Fujitsu To Axe HMRC Projects Staff

Despite the fact that HMRC's digital systems are "rickety" and unreliable, to say the least, it seems that Fujitsu is looking to cut back on its workforce that performs project work for HMRC.

The Register Fujitsu employees were told late last week that 82 people aligned with the customer account are at risk of redundancy and were entering into a 30-day consultation process with the ultimate leave date set for the close of March.

Company insiders said there are fewer projects and programmes being tendered by HMRC, which is exiting Fujitsu data centres and sending more work to Crown Hosting and cloud suppliers including Amazon Web Services.


Via the Securing Our Technical Future programme, HMRC is moving 600 services to the public cloud or Crown Hosting. The rationale being that HMRC is to have a more dynamic infrastructure that can scale and be updated where necessary.

A spokesperson at Fujitsu issued a statement:

"Fujitsu can confirm that 82 employees who work on the HMRC account have been put at risk of redundancy. The consultation process has now begun and it is anticipated that less than 30 per cent of these job roles will result in actual redundancy.

The roles will come from the Projects organisation and not from the core service delivery area. The trade unions Unite and PCS have been advised. We are working to minimise the number of compulsory redundancies through voluntary redundancies and redeployments to other areas of Fujitsu."

Tax does have to be taxing.

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"Building Our Future" Runs Into Resistance In Ealing

Ealing Council and Ealing Central & Acton MP Rupa Huq are fighting to prevent the closure of the borough’s HMRC office which could lead to the loss of 260 jobs.

HMRC has proposed that the office could close in 2020/21 as part of the latest phase of a restructure across the UK.

At a full council meeting on Tuesday (June 12) the council unanimously passed a motion to support members of the Ealing branch of the PCS Union, which is campaigning against the potential closure.

The motion read:

“The proposed closure of the HMRC Ealing office in the year 2020/21 will mean the loss of approx 260 quality jobs, of which 75% are carried out by female and ethnic minority workers.

This will mean HMRC no longer have a presence in Ealing. The loss to the local Ealing economy is estimated at approx one million pounds per year. This loss will inevitably have a detrimental impact on other businesses in the area that staff use. We call on Ealing Council to debate this issue, oppose the loss of jobs in Ealing and join the campaign to keep the office open beyond 2020/21.”

Tax does have to be taxing.

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HMRC Reneges On A Promise

HMRC staff at Sidlaw House in Dundee Technology Park had been told by HMRC that they would move over to the DWP to undertake Universal Credit work over the next three years.

However, HMRC has changed its plans and staff have now been told that no positions can be guaranteed with the DWP once the HMRC’s Tax Credits work in Dundee ends in three years’ time.

Dundee West MP Chris Law is quoted by The Courier:

“This is a devastating betrayal for the highly-skilled staff at Sidlaw House, many of whom have dedicated years of loyal service to HMRC, and I share their anger and disappointment in this Tory U-Turn following our campaign in 2015 that had secured work at the offices.

The UK Government gave me written assurances then that the staff at Sidlaw House would definitely be transferred to Universal Credit Services in the DWP, assurances that they have now ripped up.

This disgraceful decision by the Tories proves once again that they are more interested in needless cuts than protecting the jobs and livelihoods of the people of Dundee, and cannot be trusted to lead our city or our country.”

An HMRC spokesman said:

“In 2016, we announced that tax credits customer services advisers would be transferring to the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP).

DWP will now be able to deliver as planned without the level of additional resource it originally expected, and so the managed moves of HMRC staff to DWP will not be going ahead as planned.

We will be doing everything we can to keep their skills, knowledge and experience, either in HMRC or elsewhere in the civil service, as the tax credits work they do reduces in the years ahead.”

No apology, simply a "promise" to do "everything..to keep their skills".

Well I don't think that "promise" is worth the paper it is printed on.

Tax does have to be taxing.

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What is Solar Tax Investigation Insurance?

