Disgruntled Lemmings II - HMRC's Intranet Outed

Just to prove the point @jimharra here is today's Hmrc intranet:@gregwrightYP@EmmaAgyemang @ClaerB @JonUngoedThomas @MeadowsOnMoney @RobinEveleigh @ken_frost @HMRCVictim @dotasscandal @nearlybankrupt @_citx_ @BaloPig pic.twitter.com/sws5vmkOwJ pic.twitter.com/1oFc2oNfnr

— Formerly @HMRCon - (now blocked by naughty MelBoy) (@FormerlyHMRCon) December 5, 2019

Interestingly the Tweet makes the valid point that HMRC might consider shutting the intranet down.

This "solution" has form, way back in 2007 I wrote about the HMRC staff discussion website (not on the HMRC system) Disgruntled Lemmings, which itself was shut down in 2007.

Take a look :).

Tax does have to be taxing.

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Trouble At Mill

My thanks to a loyal reader who alerted me to the fact that the PCS has stirred into "life".

Apparently there will be some form of "industrial action" (PCS rather over hypes it by calling it a "strike") next week.

I am old enough to remember when "strike" really meant strike. Anyhoo, the text of the "strike" announcement is presented at the end of this article.

You know folks (HMRC staff), if you really want to scare the shit out of ExComm et al and actually achive something positive you need to ensure that you all complete the next staff survey (due in around 5 months) with absolute honesty (ie don't allow yourselves to be leaned on, or bullied, to present a positive picture).

The Grande Dame is 2 years into her 5 year deadline of turning things around. The fact that she hasn't yet achieved anything positive, and the fact that she has swiftly (in a matter of months - that's fast by HMRC standards) taken away management control of the follow up to the last survey (and placed it with the Directorate) indicates that she is shit scared.

I would also suggest that if there are concerns within staff ranks that those who complete the survey are being bullied into painting a rosy picture, or if there is evidence that results are being manipulated by management to present a positive picture and to pretend that targets are being met, then the survey should be taken out of the hands of HMRC and (as already suggested by one loyal reader) placed in the hands of Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Constabulary (HMIC); this body has a remit to investigate HMRC.

BTW, re the "strike", what exactly does refusing to "cut corners" actually mean?

Revenue workers strike over sick scheme

1 June 2011

More than 50,000 tax office workers will be taking strike action next week in protest at a punitive new sickness absence policy.
On Tuesday 7 June there will be a walkout from Revenue and Customs between 4pm and 5pm.

On Wednesday 8 June PCS members will go to work together at 10am and take a mass extended lunch break between 11.30am and 1.30pm.

From 4pm on 7 June union members in the department will also be refusing to work overtime, use private cars for work, or ‘cut corners’.

Tax does have to be taxing.

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The Massive Mess That is HMRC

Something for your diaries for this evening, ITV's Tonight programme scheduled for 8PM tonight, lifts the lid on the chaos within HMRC.

The programme will state that HMRC staff are so overworked and under pressure to meet government targets, that taxpayers letters are routinely binned and calls are either ignored or cut-off prematurely.

A whistleblower states:

"Staff have actually been told that when someone rings in with a tax inquiry and you spot a mistake on a person's record, you have to ignore it unless they have actually asked you to look at that mistake.

It's all about the government target of answering so many calls in a day.

And if you write in, the post often goes missing. It just disappears, just gets binned... some letters simply aren't seen by anyone.

Last week we had a situation where half a million payment reminder letters were sent out late, meaning people were being threatened with surcharges and penalties they might not even owe.

It's a massive mess."

I wonder if more whistleblowers came forward whether we would discover if this is but the tip of the iceberg?

Tax does have to be taxing.

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Disgruntled Lemmings

Not surprisingly, given the recent "kerfuffle" at the HMRC, morale amongst the hapless staff of this much maligned organisation is at an all time low.

Seemingly the employees have requested punchbags, squeeze balls and aromatherapy in order to relieve the stress that they feel.

What about the tax payers who have to deal with HMRC?

These demands had been posted on an HMRC staff discussion website (www.disgruntled-lemmings.com) which has been taken offline.

HMRC have stated that the website is not one of theirs.

Here is what the site looked like in July 2007 Disgruntled Lemmings.

Those of you who are keen to search a bit more on Google etc for caches may be pleased to know that HMRC staff are normal human beings, just like ourselves.

I was heartened to read the profile of one tax credits adviser in Newcastle, who lists among her interests "drugs".

Another member of HMRC lists his interests as "fucking up binis" (I believe that they emanate from Africa).

How very "reassuring" that HMRC staff have such eclectic hobbies, and are so cavalier with their personal information.

Fortunately they would never be so indiscreet with the personal information of their customers....oh, hang on a minute...