HMRC To Shed "Taxman" Label

In a bid to "humanise" its reputation, HMRC is seeking to shed its "taxman" label.

In an interview with PRWeek, Poli Stuart-Lacey (HMRC director of comms) expressed her concern over the way many people perceive HMRC.

"People often use the reference 'taxman' when they talk about us and I find that really frustrating, because I don’t in any way relate to that reference.

It doesn’t represent the diversity and huge range of capabilities that we’ve got in the department."

In terms of changing perceptions, she thinks that "humanising the face of HMRC" and "personalising what we do" is important.

The image of "an old-fashioned and bureaucratic organisation" does not reflect "the reality of what I see within", she added.

However, she admitted: 

"The public don’t really know who we are. I think there’s quite a thick wall around HMRC which makes the ‘brown envelope’ represent us."

She wants HMRC to be perceived as the "modern, diverse, talented, and really committed, dedicated organisation that I can see around me."

However, as I noted in February:

"Ironically, for someone involved in communications, she's not very keen on FOI and was part of a group that called for restrictions on freedom of information!"

The issue of the HMRC brand should not be reduced to the functions of the Whitehall department, she said.

Stuart-Lacey added that it is "personal experience" of dealing with HMRC "that defines our brand from many people."

I would agree, hence this site is called "HMRC Is Shite"!

 

One way HMRC could lose its "taxman" label is to simply stop collecting tax...or is that too radical?

Tax does have to be taxing.

Professional Cover Against the Threat of Costly TAX and VAT Investigations

Insurance to protect you against the cost of enquiry or dispute with HMRC is available from several sources including Solar Tax Investigation Insurance.

Ken Frost has negotiated a 10% discount on any polices that may suit your needs.

However, neither Ken Frost nor HMRCISSHITE either endorses or recommends their services.

What is Solar Tax Investigation Insurance?

Solar Tax Investigation Insurance is a tax-fee protection service that will pay up to £75,000 towards your accountant's fees in the event of an HM Revenue & Customs full enquiry or dispute.

To find out more, please use this link Solar Tax Investigation Insurance



HMRC Is Shite (www.hmrcisshite.com), also available via the domain www.hmrconline.com, is brought to you by www.kenfrost.com "The Living Brand"

HMRC Accounts Qualified for 14th Year In a Row

The National Audit Office (NAO) report on HMRC's accounts noted that as far as HMRC’s figures can be relied on, error and fraud in tax credits and child benefit payments increased again in 2017-18.

Tax credit overpayments increased to 4.9% (£1.3bn) of tax credits expenditure during the year, while child benefit fraud and error accounts for an estimated £155m,  just 1.3% of total expenditure.

Yet HMRC expect us to trust them!

Tax does have to be taxing.

Professional Cover Against the Threat of Costly TAX and VAT Investigations

Insurance to protect you against the cost of enquiry or dispute with HMRC is available from several sources including Solar Tax Investigation Insurance.

Ken Frost has negotiated a 10% discount on any polices that may suit your needs.

However, neither Ken Frost nor HMRCISSHITE either endorses or recommends their services.

What is Solar Tax Investigation Insurance?

Solar Tax Investigation Insurance is a tax-fee protection service that will pay up to £75,000 towards your accountant's fees in the event of an HM Revenue & Customs full enquiry or dispute.

To find out more, please use this link Solar Tax Investigation Insurance



HMRC Is Shite (www.hmrcisshite.com), also available via the domain www.hmrconline.com, is brought to you by www.kenfrost.com "The Living Brand"

In HMRC's World A Partial Win Is A Success!

In the #HMRC annual report they record partial wins as a victory in order to support the publicised 80% alleged success rate. Isn't a partial win the same as a partial loss? pic.twitter.com/J73XrkDJgH

— Gordon Berry (@wealthagent) July 15, 2018

Tax does have to be taxing.

Professional Cover Against the Threat of Costly TAX and VAT Investigations

Insurance to protect you against the cost of enquiry or dispute with HMRC is available from several sources including Solar Tax Investigation Insurance.

Ken Frost has negotiated a 10% discount on any polices that may suit your needs.

However, neither Ken Frost nor HMRCISSHITE either endorses or recommends their services.

What is Solar Tax Investigation Insurance?

Solar Tax Investigation Insurance is a tax-fee protection service that will pay up to £75,000 towards your accountant's fees in the event of an HM Revenue & Customs full enquiry or dispute.

To find out more, please use this link Solar Tax Investigation Insurance



HMRC Is Shite (www.hmrcisshite.com), also available via the domain www.hmrconline.com, is brought to you by www.kenfrost.com "The Living Brand"

HMRC Seeks Unfettered Access To Personal Financial Data

HMRC is seeking new powers that will allow it to obtain information about taxpayers from any business or organisation without seeking approval from the tax tribunal.

The proposals, set out in a government consultation launched this week, would allow HMRC to submit information requests directly to financial institutions, accountants, lawyers, estate agents and other third parties.

The consultation also proposes the introduction of a new “financial institution” information request, which would allow HMRC to obtain bank statements, transaction histories and other basic banking information “reasonably required to check a taxpayers’ tax position” without tribunal approval.

The FT quotes Jason Collins, partner at law firm Pinsent Masons:

“If anyone was alarmed at HMRC’s reach then these new powers will feed their concerns. HMRC is essentially asking for unfettered access to information on taxpayers from third parties with no advance independent oversight.” 