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HMRC Dudley Closure Up For Parliamentary Debate

The Express & Star reports that Dudley North MP Ian Austin has urged Work and Pensions Secretary Esther McVey to rethink proposals that have put the jobs at risk of 250 civil servants based at the HMRC’s tax credits office at the Waterfront in Brierley Hill, Dudley.

He has secured a parliamentary debate on the issue Wednesday evening.

He will be using the debate to call on ministers to look again at the decision, keep the Brierley Hill offices open and ensure the highly-skilled HMRC staff are used to assist with the introduction of Universal Credit.

Tax does have to be taxing.

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What is Solar Tax Investigation Insurance?

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



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HMRC To Get 5,000 More Staff

A few days ago I noted that Jon Thompson was asking fro 5,000 more staff to cope with Brexit.

Well blinkey, blonkey, blimey his wish has been granted!

The 5,000 extra workers taken on next year will be employed by HMRC as it looks to implement a new border regime on leaving the EU.

The Independent reports that the Cabinet was told by David Davis many of the preparations “will be needed even in our preferred scenario of a bold and ambitious deal – for example, implementing either of our proposed customs arrangements will require investment in new systems and customs officers by HMRC.”

What could possibly go wrong?

Tax does have to be taxing.

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HMRC Staff In Dundee To Be Moved

Last week it emerged that 34 HMRC employees working at the offices at Caledonian House in Greenmarket were offered voluntary redundancy.

CCH reports that the ‘majority’ of HMRC workers in Dundee will be moved elsewhere in the city as part of a wider overhaul of staffing in the tax authority’s offices,

An HMRC spokesperson said:

‘HMRC has been working hard to avoid compulsory redundancies since we first announced that offices would be closing in November 2015.

On 22 June, we launched a voluntary redundancy scheme for people currently working in offices due to close between December 2017 and March 2018.

Every person in these offices has had the opportunity to hold a one-to-one meeting with their manager to look at whether they can move to another HMRC office. The people being offered voluntary redundancy are those who, following the one-to-one discussions, are confirmed as being outside of reasonable daily travel of another HMRC office.’ 

Tax does have to be taxing.

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

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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



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Stephen Hardwick Leaves HMRC

 

My thanks to a loyal reader who posted a comment yesterday alerting me to the fact that Stephen Hardwick (Communications Director initially appointed on a temporary basis in 2011) has left HMRC.

His LinkedIn profile implies he has not yet found a new role:

Director of Corporate Communications

Company Name HM Revenue & Customs

Dates Employed Sep 2011 – May 2017

Employment Duration 5 yrs 9 mos

Location London, United Kingdom

I advised the Executive Committee and Board on communications and reputation in a Department with 65,000 staff and annual revenues of £537 billion from 49 million individuals and 5.4 million businesses. I was a member of the Executive Committee, a broadcast spokesperson and represented HMRC at cross-government forums.

I led 300 staff in media, social media, internal communications, marketing, design, stakeholder relations, corporate publications, sustainability, and HMRC’s Building our Future engagement programme. I managed a budget of up to £20 million a year and was HMRC’s environment champion.

Key achievements:

- repositioned HMRC as a transparent, confident and effective organisation, robustly handling controversies over customer service, tax avoidance by multinationals and international data leaks through proactive media and stakeholder engagement

- influenced senior leadership decision making, advising both on strategy and operations, to ensure the effective delivery of HMRC’s objectives, while protecting its reputation

- transformed HMRC’s approach to employee engagement, creating a compelling narrative and establishing a programme of leader-led face-to-face events. Since April 2014 we engaged 65,000 staff in 2,200 events to discuss HMRC's vision, and in November 2015 involved 1,600 managers to make simultaneous face-to-face announcements about our location strategy

- restructured communications, integrating the corporate centre and business lines, rationalising the structure, defining the scope of authority and accountabilities, and significantly reducing cost and headcount

- developed a campaigns-based integrated communications strategy, directly aligned to HMRC’s business priorities and objectives, covering all aspects of communications and engagement, with clear measurement and evaluation

- improved communications professionalism, pioneering communications evaluation and leading cross-government capability improvement projects.

