The Robots Are Still Coming

Way back in 2016 I wrote this:

"As per a loyal reader, it appears that the robots are coming:

"The SMS text messages are only the beginning. I work for the twats called HMRC in the robotics team and they are planning on robots answering the calls to replace call centre staff jobs. Its already done on self serve time to pay and instalment arrangements, but the wider hmrc will have this roll out, oh and the fuck up that windows 10 is coming to hmrc."

This will end in tears!"

Now here we are in 2018, and Jacky Wright, HMRC’s chief digital & information officer, recently announced the milestone in HMRC’s modernisation programme at Government Computing’s GovTech2018 conference in London.

HMRC confirmed that it has processed 10m transactions using robots since 2015, improved its efficiency and customer experience.

Government Computing reports that HMRC has described its robots as:

“programmed pieces of software that process items in the same way as humans would.

They work repetitive jobs, freeing up staff to undertake more meaningful, complex and interesting work, the kind of work that requires decision-making and human judgement.”

HMRC regards the 10m milestone marks significant progress for HMRC’s IT Project team as it works towards achieving greater automation of the functions that do not require human input.

Wright said:

“This is a major milestone towards HMRC’s digital transformation, where we are now deploying the most advanced IT to improve the accuracy and speed of our services. HMRC aims to be the world's most digitally advanced tax authority, and by making our 10 millionth transaction by a robot, we are making great progress towards that goal. 

We have over 50 different automations working across our IT estate. By automating simple and repetitive tasks, we are able to free up our staff to undertake more meaningful and interesting work that requires decision making and human intelligence. The public is getting a better service and HMRC is doing its work more efficiently.”

So there you go folks, taxpayers are receiving a better service!

Discuss.....

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's Dodgy Pensions Calculator Nixed

HMRC is giving pension savers incorrect information which could result in them missing out on reliefs worth tens of thousands of pounds.

As a result of this screw up, HMRC has been forced to take down a calculator that was drastically underestimating the amount people can save into their pensions.

Royal London has uncovered a calculator that said one customer has an annual allowance of just £10,000, when it should have been £35,000.

Royal London found the calculator was producing the wrong figures for the 2017-18 and 2018-19 tax years. HMRC has admitted the errors and said it has since taken the calculator offline.

An HMRC  spokesman is quoted by the Telegraph:

"We are sorry that the calculator isn’t working as it should in some cases. 

The calculator is no longer available as it is being updated." 

HMRC advised individuals to use its online guidance documents to manually calculate their annual allowance.

Royal London's Steve Webb, a former pensions minister, said it was "totally unacceptable" for a government website to operate "when it contains blunders of this sort".

"It is beyond belief that they are knowingly allowing taxpayers to get incorrect information from their website and potentially to make major financial decisions on the strength of dodgy data."

I can't wait for MTD!

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"

#LycaGate - HMRC Denies Then Undenies Letter

HMRC denied the #LycaGate letter:

“No HMRC official would ever write such a letter. This is the United Kingdom for God’s sake, not some third world banana republic where the organs of state are in hock to some sort of kleptocracy.” 

HMRC then undenied it...

However, BuzzFeed said that another spokesman later called the situation “regrettable” after verifying content of an email seen by the news outlet.

Oops!

Does this mean that the UK is a banana republic?

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 Is A Political Tool

Big league stuff. HMRC will be quizzed in Parliament on this through the Treasury Committee. The sub- committee just opened an enquiry into this kind of thing on Tuesday morning. https://t.co/LsJhIsrGNY

— John Mann (@JohnMannMP) April 19, 2018

As I have noted and warned many times before on this site, HMRC is being politicised.

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"

A Blast From The Past!

UK Border Agency implicated in the Windrush scandal. And, no surprise to the taxnerd community, who was was CEO of the Border Agency at that time, but... wait for it, ... no less than... wait for it .... Lin Homer.

— Andrew Brooks (@taxbod) April 18, 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 Investigating One in Ten SMEs

One in ten small businesses is under investigation by the taxman - equivalent to more than half a million at any one time.

HMRC told the Treasury select committee it is going after small businesses in an attempt to get back the £34 billion tax it failed to collect in 2015- 2016. It said small businesses are responsible for 46 per cent of this tax gap.

However, MPs accused HMRC of making it harder for businesses to file correct returns by shutting down local tax offices.

Stewart Hosie said:

“Wouldn't it be so much easier if they [small businesses] could go to the local tax office with their accounts and have them check before submitting.”

Yet HMRC have told us all that MTD will make things easier!!

HMRC loves low hanging fruit.

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"