HMRC customer service standards – is there hope?

Poor HMRC service performance is featuring regularly in the media. Professional bodies are receiving a high volume of unprompted feedback from members expressing concern about the impact on firms and their clients as well as on unrepresented taxpayers. There are high level concerns that poor HMRC service performance may be having an impact on the level of tax compliance and on economic growth although these factors will always be difficult to measure.

ICAEW and other stakeholders have a very significant interest in working positively with HMRC with the shared aim of an efficient and effective UK tax system. This is not where we are now. What is the situation and can we expect improvement?

Self-assessment helpline and paper returns

Closing a major helpline for three months is an extraordinary move for HMRC to take. Whatever the rationale it gives a public message that HMRC’s resource problems...