His Twitter feed says he is "funemployed":

I've not yet got the hang of funemployment. Day 1 and I've just completed my 2016-17 Self Assessment tax return. I have a 60p refund due.

— Stephen Hardwick (@stevehardwick) May 8, 2017

Did he fall, or was he pushed?

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.

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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



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Trouble In Hull

My thanks to a loyal reader who posted this comment the other day, warning about a possible "AO dump" in Hull:

"So, Gerry Dorby visited Cherry Court in Hull a week or two ago.

The first floor of the building holds the RIS section, and all ten or so teams were recently "re-structured" because, officially, Jenni Cooper had some problem with too many teams, but in reality it was done because A) She wanted to leave people doing something she'd ordered before taking maternity leave, and B) to split up people who were seen as talking too much.

When Dorby came, he noted that he wanted as many AOs "out the door" as soon as possible, adding that the floor was "far too noisy" still.

This was on a Friday when there were, apparently, very few people in.

He is also making it his mission to get production up - even though it already as high as it can be, I've been told..."

It is not clear as to whether the HMRC AO "dump" is redundancy or moving staff to the DWP.

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



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HMRC Building Our Future - Mapeley

My thanks to a loyal reader who directed me to Hansard 28 April 2016 wrt

HMRC: Building our Future Plan

 

There are numerous mentions of our old friends at Mapeley and the significance of 2021.

Happy reading!

Chris Stephens

I suspect that the word “Mapeley” will come up in the course of this debate, so let me touch on it. I referred earlier to the more than 700 offices formerly used by HMRC. Mapeley Estates snapped up more than 130 of them for its offshore property portfolio after loading itself up with debt in order to front up its side of this rotten charade with the then Government: 84% of the funding that Mapeley obtained to acquire that lucrative contract came in the form of loans. That shabby deal with a shabby company comes to an end in 2021. For the privilege of renting publicly built offices sold off for a song, HMRC will have the right to occupy buildings, with leases based on market terms” after that date. That is very generous of Mapeley.​

I commend the National Audit Office on its 2009 report on the deal. It is redolent with phrases such as, “the Department has not achieved value for money…The Department did not fully appreciate the risks… The Department has not had strong processes to monitor the overall cost of the contract and whether it is achieving value for money”.

The Exchequer Secretary admitted to this House last year that the end life of the Mapeley contracts represented a “one-off opportunity to make this change to the estate footprint.”—[Official Report, 24 November 2015; Vol. 602, c. 1300.]

That is part of the truth behind the closures—a private finance initiative deal worth billions from the public purse, used to enrich a Bermuda-domiciled corporate entity, with the public left with nothing at the end of 20 years, except the right to sign a commercial lease.

I will end with the words of a PCS member and HMRC employee, my constituent Bobby Young, who is chair of the PCS Revenue and Customs branch:

“Whilst my branch welcomes the news of a slight increase of jobs in Glasgow, we absolutely oppose it if it comes at the cost of jobs elsewhere. Communities from Bathgate to Bootle will be devastated by these closures—that is not a price worth paying for the sake of a few extra jobs in Glasgow.”

If anyone should know about prices, it is an employee of Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs. Sadly, it seems that their superiors know very little about value.

Chris Law (Dundee West) (SNP)

I recently discovered that the ownership of the leases of HMRC offices—this has already been mentioned by my hon. Friend—was transferred to a company called Mapeley in 2001. You could not make this up, Mr Deputy Speaker. Where is Mapeley based? In the Bahamas. That is right: HMRC pays rent to a company registered in a tax haven. To quote the chairman of the Public Accounts Committee, this Government have scored a “massive own goal”. Who stands to profit from the sales of HMRC local offices? You guessed it: Mapeley again. Why not use local council offices that may be available, and then any profits from the rents would go straight to the Treasury?

