UK Film Investor Lip Sync Productions Faces Criticism Over Unpaid $19M Tax Bill Linked to ‘The Brutalist’
Lip Sync Productions Named Deliberate Tax Defaulter by HMRC
Lip Sync Productions, a prominent British film and television investment company known for its involvement in projects like The Brutalist and Viggo Mortensen’s Falling, has been publicly identified as a deliberate tax defaulter by the UK’s tax authority, HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC).
According to HMRC, Lip Sync Productions is listed at the top of its most recent report on deliberate tax defaulters. The company, which is linked to the now-defunct Lipsync post-house, failed to pay a tax bill amounting to £14.1 million (approximately $19 million) between 2019 and 2023, resulting in a penalty of £7 million. Importantly, there is no indication that any third parties associated with Lip Sync’s film projects were aware of this tax default.
Peter Hampden, the owner and director of Lip Sync Productions, did not respond to requests for comment. Hampden’s co-founder, Norman Merry, passed away last year after a battle with cancer.
An HMRC spokesperson refrained from discussing specifics regarding the tax liability but emphasized the agency’s commitment to addressing cases of deliberate tax evasion. “We are committed to tackling those who deliberately default on the tax they owe. By publishing the names of deliberate defaulters and their penalties, we send a clear message that non-compliance has consequences,” the spokesperson stated.
In January, Begbies Traynor was appointed as the voluntary liquidator for Lip Sync Productions. Despite the financial troubles, Hampden continues to hold his directorship, also overseeing Glenthorp Limited, the parent company of Lipsync Post.
Moreover, Oury Clark, the administrator responsible for managing the collapse of Lipsync Post, revealed that HMRC had lodged a “substantial claim” exceeding £17.5 million. Oury Clark’s report noted that it was evaluating the dispute concerning HMRC’s VAT treatment of various past transactions, as well as the utilization of tax relief schemes by Lipsync Post and its third-party clients.
Founded in November 2006, Lip Sync Productions has invested in notable projects such as We Need to Talk About Kevin, Great Expectations, Nowhere Boy, and Made in Dagenham.
