HMRC App for Tax Credits

 

More than 33,600 tax credits customers use HMRC app to renew

More than 33,600 customers have successfully used the HMRC app to renew their tax credits claim so far this year, a 39% increase on last year, HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) has revealed.

Tax credits help working families with targeted financial support, so it is important customers act now to renew before the quickly approaching 31 July deadline to ensure their payments don’t stop.

HMRC is encouraging more customers to use the highly-rated app as it is a quick and easy way to get this vital job done.

It is free and simple to use and allows direct access to tax credits at the touch of a button. There are many benefits of the fully secure app, which can be used on any smartphone or tablet, at any time, eliminating the need to call HMRC and helping customers to save time and money.

Customers using the HMRC app can:

• renew their tax credits
• make changes to their claim
• check their tax credits payments schedule, and
• find out how much they have earned for the year

There are nearly 259,000 tax credits app users, who have used the app more than 10 million times in the last year to do things like check their payment dates and amount.

Myrtle Lloyd, HMRC’s Director General for Customer Services, said:

“Time is running out for our tax credits customers to renew their claims. It’s quick, easy and free to complete a renewal on the HMRC app – search ‘HMRC’ in your smartphone app store.”

Customers can download the app at the App Store or Google Play. Online reviews at both indicate plenty of satisfaction with the app’s performance, as it currently holds a score of 4.5 stars on the App Store, and 4.7 on Google Play.

HMRC has released a video to explain how tax credits customers can use the HMRC app to view, manage and update their details.

Once signed into the app after initial download, there are options for users to set up and select facial recognition, a fingerprint or a 6-digit pin to get fast and fully secure access to their details.

Customers can also renew their tax credits and manage their claims online on GOV.UK. Customers can log into GOV.UK to check on the progress of their renewal, be reassured it’s being processed and know when they’ll hear back from HMRC.

The UK Government has recently announced a Cost of Living Payment of £650, payable in two separate lump sums of £326 and £324, for households receiving certain benefits or tax credits, to help with the cost of living. If receiving tax credits only, they are eligible for each payment. HMRC will contact them and issue payments automatically, with the first being made by the autumn. Customers do not need to contact HMRC or apply for the payment.

More information on the Cost of Living Payment, including eligibility, is available on GOV.UK.

Tax credits are ending and will be replaced by Universal Credit by the end of 2024. Many customers who move from tax credits to Universal Credit could be financially better off and can use an independent benefits calculator to check. If customers choose to apply sooner, it is important to get independent advice beforehand as they will not be able to go back to tax credits or any other benefits that Universal Credit replaces.

As the deadline for renewals approaches, customers hurrying to sort out their accounts could be more vulnerable to scammers. HMRC is warning people that if someone contacts them saying that they are from HMRC and wants the customer to transfer money urgently or give personal information, they should never let themselves be rushed. HMRC is also urging customers never to share their HMRC login details. Someone using them could steal from the customer or make a fraudulent claim in their name. The department urges people to take their time and check HMRC’s advice about scams on GOV.UK.

Tax does have to be taxing.

Tax Investigation Insurance

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One Million Tax Credit Notices Incomplete

It seems that more than one million tax credit renewal notices with incomplete information have been sent to homes by HMRC.

HMRC has apologised for the error, but said that the omission had not affected the calculations made for proposed payments.

When this year's automatic renewal notices were sent out, 1.2 million of them omitted income details.

HMRC has subsequently sent a follow-up letter with these income details used in its tax credits calculations, and said human error was to blame for the original fault.

"We are sorry that this happened, and for any inconvenience caused. We want to make sure we have paid customers the correct amount.

A significant proportion of these customers are self-employed, and we need to confirm their previous tax year's income has been correctly accounted for and to make sure they don't miss the opportunity to give us an estimate if they are not certain about their income for this year."

Recipients should check their annual renewal carefully.

Tax does have to be taxing.