Stuart C. McDonald (Cumbernauld, Kilsyth and Kirkintilloch East) (SNP)

Perhaps the Minister will be able to answer some of our questions today, but I must emphasise that debates alone will not be enough. We need the people behind these proposals to come here to explain them directly to Parliament. That would allow Members to get stuck into the nuts and bolts and to get behind the management-speak and buzzwords that are too often passed off as answers. If that does not happen, staff and taxpayers will be left questioning whether HMRC is really “building our future”, as the glossy brochure states, or whether this is in fact a question of buildings forcing our future. It has already been pointed out that this is taking place in the context of the expiry of the extraordinary contracts that were entered into in 2001, when 600 or so properties were sold to the offshore company, Mapeley Steps, and then leased back, PFI-style, to HMRC. Those contracts expire in the years leading up to 2021. In the absence of answers to our questions, many will conclude that this is more about digging HMRC out of the hole that it jumped into in 2001, rather than being about any kind of strategy. That is the only conclusion open to us.

Rob Marris (Wolverhampton South West) (Lab)

Well, Minister, it’s all a bit of mess, isn’t it? I congratulate the hon. Member for Glasgow South West (Chris Stephens) on securing the debate. He touched on staff morale, the workforce figures and the fact that there has been no ministerial statement. Along with several other hon. Members, he also mentioned the shameful Mapeley contract, signed—I am sad to say—by a Labour Government who did not realise at the time that it was an overseas company.

Tax does have to be taxing.

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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.

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What is Solar Tax Investigation Insurance?

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



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HMRC Customer Service Consultant Job Advert

My thanks to a loyal reader, who sent me a link to an HMRC job advert for a customer service consultant in Stockton-on-Tees.

According to the advert it pays £20K per month!

I have posted the full job advert at the end of this article. However, aside from the fact taxpayers are not customers, there is something else that is a little flaky about the advert.

My loyal reader points out that a jobholder would expect to work no more than their contracted hours for the year, and expect to balance any peak working periods and/or long working days with corresponding time off.

The jobs advertised are full-time and will be on a five out of seven day contract including Saturdays and Sundays. The customer service centres are open 8am to 10pm, seven days a week. The working pattern will fall within these times. The work will be a combination of daytime and evening shifts; this may include three late shifts per week. In addition work on Saturdays and Sundays will be on a rotational basis.

What is left unsaid in the advert, in the opinion of my loyal reader, is that the candidates must jump through hoops to even get an interview for a call centre job that is not called a call centre job because it is based in a "normal" office.

• The hours worked will be those that current HMRC staff won't work, hence HMRC is trying to get rid of these "non flexible" staff without the cost of redundancy. 
• Tax knowledge is not essential, 5 weeks training will just about get the applicants through the many, many software programmes they will be required to use simultaneously over two monitors when on the phones.
• The priority is to keep the phone waiting times out of the media.
• Calls will be monitored and "customer service" is not required.
• Never ask the taxpayer ‘if there is anything else you can do for them’.

In the event that this sounds like the job of your dreams, then here are the details in full:

Job ID

30137870

Posting Date

19/05/2016

Company

HMRC

Location

UK-Yorkshire-Stockton-on-Tees

Industries

Government and public sector

Job type

Full time

Career level

None

Salary

18,415.00 - 20,074.00  per month
Pension schemes are available and more information will be provided to successful candidates.

Hours of Work

Flexitime

Annual hours

HMRC

Customer Service Consultant

Job description

Must Read:
Please ensure that you read The Candidate Pack attached to this vacancy before you apply.

HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) is the UK’s tax authority. We do much more than just collect tax as we administer benefit payments, pay out tax credits as well as collecting tax.

