A DARLINGTON accountancy firm has launched a free checklist and hotline to help people in the Tees Valley area reduce their tax bills.

Sanders Swinbank has unveiled its 54 question Tax-Ability checklist, along with a free TaxAbility hotline.

According to the company, people earning £25,000 a year will pay about £450,025 in tax over their lifetime, while those earning more will have even higher lifetime tax bills.

Launching the initiative, Sanders Swinbank partner Stuart Swinbank said: "Everybody has to pay their fair share of tax, but no-one should pay more than their fair share. And the key to paying no more than your fair share is to make full use of the tax breaks given to you by the Government."

The TaxAbility checklist, which takes less than 20 minutes to complete, has been designed to help local taxpayers start to identify where and how to make significant tax savings.

Once it has been completed taxpayers are encouraged to speak to their chartered accountants.

Copies of the TaxAbility checklist, and details of how to use the TaxAbility hotline, are available from Sanders Swinbank on (01325) 382828.