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Having a Solar Protect Tax Investigation Insurance policy at your disposal means that should you be one of the many 1000's of businesses or individuals that are selected by HMRC each year to look into your tax affairs your own accountant (your tax return agent) can get on and defend you robustly.

You have the peace of mind knowing that your accountant's (your tax return agent) fees will be paid by the insurance without any Excess for you to find.

Tax Investigation Insurance is an insurance policy that will fully reimburse your accountants (your tax return agent) fees up to £100,000 if you are subject to enquiry by or dispute with HMRC.

A Solar Protect policy will enable your Accountant (your tax return agent) to:

• Deal with any correspondence from HMRC
• Attend any meeting with HMRC
• Appeal to the First-tier Tribunal or Upper Tribunal
• Having the security of knowing that fees will be met in full will enable your Accountant (your tax return agent) to defend your position robustly
• Premiums are Annual Premiums.
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Alexa, HMRC and Tax Credits

HMRC  stated yesterday that it has launched new and "innovative" technology to help more than 3 million taxpayers renew their tax credits by 31 July.

HMRC has developed a customer-focused service through Amazon Alexa specifically for those seeking help with their tax credits renewals.

Taxpayers with Amazon Alexa-enabled devices can ask Alexa to ‘open HMRC’ and ask for help and information with a change of circumstances, payment information, or a renewal. No personal information is stored on Alexa and taxpayers cannot renew their tax credits using Alexa.

Angela MacDonald, HMRC’s Director General for Customer Services, said:

We know our customers have hectic lives – full of interruptions and distractions – which is why HMRC’s online services are available at all times of the day and night.

As the 31 July deadline for tax credits renewals approaches, customers can feel reassured that they can renew their benefits online or via the HMRC App at a time that suits them.

And if they need to access help and support, Alexa can help customers find out about what to do when they receive a renewal pack, how to change their circumstances, or how to find out about payment information.

We’ve improved our services so customers can renew their tax credits at a time that’s convenient for them.

Online help and information on renewing tax credits is available on GOV.UK and via HMRC’s customer service Twitter feed @HMRCcustomers.

Support is also available on the tax credits helpline (0345 300 3900).

Further information

The deadline for people to renew their tax credits is 31 July 2018. Failure to renew before the deadline will mean payments are stopped and taxpayers may have to repay the money they have received since April.

If a taxpayer requests further information through an SMS, the mobile phone number is stored for 6 hours and then automatically deleted.

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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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.

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?

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



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HMRC Gamekeeper Turned Poacher Convicted

Laura Southern, a former HMRC worker has been convicted of “the very crime” she was paid to detect - after cheating the taxpayer out of £34,000.

BelfastLive reports that Southern lied about living with her partner to claim tax credits.

Southern, from Clonmore Park in Lisburn, Co Antrim worked as a HMRC Benefits and Credits Compliance Manager in Belfast “checking for fraudulent tax credits claims”.

Southern for five years “falsely claimed to be a single parent, while living with her partner”.

Joff(CORR) Parsons, Assistant Director, Internal Governance, HMRC, said she “was employed to track down people committing the very crime she has been convicted of”.

He added:

“She knew exactly what she was doing and even though she knew it was wrong, thought she could get away with stealing tax credits she wasn’t entitled to. But her deceit was exposed and now she is paying the price.

We expect the highest professional standards and integrity from our staff; no one is exempt and we will pursue criminals like Southern who think it is acceptable to steal tax credits. We ask anyone with information about tax fraud to contact the HMRC Fraud Hotline on 0800 788 887.”

Southern was given a 15 month prison sentence, suspended for three years, at Craigavon Crown Court on Tuesday, December 12 after pleading guilty to being knowingly concerned in fraudulent activity with a view to obtaining payments of tax credits, contrary to Section 35 of the Tax Credits Act 2002 and to cheating the public revenue.

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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Tax Credit Deadline One Week Away

As there is now one week to go until the 31 July tax credit renewal deadline, HMRC is urging the 960,000 people that are still to renew to do it now or risk having their payments stopped and, in some cases, being required to repay the money they have received since April.