As a Customer Service Consultant you will:
• Handle incoming calls from customers effectively and efficiently;
• Identify, record and resolve customer complaints or issues professionally;
• Use various computer systems to update/maintain and create customer records accurately;
• Handling some more complex queries and issues, making sure they are all resolved quickly and efficiently;
• Provide accurate information in a professional and helpful manner by collecting and assessing relevant data and information from various sources such as departmental guidance, customer records/systems, managers and other relevant business units;
• Process electronic work & digital information;
• Reply to internal messages;
• Be responsible for identifying your own learning needs;
• Help with general administrative duties.

To do this we will require you to have good
• IT skills – you will need proficient basic skills in using a range of computer systems including Microsoft Windows & Office and be able to navigate comfortably around internet based programmes.
• Communication skills – You will need good communication skills both verbal and written.

Full training is provided so that you have an in depth knowledge of the services, which you will be providing, to enable you to positively contribute to the customer experience.

Successful candidates must be able to commit fully to their initial training. Training will last up to 5 weeks and requires full time commitment between 8.30am and 5pm.

Operational Delivery Apprenticeships:
Within this recruitment campaign we also hope to be able to offer a number of apprenticeships to successful applicants. There will be opportunities in each of the location(s) listed above.

If you accept an offer of an apprenticeship you will be on the same pay and terms and conditions of employment as Customer Service Consultants, and will enjoy the same benefits whilst also benefiting from being able to study for an internationally recognised qualification.

Competencies

You will be asked to supply evidence of meeting these competencies when you apply.

1.    Delivering at pace

Benefits

Pensions

may be available for successful candidates.

Things you need to know

Security

Successful candidates must pass a disclosure and barring security check.

Successful candidates must pass .

Nationality statement

Candidates will be subject to requirements as well as .

If you're applying for a role requiring security clearance please be aware that foreign or dual nationality is not an automatic bar. However certain posts may have restrictions which could affect those who do not have sole British nationality or who have personal connections with certain countries outside the UK.

Selection process details

Selection will be by Test, Sift and Interview.

After submission of your application you will be invited to complete an online test that takes up to 25 minutes to complete. Example questions are available once logged in. Please complete the online test at your earliest convenience as you will have until midnight on 02/06/2016 to submit your completed test. If you fail to complete the online test before the deadline your application will be withdrawn.

We do not require any formal qualification for this role, however you will be asked to take standardised tests in both English and Maths

If there are more candidates than roles available a sifting exercise will be undertaken based on the Delivering at Pace competency that forms part of the application.

During your application you will be invited to take an online Civil Service Initial Sift Test (CSIST) as part of your application – please see the candidate pack for more information.

If you are successful at the CSIST Test you will be invited to complete a standardised online test in English and Maths. Should you be successful at this you will be invited to attend an interview.

At interview candidates will be asked situational questions that test the competences Delivering at Pace and Managing a Quality Service with the competence leading and communication assessed through consideration of candidate's performance at interview

The following competencies will be tested at interview. Please see candidate pack for more information:

Delivering at pace
Managing a quality service
Leading and communicating
Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Nationality requirements

Open to UK, and and certain non EEA nationals. Further information on whether you are able to apply is available .

Eligibility

Candidates in their probationary period are eligible to apply for vacancies within this department.

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equality of opportunity. We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's . There is a guaranteed interview scheme (GIS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.

Apply and further information

Contact point for applicants

For further information about these roles please contact:
info.ptrecruitment@hmrc.gsi.gov.uk

Online Test Deadline Instructions

Please complete the online test at your earliest convenience as you will have until midnight on 02/06/2016 to submit your completed test. If you fail to complete the online test before the deadline your application will be withdrawn.

Online Test Deadline

2 Jun 2016

Sift/interview dates and location

Sift dates to be Confirmed

The interviews will be held in a Government office and will take place from 27th June onwards. If successful and transferring from another Government Department a criminal record check maybe carried out.

Working pattern

These posts are full-time and will be on a five out of seven day contract including Saturdays and Sundays. Our customer service centres are open 8am to 10pm, seven days a week. Your working pattern will fall within these times.

