Steve Lamey ex HMRC CEO & CIO and ousted head of the Student Loan Company has laid the blame on HMRC for all of the SLC problems!
The Student Loans Company and HMRC are embroiled in a war of words over who is to blame for the outdated systems that cause thousands of graduates to overpay their loans.
In an interview this week, Steve Lamey blamed HMRC for the delays in improving the system.
The comments came after a Freedom of Information request from accountants RSM earlier this year found that for 2015-16, the latest figures available, 86,000 graduates had cleared their student loans and yet were continuing to pay thousands of pounds. This is an 80pc increase in the past six years.
The individuals repaid more on their loans than they owed, with the overpayments totalling £51m.
The average overpayment per graduate was £592, but in some cases it was more than £10,000.
Borrowers who overpay face a long wait for refunds, which, when they come, are paid with a derisory rate of interest.
The Telegraph reports that the errors are due to HMRC collecting the bulk of graduates’ loan repayments monthly through their salaries, but handing this information to the Student Loans Company only once a year.
Lamey said he asked for “real-time information” from HMRC to fix the problem.
“We have been asking HMRC for up-to-date student loan repayment data ever since the development of the real-time information system several years ago, but they consistently blocked our request.”However, Jon Thompson, chief executive and permanent secretary of HMRC, told the Treasury select committee in September that the loans company was to blame.
HMRC said:
“It is untrue to suggest that we are opposed to data sharing. We are committed to sharing repayment data with the Student Loans Company on a much more regular basis.”You couldn't make this up!
Tax does have to be taxing.
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The pachyderm in the corner of the room...
ReplyDeleteIf HMRC are collecting the bulk of the money monthly, one assumes by RTI from the student employers, when do they pay it across to the SLC?
Is it monthly, doubt it?
Is it yearly (12 mths)?
Is it when they decide to?
Whose money is it, HMRC, SLC, student-(overpayment)
Consider this;
Someone has an idea that will increase the amount of money earning interest in HMRC a/c, it involves hanging on to someone elses money for as long as possible before passing it over to the relevant 3rd party (SLC or student).
The fact that this activity is not ethical, probably not legal under TMA or other enactments and remains largely hidden from view and causes as a minimum cash flow problems for the SLC through to financial hardship and associated issues for hard-up students is ignored by HMRC management.
They don't care, feel invincible and above the law and morals of the land.
If HMRC were a company they would fail basic business tests let alone due diligence.
Whilst I care not for Lamey and his ilk, this issue is yet another example of HMRC 'standards'.
Perhaps they believe that taxpayer confidentiality applies, yes its taxpayer confidentiality not customer confidentiality.
Discuss/ignore/comment?
You know it makes sense.
They breached my taxpayer confidentiality leaving me at huge risk and the senior management, who acknowledged it, refused to discipline the guilty member of staff nevertheless. These rules are only taken seriously if it helps them to get off the hook for something else, as in this scenario. They really do make it up as they go along.
DeleteAnd who's to blame for your inappropriate management style, Steve? HMRC?
ReplyDeleteNo blame culture
ReplyDeleteIndeed an institutional bully, laying the blame elsewhere must come second nature to him. Lets hope he stays in the ranks of the unemployed.
ReplyDelete