CCH Daily reports that in 2016 410,000 people had their payments stopped or altered because they missed the deadline to inform HMRC of changes to their circumstances. These include changes to working hours, income and childcare costs.

Rachel McLean, HMRC’s interim director general of customer services, said:

‘We’ve made some really helpful improvements this year to our online and app services to support our customers. We know life can be hectic so the start and stop feature allows customers to begin and complete their renewal on a day and time convenient for them.

It’s fantastic that 32,000 have used our app and 733,000 customers have already renewed their tax credits online.’

Has the service improved?


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 Blames Fraud Failure On Concentrix

Oh in case you are wondering why HMRC will miss its fraud reduction targets, HMRC are blaming Concentrix.

HMRC's recently published annual report says “loss of additional capacity” in the wake of the failure of its contract with Concentrix meant it would not meet its error and fraud target for 2016-17.

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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Error and Fraud Rising Within Tax Credits

"HMRC collected more tax revenue in 2016-17 and improved its service levels for taxpayers. However error and fraud is rising within Tax Credits and HMRC needs to make it easier for claimants to get help. HMRC is part-way through an ambitious programme to bring in digital services and reduce its costs. In doing so HMRC must ensure it maintains adequate services if it is to protect revenue and tackle error and fraud”.

Amyas Morse, head of National Audit Office, 14 July 2017

The Comptroller and Auditor General (C&AG) has qualified his regularity audit opinion on the 2016-17 Resource Accounts because of material levels of error and fraud in the payments of Personal Tax Credits.

He has qualified the accounts on these grounds every year since Tax Credits were introduced in 2003-04.

HMRC’s central estimate of error and fraud in 2015-16 (the most recent available) is £1.57 billion of overpayments (5.5% of total spending on Personal Tax Credits) and £0.21 billion of underpayments (0.7% of total spending on Personal Tax Credits). HMRC’s estimated increase in error and fraud within Tax Credits is contrary to the significant reductions achieved in previous years, and the rate is expected to increase further.

Wrt MTD the scale of transformation will be challenging to manage, and the U.K.’s exit from the EU presents an additional challenge (no kidding!).

As for "customer service" the NAO warns that the current approach used by HMRC to measurement could overstate calls handled, and understate the time to answer as experienced by the customer.

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 Promises "Gold Command" For Tax Credits

Jon Thompson's Gold Command Uniform

HMRC has promised to address failings that led to thousands of benefit recipients having their tax credits withdrawn.

In a letter to the Work and Pensions select committee HMRC chief executive Jon Thompson promised to make a number of changes, including: reviewing and revising all letters; prompting customers to respond to HMRC enquiries; making it easier for taxpayers to engage with HMRC; and the rapid reinstatement of payments.

Quoted by the FT:

"One of the key learning points I reported to the Committee in October was that critical performance issues were not escalated to the right levels quickly.

To ensure this does not happen again, the 2017 HRR process will be governed through a ‘Gold Command’ structure alongside the broader Renewals programme, to monitor performance closely and ensure issues are escalated in real time.

I believe we have listened to the comments of our customers and stakeholders and addressed the core issues, whilst continuing to fulfil our responsibilities to reduce error and fraud in the welfare system."

What the fark is a "Gold Command" structure I hear you ask?

A gold–silver–bronze command structure is used by emergency services of the United Kingdom to establish a hierarchical framework for the command and control of major incidents and disasters.

'Nuff said!

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 Tax Credit Adviser Bilks HMRC For £65K

It seems that not everyone had trouble obtaining tax credits from HMRC.

Step forward Nicola Farningham, an HMRC tax credits advisor in HMRC's Dundee call centre. She scammed £65,000 over a period of 9 years from HMRC.

As from 2005, she used her knowledge of the system to scam huge sums of cash.
She claimed she was living alone with her kids and earning only £15,000 a year. However, as the Daily Record reports, in reality her husband Paul was living with her and earning £33,000 a year.

