Adjudicator sees “unprecedented” rise in taxpayers’ gripes

Adjudicator Judy Clements saw “unprecedented increases” in the numbers of taxpayers’ protests about HMRC during 2012/13 which left the department with a bill of almost £1.2m in compensation reimbursements and write-offs.

The latest report from the Adjudicator’s Office shows it refereed 1 331 new complaints about the Revenue an increase of 107% on the previous year.

A large number – unspecified by the document but noted as being 374% higher than in 2011/12 – related to PAYE and were considered under the provisions of extra-statutory concession A19. Of the cases 66% were upheld with many having included careless and avoidable errors left unidentified or uncorrected during the taxman’s handling of the matter.

Six out ten complaints against the tax department were upheld wholly or in part: the highest ratio in the 20-year history of the Adjudicator’s Office which also handles issues relating...