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Take That could take another two years to pay back £20m in tax

Gary Barlow, Mark Owen and Howard Donald were ordered to pay back the money following a tribunal ruling last May

Rachel Blundy
Monday 27 April 2015 12:37 BST
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Take That: Gary Barlow, Howard Donald and Mark Owen
Take That: Gary Barlow, Howard Donald and Mark Owen

Take That have not yet repaid the £20 million in tax after an illegal tax shelter scheme was discovered last year.

Gary Barlow, Mark Owen and Howard Donald were ordered to pay back the money following a tribunal ruling last May.

But it has emerged that the remaining members of the successful pop act could delay returning the cash for another two years.

A judge ruled that the band had exploited legal loopholes by putting millions into the Icebreaker scheme.

Investors had claimed the scheme was designed to boost the UK's creative industries by providing tax reliefs in order to fund music, but this was overruled by judge Colin Bishopp.

Now despite saying they are keen to pay up, the remaining members of Take That may only pay what they owe once five other parties resolve their disputes in the £340million scheme appeal, according to reports in the Sunday Mirror.

Barlow appeared to issue an apology about the tax controversy in September last year, writing on Twitter: "I want to apologise to anyone who was offended by the tax stories earlier this year."

Former Take That members Jason Orange and Robbie Williams were not involved in the tax shelter scheme.

Shortly after the news about the band's tax avoidance broke in 2014, Jason Orange left the group.

UPDATE: A spokesman from Take That said that last night the band had received confirmation from HMRC that its tax affairs are up to date. They have decided not to appeal the Icebreaker decision.

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