  • December 2014 – March 2015: Seconded to PwC Legal LLP (Tax Litigation Team)
  • February 2017: Appointed Junior Counsel to the Crown – “C” panel
  • August 2020: Appointed Junior Counsel to the Crown – “B” panel
  • August 2023: Appointed Junior Counsel to the Crown – “A” panel

Education

  • 2007-10 – History BA (Double First) – St John’s College, Oxford
  • 2010-11 – Graduate Diploma in Law (Distinction) – College of Law, London
  • 2011-12 – Bar Professional Training Course (Outstanding) – College of Law, London
  • 2010-12 – LL.B. (First Class) – College of Law, London

Scholarships & Prizes

  • Casberd Scholarship – St John’s College, Oxford (2008)
  • Astbury Scholarship – Middle Temple (2010)
  • Queen Mother Scholarship – Middle Temple (2011)
  • Certificate of Honour – Middle Temple (2012)

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