You will work a combination of daytime and evening shifts; this may include three late shifts per week. In addition you will work Saturdays and Sundays on a rotational basis.

The working patterns will be flexible and subject to change in line with business needs; we will ask you to work a variety of shift patterns between the office opening hours detailed above, but we will not make any changes without giving you a suitable notice period. We would normally tell you two or more weeks in advance.

A jobholder would expect to work no more than their contracted hours for the year and expect to balance any peak working periods and/or long working days by corresponding time off.

Further information

Over the next 10 years HMRC will be reducing the number of its offices and will be located in Glasgow, Edinburgh, Belfast, Newcastle, Leeds, Liverpool, Manchester, Nottingham, Birmingham, Bristol, Cardiff, Croydon and Stratford. There will also be a small number of offices where we will retain some specialist roles in Dover, Worthing, Gartcosh (near Glasgow) and Telford, as well as our headquarters in central London. If you are recruited into an office that is not one of these locations, you will be expected to move to one in the future.

Some of HMRC Terms and Conditions of employment changed on 1st May 2013, these will apply to people who are new recruits to HMRC or who take a new job in HMRC on promotion. The document attached to this advertisement provides more information on the changes we made, please note this is not a full list of HMRC's terms and conditions. If you need to discuss how these changes might affect you, please contact the vacancy holder. For further information on terms and conditions please visit https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/hm-revenue-customs/about/recruitment#annual-leave

If you are currently working for an OGD and would like to consider the impact on your pay when joining HMRC, please see the attached document "Pay on Transfer from OGD" for further information.

Working for HMRC
If you would like to learn more about HMRC, please visit our YouTube page HMRC.gov.uk and search Tax Facts: About HMRC

Please ensure that you read The Candidate Pack attached to this vacancy before you apply.

A reserve list may be held for a period up to 3 months from which further appointments may be made.

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"

The Ballad of Ty Glas Tax Office

My thanks to the loyal reader who posted this comment on the article about the closure of Ty Glas:

Saddened to learn was I, probably like so many others, of the proposed demise of the Ty Glas Open Prison.
 

Alas, no more will the sympathetic and supportive management 'encourage' staff to attend work when the Police are advising nothing but emergency travel be undertaken given the predicted blizzards.
 

No more will staff have to exit past the post room (other exits are available) when suspicious parcels are therein.
 

The delightful female car park 'Stasi' operator will no longer be able to waste time staring out of the window to report those travelling the wrong way around or parking badle (at least she was consistent).
 

No more will the kitchen cleaning rosters have to be drwan up and adhered to or be punished. (must wonder how long before a toilet cleaning roster was introduced?)
 

No more will anyone threaten disciplinary action for writing on a disused whiteboard (suitable pen of course).
 

No more will staff have to sit at desks in overcoats, hats and scarves in the winter because their office is so fecking cold! (that's the problem when a building contract ends up with staff in a room formally occupied by main frame systems and a very high ceiling)
 

And don't mention the fire brigade threatening to close the building down because the fire doors couldnt stop a pike in a poke and also blew ajar during high winds.
 

Yes, I am sure the staff will miss this edifice when they transfer.
 

I for one am prepared to make a contribution to a charity for the absolute pleasure of pressing the red button - (preferably with a few of the Muppets still in there) - a joke of course, but I am prepared to pay for the joy of pressing that red button and watching the House of Horrors drop...

Lovely place to work, my arse!

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 Recruiting Customer Service Consultants

WalesOnline reports that HMRC is recruiting 480 people for posts in the HMRC office in Cardiff. The full-time posts are for customer service consultants, and starting salaries are up to £20,000.

Meanwhile HMRC is preparing to close it existing office at Ty Glas, Llanishen and move to another site in the city. The Ty Glas tax office currently employs around 2,100 and is mainly a processing centre with some technical jobs. Those recruited for the new roles will be expected to handle incoming customer calls and where necessary resolve customer complaints.

