In a bid to slash print and postage costs by £50m and drag HMRC communications into the 21st century, letters will no longer be sent out automatically to taxpayers from next spring. Email alerts will be sent to them, notifying them of new documents in their personal tax accounts or the HMRC app instead.
As part of HMRC’s ambitious digital by default programme, which envisages 90% of HMRC interactions with taxpayers being online or digital only by 2029-30 tax year, the Budget papers confirmed a major shift to digital by default had been signed off by the government, which is starting sooner than expected.
This means that the days of posted brown letters from HMRC are very much numbered with only the ‘digitally excluded’ or those who actively opt out of digital still able to receive old school posted letters, starting in spring 2026.
In one sense this might be an improvement, given that snail mail comms with HMRC seems to take a year or so. However, those who are not digitally savvy may well face problems with this new high tech vision of HMRC's.
In June I warned of the bureaucratic nightmare that HMRC's rush to digital will unleash.
HMRC’s MTD is a self-inflicted wound on the UK’s entrepreneurial spirit, and taxpayers are the ones left bleeding.
Various guides to Making Tax Digital can be found here.
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"
Off topic but have folk seen this Reddit thread about the pcs rep that claimed he was victimised https://www.reddit.com/r/TheCivilService/comments/1pdctgl/hmrc_ok_to_fire_union_rep_who_promoted_strike_via/
ReplyDeleteThe scumbag got what he deserved. Using HMRC systems to harass 67 colleagues is never acceptable, whether a PCS rep or not. Useless fools like this are why HMRC have got away with the violent bullying culture for 15+ years. The Employment Tribunal 100% made the right decision.
DeleteSack them all . Thieving counts .
DeleteWhat about the 230 staff that went on the strike as they were told the mgt were victimising the reps? Now the judge has said mgt were totally within their rights! WTF. Staff have been misled surely
DeleteI was badly let down by some cuntish PCS reps and was forced out of my HMRC career for blowing the on a corrupt manager - PCS effectively facilitated the HMRC cover up to protect the rogue manager, without a thought for her victims or natural justice. This latest ruling against PCS once again confirms what I learned many years ago - they're a self-serving business that can't and shouldn't be trusted.
DeleteI highly recommend all PCS members in HMRC to cancel their membership and find a good, effective and, above all, trustworthy union that will defend your legal rights against an employer that has scant regard for the rule of law.
*blowing the whistle on a corrupt manager...
DeleteHMRC 'has scant regard for the rule of law' ?
DeleteThat's extremely worrying and problematic for an authority charged with upholding tax and other finance laws. If only they hadn't blocked Laura Whyte from revisting the department following her insightful 2019 report into its abusive culture. What is it HMRC is trying to hide from the public ?
@16:56 We as a British people are governed by the rule of law or we are nothing. HMRC is an example of why people are loosing trust in institutions. They are part of the rot. This country needs to be restored to its founding principles. At the next election, which can't come soon enough, it needs Reform.
Delete@17:40. The Reform UK party manifesto for the next election is likely to be written by Vladimir Putin.
DeleteI think I'll pass, thanks.
@18:27 I'm a victim of HMRC abuse but recognise that Reform is not the answer. We need better government - whether that be a coalition or revitalised Labour Party - but they must focus on reshaping and cleaning up HMRC who are evidently corrupt
DeleteIf HMRC used the 'savings' to get the call waiting times down to an acceptable level I could understand
ReplyDeleteEither recruiting AO's to answer the phone or get post arrears down so punters wouldn't need to phone up in the first place.
But they won't..will they.
Three years, I don't think he'll do twelve months.
ReplyDeleteTook HMRC long enough to twig he was scamming them.
https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/uk-news/tax-man-debt-wedding-stole-33007715
For a three year custodial sentence if he behaves while inside he will be released after 18 months.
DeleteYou're welcome.
Should have got longer. Would have sent a message to ALL CORRUPT STAFF at HMRC
DeleteHMRC Internal Goverance are not doing enough to weed out criminals lurking inside, and collecting wage from, HMRC.
DeleteI personally know one wrong 'un who should have been booted out years ago after what he's done. I have no doubt there are hundreds or thousands more like him and like the cretin sentenced last week.
We need public and media resourcing and collaboration to expose the full extent of lawbreaking and misconduct in this shameless organisation.
Can you let us know what you did about the "wrong 'un". For example, did you share your concern with the police.
DeleteAnd on what basis (other than psychotic hatred) do you assume that the department harbours thousands of criminals?
@16:01 I didn't write the comment to which you replied. My thoughts as someone who has dealt with HMRC frequently is that the dozens of prosecutions we see annually is the tip of the iceberg. We all know that it's an incompetent and badly disciplined organisation - the type of culture that both attracts and breeds rogues and criminals.
DeleteIt's a sick organisation, there is no cure. It needs to be abolished and replaced with a new tax agency that better utilises AI and the private sector workforce. HMRC is a case study of what happens when a supersized bureaucracy is so unaccountable. Criminality and misconduct is not uncommon. Abolish them now.
DeleteTo 21:20 10 December 2025
DeleteI have family members who worked at HMRC and were proud to do so. Your BS is frankly insulting
@12:58 Haha sorry the facts troubled you. Maybe you have some insight into why HMRC attracts and/or breeds so many criminal employees??
Delete@12:58 I actually served as an HMRC officer for decades. I'm glad your family had a good experience. However, I agree with sentiment express by various commentators on here; bullying and misconduct is rife. I wouldn't wish it on anyone.
Delete@13:15. What exactly are these "facts" of which you speak.
DeleteYou expressed an opinion without a single piece of evidence to back it up.
@23:00 Haha truth hurts. The fact is HMRC has a culture that attracts and/or breeds rogues and criminals.
Delete@12:20. So you can't give us a single fact.
DeleteGot it.