Obtaining prior consent from the tax tribunal was an essential check, he said, and helped safeguard taxpayers against speculative enquiries or “fishing expeditions”.

Tim Stovold, head of tax at accountants Kingston Smith, said:

“HMRC wants to remove the protection that ordinary citizens currently have from intrusion into their private financial affairs from the state . . . To abolish the need to seek authorisation from the tribunal would remove a vital public safeguard.” 

The state (especially HMRC) cannot be trusted, and as such any attempt by the state to gather data and information on people's private finances (when they have not been convicted of a crime) without adequate independent oversight should be resisted and stopped.

Tax does have to be taxing.

Professional Cover Against the Threat of Costly TAX and VAT Investigations

Insurance to protect you against the cost of enquiry or dispute with HMRC is available from several sources including Solar Tax Investigation Insurance.

Ken Frost has negotiated a 10% discount on any polices that may suit your needs.

However, neither Ken Frost nor HMRCISSHITE either endorses or recommends their services.

What is Solar Tax Investigation Insurance?

Solar Tax Investigation Insurance is a tax-fee protection service that will pay up to £75,000 towards your accountant's fees in the event of an HM Revenue & Customs full enquiry or dispute.

To find out more, please use this link Solar Tax Investigation Insurance



HMRC Is Shite (www.hmrcisshite.com), also available via the domain www.hmrconline.com, is brought to you by www.kenfrost.com "The Living Brand"

Avoid Suicidal Thoughts Out of Office Hours

Following calls from desperate contractors facing the loan charge tax demands, the Loan Charge Action Group (LCAG) wrote to Jon Thompson on the 13th June, calling on HMRC to set up a 24-hour helpline for those facing suicidal thoughts and severe anxiety as a result of receiving unpayable demands and threatening letters from HMRC.

Unsurprisignly, HMRC took over three weeks to respond to the letter and then the reply came not from Thompson, but from Julie Elsey, the person at HMRC responsible not for mental health, but for Counter Avoidance.

Business Matters reports that Elsey’s letter offered to assist to “help people put their tax affairs right”. However, the advice is only available between 8:30am and 4pm, Monday to Friday.

Tax does have to be taxing.

Professional Cover Against the Threat of Costly TAX and VAT Investigations

Insurance to protect you against the cost of enquiry or dispute with HMRC is available from several sources including Solar Tax Investigation Insurance.

Ken Frost has negotiated a 10% discount on any polices that may suit your needs.

However, neither Ken Frost nor HMRCISSHITE either endorses or recommends their services.

What is Solar Tax Investigation Insurance?

Solar Tax Investigation Insurance is a tax-fee protection service that will pay up to £75,000 towards your accountant's fees in the event of an HM Revenue & Customs full enquiry or dispute.

To find out more, please use this link Solar Tax Investigation Insurance



HMRC Is Shite (www.hmrcisshite.com), also available via the domain www.hmrconline.com, is brought to you by www.kenfrost.com "The Living Brand"

Alexa, HMRC and Tax Credits

HMRC  stated yesterday that it has launched new and "innovative" technology to help more than 3 million taxpayers renew their tax credits by 31 July.

HMRC has developed a customer-focused service through Amazon Alexa specifically for those seeking help with their tax credits renewals.

Taxpayers with Amazon Alexa-enabled devices can ask Alexa to ‘open HMRC’ and ask for help and information with a change of circumstances, payment information, or a renewal. No personal information is stored on Alexa and taxpayers cannot renew their tax credits using Alexa.

Angela MacDonald, HMRC’s Director General for Customer Services, said:

We know our customers have hectic lives – full of interruptions and distractions – which is why HMRC’s online services are available at all times of the day and night.

As the 31 July deadline for tax credits renewals approaches, customers can feel reassured that they can renew their benefits online or via the HMRC App at a time that suits them.

And if they need to access help and support, Alexa can help customers find out about what to do when they receive a renewal pack, how to change their circumstances, or how to find out about payment information.

We’ve improved our services so customers can renew their tax credits at a time that’s convenient for them.

Online help and information on renewing tax credits is available on GOV.UK and via HMRC’s customer service Twitter feed @HMRCcustomers.

Support is also available on the tax credits helpline (0345 300 3900).

Further information

The deadline for people to renew their tax credits is 31 July 2018. Failure to renew before the deadline will mean payments are stopped and taxpayers may have to repay the money they have received since April.

If a taxpayer requests further information through an SMS, the mobile phone number is stored for 6 hours and then automatically deleted.

Tax does have to be taxing.

Professional Cover Against the Threat of Costly TAX and VAT Investigations

Insurance to protect you against the cost of enquiry or dispute with HMRC is available from several sources including Solar Tax Investigation Insurance.

Ken Frost has negotiated a 10% discount on any polices that may suit your needs.

However, neither Ken Frost nor HMRCISSHITE either endorses or recommends their services.

What is Solar Tax Investigation Insurance?

Solar Tax Investigation Insurance is a tax-fee protection service that will pay up to £75,000 towards your accountant's fees in the event of an HM Revenue & Customs full enquiry or dispute.

To find out more, please use this link Solar Tax Investigation Insurance



HMRC Is Shite (www.hmrcisshite.com), also available via the domain www.hmrconline.com, is brought to you by www.kenfrost.com "The Living Brand"