The HMRC "strategy" is one of getting rid of experienced tax professionals, and replacing them with call centre operatives with little or no experience/understanding of tax.

Yes, that will work!

Oh and by the way, will HMRC please stop calling taxpayers "customers"!

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"

PAC Frets About HMRC's Performance

Members of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) are fretting about HMRC's performance, and yesterday said that taxpayers were missing out on £16bn a year, as a result of evasion and criminal activity.

Where do they get that figure from?

Anyhoo, accuracy of figures aside, PAC said that HMRC needed to increase the number of investigations, and prosecute more wealthy tax evaders.

Fear not HMRC (which claims to be one of the most effective tax collectors in the world) has,as loyal readers know, a cunning plan.

It is allowing its experienced staff, with decades of service and knowledge, to leave whilst replacing them with unskilled individuals who will person the phones!

What could possibly go wrong?

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 Staff Mull Strike Action

HMRC staff are reportedly considering industrial action over news that HMRC has issued nearly 150 redundancy notices since the November announcement about plans to shut down 137 of its 170 offices (affecting 60,000 staff) across the country by 2020-2021, as part of plans to digitise tax administration.

CCH Daily reports that PCS has stated that HMRC is refusing to redeploy those at risk to any office listed for closure in the coming years under the plans.

An HMRC spokesperson said:

"HMRC does everything possible to avoid compulsory redundancies but the reality is we no longer need the mass processing roles of the past as we move to more skilled and specialist roles.

We have been through a lengthy and rigorous process to deploy colleagues to other areas of work within HMRC and this work has been on-going since 2014. We have consulted with Departmental trade unions to make sure that we've considered all possible redeployment opportunities."

PCS are quoted:

"We are considering all our options, including industrial action, and will provide regular updates to members.

We called on HMRC chief executive Lin Homer to intervene to avoid what would the first compulsory redundancies in her department, but she has refused.

It is entirely unnecessary and inflammatory to tell these 150 staff there is no future for them in the civil service when staff are being recruited to do similar work.

This is not how reasonable employers behave and we will be considering all options, including industrial action."

Good luck to Homer's successor sorting this out!

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 Gamekeepers Turned Poachers

It seems that the ongoing restructuring and redundancies in HMRC have created a ‘glut of gamekeeper-turned-poacher' tax experts who pose a threat to the professional value of accountants.

That is the conclusion of research carried out by Warwick Business School and the University of Birmingham. The non startling conclusion of the research was that individuals who leave HMRC for the private sector are ideally placed to exploit new management reforms to help companies avoid tax and undermine the tax profession.

No surprises there!

The research, which looked at how the HMRC had been reformed from 2003 to 2012, found that although many HMRC employees embraced wide reforms and took on ‘hybrid' managerial roles, a number of experienced staff members jumped ship and turned towards the private sector.

Professor Graeme Currie of Warwick Business School said former HMRC employees could cause major problems to the tax department due to their "inside" knowledge.

He is quoted by AccountancyAge:

"These gamekeepers-turned-poachers could compound the impact of a policy shift because they are best placed to capitalise on any changes to the agency's focus. As former insiders they are 'canny customers'.

We also suggest that, as in the case of accountants, professional values of independence and public service in the tax profession may over time be eroded by the increasing movement of tax professionals from HMRC into more commercially-orientated corporate clients, at the same time as frontline interactions across the regulator-regulatee divide shape service."

All very well, but it is somewhat late in the day to sound the alarm bells over the revolving door, as that door has been revolving for many years!

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"

Building Our Future - HMRC's Transitional Centres

HMRC's ten year plan to cut £100M in costs and move remaining staff to 13 hubs will not, unsurprisingly, suit every member of staff.

As such HMRC has come up with a "brilliant" solution, designed to "help" those staff who feel that (or whom HMRC feels) they are not part of HMRC's bright new digital future.

Transitional Centres

A name more akin to something built for refugees fleeing a war zone.

