HMRC home working ‘not to blame’ for self-assessment helpline delays
25 Jan Government Tax Profession

HMRC home working ‘not to blame’ for self-assessment helpline delays

Perm sec blames unnecessary calls and last-minute rush to file tax returns for busy phone lines
by Tevye Markson
HMRC helpline summer closure 'nothing to do with flexible working', second perm sec insists
29 Jun Government Tax Profession
HMRC helpline summer closure 'nothing to do with flexible working', second perm sec insists
MPs ask HMRC for answers over summer helpline closure
16 Jun Government Tax Profession
MPs ask HMRC for answers over summer helpline closure
Hunt urged to 'think twice' about closing Office of Tax Simplification
14 Mar Government Tax Profession
Hunt urged to 'think twice' about closing Office of Tax Simplification
HMRC boss: Cabinet Office could demand information on would-be ministers’ tax affairs
26 Jan Government Tax Profession
HMRC boss: Cabinet Office could demand information on would-be ministers’ tax affairs
As Zahawi row rumbles on, Jim Harra tells MPs of "frustration" over misleading briefings that department cannot challenge
Nadhim Zahawi tax row: PM orders new ethics adviser to investigate
23 Jan Government Tax Profession
Nadhim Zahawi tax row: PM orders new ethics adviser to investigate
Ex-chancellor's admission of a settlement with HMRC leaves "questions that need answering", Sunak says
HMRC not deploying enough staff to tackle £42bn tax gap, MPs say
12 Jan Government Tax Profession
HMRC not deploying enough staff to tackle £42bn tax gap, MPs say
"Eye-watering" sum owed in unpaid taxes could have helped fill "public spending black hole", PAC says
Angela MacDonald shares HMRC's 2022 highlights – including capturing Britain’s most wanted woman
15 Dec 2022 Government Tax Profession
Angela MacDonald shares HMRC's 2022 highlights – including capturing Britain’s most wanted woman
The tax agency’s second perm sec contemplates the careful and compassionate leadership that will be required to prepare for the challenges of 2023
HMRC phone lines closed over 'technical issue' – MPs demand answers
05 Dec 2022 Government Tax Profession
HMRC phone lines closed over 'technical issue' – MPs demand answers
Suspension of helpline services a "serious concern", Treasury committee chair says
PCS to reballot HMRC on strike action after 47% turnout falls short
10 Nov 2022 Government Tax Profession
PCS to reballot HMRC on strike action after 47% turnout falls short
HMRC will vote to join industrial action in early 2023, union chief Mark Serwotka predicts
HMRC using ‘digital prompts’ to ensure wealthy people pay enough tax
04 Oct 2022 Government Tax Profession
HMRC using ‘digital prompts’ to ensure wealthy people pay enough tax
Departmental report reveals use of technology and data to help identify possible shortfalls
'We’re here to lock up the bad guys': using forensics to foil fraudsters
02 Aug 2022 Government Tax Profession
'We’re here to lock up the bad guys': using forensics to foil fraudsters
A huge diversity of people and roles make up the modern civil service. Colin Smith started out as a police officer before moving into the private sector. Now he leads forensics at HMRC
Sunak cleared of ministerial code breach over tax affairs
28 Apr 2022 Government Tax Profession
Sunak cleared of ministerial code breach over tax affairs
Lord Geidt investigation clears chancellor as questions arise over Sajid Javid's past tax affairs
A matter of tax: HMRC's Angela MacDonald on hubs, fraud and why she'd never leave Yorkshire Exclusive
03 Feb 2022 Government Tax Profession
A matter of tax: HMRC's Angela MacDonald on hubs, fraud and why she'd never leave Yorkshire
Second perm sec Angela MacDonald reflects on HMRC's role in the Covid response and EU transition, and what its massive office rationalisation programme means for levelling up
Thousands of regional jobs saved in HMRC U-turn
26 Jan 2022 Government Tax Profession
Thousands of regional jobs saved in HMRC U-turn
HMRC had planned to move almost 3,000 jobs from Portsmouth and East Kilbride
Read the January 2022 issue of Civil Service World
24 Jan 2022 Government Tax Profession
Read the January 2022 issue of Civil Service World
Featuring exclusive interviews with HMRC's second perm sec and Cop26's chief operating officer
HMRC struggles to recover billions in overpaid Covid-19 support and tax debts
22 Nov 2021 Government Tax Profession
HMRC struggles to recover billions in overpaid Covid-19 support and tax debts
Taskforce likely to recover minority of support paid in error and fraud as NAO says department needs to increase its debt recovery capacity
Pandemic-driven flexible working progress saves hundreds of HMRC jobs
05 Nov 2021 Government Tax Profession
Pandemic-driven flexible working progress saves hundreds of HMRC jobs
But department’s annual report estimates fraud in Covid support schemes topped £6bn in 2020-21
HMRC opens redundancy scheme amid office closures
12 Jul 2021 Government Tax Profession
HMRC opens redundancy scheme amid office closures
Nearly 230 staff have until the end of July to accept redundancy offers
Pandemic could make HMRC’s hubs plan ‘woefully out of date’, MPs warn
21 Jan 2021 Government Tax Profession
Pandemic could make HMRC’s hubs plan ‘woefully out of date’, MPs warn
Report also says department has spent too much of its IT budget patching up legacy systems rather than modernising them
HMRC pledges to publish more data on unpaid tax
15 Jan 2021 Government Tax Profession
HMRC pledges to publish more data on unpaid tax
But government rejects MPs’ call for sector breakdowns and a headline uncertainty figure
HMRC targets furlough fraudsters after up to £3.5bn wrongly paid out via scheme
08 Sep 2020 Government Tax Profession
HMRC targets furlough fraudsters after up to £3.5bn wrongly paid out via scheme
Perm sec Jim Harra tells MPs the scheme's fraud and error rate "could be between 5% and 10%" of £35.4bn bill
HMRC Making Tax Digital to continue rollout in 2022
23 Jul 2020 Government Tax Profession
HMRC Making Tax Digital to continue rollout in 2022
The programme will be extended to all businesses and then to individuals, government has announced
Government has ‘scant idea’ whether £117bn a-year-tax reliefs are just ‘freebies’, MPs warn
20 Jul 2020 Government Tax Profession
Government has ‘scant idea’ whether £117bn a-year-tax reliefs are just ‘freebies’, MPs warn
HMRC does not “systematically” measure whether tax reliefs change behaviour in the way they are intended, PAC says
Inside HMRC’s coronavirus response: Jim Harra on how the furlough scheme was created in a month Exclusive
17 Jul 2020 Government Tax Profession
Inside HMRC’s coronavirus response: Jim Harra on how the furlough scheme was created in a month
In an exclusive interview, HMRC's chief executive reveals how the department set up some of the biggest schemes in government history in the middle of a global pandemic
Rishi Sunak unveils three-point coronavirus jobs recovery plan
08 Jul 2020 Government Tax Profession
Rishi Sunak unveils three-point coronavirus jobs recovery plan
DWP to get £1bn as part of plan to help people find jobs, create jobs and protect jobs
Daily coronavirus press conferences scrapped after PM unveils easing of lockdown rules
24 Jun 2020 Government Tax Profession
Daily coronavirus press conferences scrapped after PM unveils easing of lockdown rules

“We’ll continue to hold press conferences to coincide with significant announcements," says No.10
Home Office to spell out plan to implement full Windrush review before summer
24 Jun 2020 Government Tax Profession
Home Office to spell out plan to implement full Windrush review before summer

Home secretary pledges to ensure Home Office “fundamentally shifts its way of working” after report