Umbrella company contractors and small business owners could be relieved to learn that HMRC intends to improve the level of service it supplies to taxpayers.
The groundbreaking joint venture that was announced last week stated that the Revenue intends to work in conjunction with the accountancy profession to develop performance standards. Advisors will sit down with the Revenue’s service delivery teams and analyse their processes for dealing with automated PAYE coding notices, handling mail and practical issues that relate to deceased estates. At the same time, officers from HMRC will spend time in volunteer firms.
Mike Clasper, the chairman of HMRC, along with senior Revenue officials, met representatives of the AAT, ACCA, ATT, CIoT, ICAEW and ICAS to discuss the new initiative. The meeting was also attended by the Low Incomes Tax Reform Group, TaxHelp for Older People and TaxHelp.
Data shows that HMRC has improved its standards when it comes to handling post, but the Revenue accepts that this is not consistently reflected in agents and taxpayers experience.
Clasper explained that the Department must get a better understanding of the way customers interact with HMRC and find out about their experiences when it comes to resolving tax issues. The Revenue will be able to learn much from agent colleagues and this will help it to improve services for everybody.
He also said he was delighted that the charity and voluntary sectors had offered to work with the Revenue as they are seriously impacted when things go wrong.
The initiative will commence on the third of October and reviewed at the end of November.
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