Computing reports that HMRC will have transitional centres for people who are likely to leave the organisation within the next decade.

The question is which sites will be transitional?

Employees who find themselves in such a centre will doubtless feel a tad "demoralised".

Won't this cause more problems?

Notwithstanding this, HMRC plans to move certain roles and perhaps even teams to transitional centres where they will work until the department deems them obsolete.  

 

What could possibly go wrong?

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"

Building Our Future - Dorothy Brown Speaks

Director of personal tax, Dorothy Brown, is quoted by The Star saying that HMRC would do as much as possible to keep staff.

“We want to retain as many staff as possible which is why we have given people five or six years’ notice so they have time to look at their choices and options. 

We fully appreciate the move might be difficult in certain personal circumstances but we will work with staff on retaining or upskilling them.

If people do want to travel we will support them, perhaps helping out with travel costs if it is more expensive and we will put together a series of HR packages. We are committed to keep as many staff as possible.”

I doubt that!

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"

Build You Own HMRC Office

My thanks to a loyal reader who posted a link to the following opportunity offered by HMRC.

Those who wish to build new HMRC offices, I would have thought that there must be some offices already built that would be suitable, feel free to apply.

Strategic Delivery Partner

HMRC

Open opportunity - This means that the contract is currently unfulfilled but active, and the buying department is looking for potential suppliers to contact them with bid applications.

Closing date: 01 January 2016

Contract summary

Industry

Construction and Real Estate, Printing and Publishing, Other Services

Location of contract

M60 9LA

Value of contract (£)

£1

Published date

12 October 2015

Closing date

01 January 2016

Contract start date

01 January 2016

Contract end date

02 January 2016

Description

The purpose of this Prior Information Notice (PIN) is:
(a) to give potential tenderers advance notice that HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) currently intend to undertake a tendering exercise for a Strategic Delivery Partner, further details of which are given below, and
(b) to advise potential tenderers of an upcoming Supplier Event which will be held on 26/10/2015 in London, at 11am. Followed by opportunities to meet with HMRC on a one to one basis, to be arranged on the supplier day.

HMRC has set out its vision for its future office network as part of its Building our Future Programme. HMRC will create 14 Regional Centres across the UK, of which the majority are expected to be new build properties.

These will vary in size from 1,200 to 7,500 staff. Migration is expected to be over 5 years. The existing 170 offices will close as new Regional Centres open. There will be a small number of specialist sites in addition to the Regional Centres. Some Regional Centres may form part of larger Government Hub campuses.

The requirement is for a Strategic Delivery Partner with the experience to develop and deliver the HMRC Building our Future Property Programme. The partner will work with HMRC and advise on, develop and deliver an overall integrated Building our Future Programme, comment and evaluate individual developments within it; creating a long term management regime and occupier strategy.

HMRC is seeking to engage with organisations or consortia who might be interested in working with the Department to develop its requirements and procurement strategy. Services to be delivered may include: General Programme and Project Management Governance Project Management Office Communications, Marketing and Publicity Property Property/Asset Management Property Acquisitions Freehold/Leasehold Appraisal Construction & Fit Out Financial Business Case Development Financial Appraisal/Cost Modelling Benefit Realisation Investment Funding Commercial Procurement Supply Chain Management Technical M&E Standards Technical Standards (including Environmental) Interior Design IT Cabling Infrastructure Supplier Knowledge & Attributes: UK Coverage Multi-disciplinary organisation FM & Construction Expertise Commercial acumen Public Sector Procurement Government Soft Landings Logistical & Staff Migration Planning Further details about the requirement will be available at the Supplier Event.

About the buyer

Address

5th Floor West Ralli Quays

3 Stanley Street

Salford

M60 9LA

UK

Telephone

+443000587850

Email

valerie.sharrocks@hmrc.gsi.gov.uk

Other information

Attachments

Please follow this link to view the notice.

https://www.delta-esourcing.com/delta/respondToList.html?noticeId=165628688

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"