An investigation launched in 2014 found she was married and living with him.

She now faces a jail term.

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"

Concentrix Tax Credit Cases To Be Reviewed

The Work and Pensions Committee, that produced a scathing report on Concentrix, has stated that HMRC has accepted its recommendations.

As such HMRC will review up to 23,000 new cases of people who have had had their tax credits screwed up by Concentrix/HMRC.

In a report to MPs, the government disclosed that of 36,000 claimants who lodged an appeal against a ruling by Concentrix, 87% were upheld and have had their benefits reinstated.

The remaining 23,000 claimants who did not appeal will have their cases reviewed as well, the government has told the Work and Pensions Committee.

The BBC quotes a a statement to the committee from the government:

"HMRC will review those cases to establish that decisions made by Concentrix were properly made and communicated to claimants.

Where absolutely necessary, we will re-contact the claimant to request further information relating to their claim. Current plans indicate that this activity could be completed by March 2017 but the scope of this work will be confirmed once an analysis of the total cost has been produced."

Frank Field (Chairman) said:

"HMRC was right to fire its contractor, but many of the processes used by Concentrix were the same as those used by HMRC itself. 

For many claimants, particularly those who were unwell, lacked self-confidence or had caring responsibilities, the document-heavy process of challenging a wrong decision by Concentrix was surely prohibitively daunting.

The real answer is of course to root out fraud and error at entry to the system rather than stopping benefits in payment as first resort."

A HMRC spokesman said:

"It is important to make checks on tax credits payments to ensure the right people are receiving them under the law, and this work will now be done by HMRC.

We will not be entering into external contracts for this in future. We apologise to all those who did not receive the standard of service that they should have."

Any guesses as to what the final bill for this clusterfuck will be?

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"

Frank Field Calls For Concentrix Compensation

Frank Field writes in the Huffington Post:

"I propose to HMRC that, as a postscript to the Concentrix tale, it proactively approaches those families whose tax credits were wrongly stopped with two offers: to pay back those lost monies as a lump sum or over a more gradual period; and to compensate those families in full for any additional charges, such as debt interest, that they incurred to ensure their children did not end up hungry or homeless."

I fully agree.

However, does HMRC know who it screwed over?

I suspect its records are amiss.

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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Tax Credits Under HMRC's Full Control

 

Welfare Tax Credits:Written question - 58935

Q

Asked by Rob Marris

(Wolverhampton South West)

[N]

Asked on: 06 January 2017

HM Treasury

Welfare Tax Credits

58935

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, which organisation will run the compliance process for tax credits for (a) 2017-18, (b) 2018-19 and (c) 2019-20.

A

Answered by: Jane Ellison

Answered on: 11 January 2017

HM Revenue and Customs will run and deliver the entire compliance process for tax credits.

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 Terminates Concentrix Contract Early

As expected, HMRC has confirmed that it is bringing an early end to its tax credits fraud and error contract with Concentrix, after a collapse in customer service levels over the summer.

HMRC's chief executive Jon Thompson has already announced that the tax authority will not be not be renewing its payment-by-results deal (set for expiry in May 2017) with Concentrix, after what he called a “fundamental failure of basic customer service”.

Thompson said last month that the tax authority was "in the late stages" of "a legal conversation about how this contract essentially finishes", and HMRC has now confirmed that both sides have agreed an early end to the deal.

In a message to HMRC staff, seen by CSW, director general for transformation Nick Lodge said HMRC and Concentrix had "worked together" to bring existing tax credits work in-house.

"Meanwhile, we thought it would be appropriate to look at the position of the contract and, following further discussions with Concentrix, we felt we could better serve our customers by ending the contract early, rather than continuing it through to the scheduled expiry in May 2017."

Lodge confirmed that the tax authority had now transferred "around 250" Concentrix staff in-house, and said the former private sector staff were "working with experienced teams and managers to help them fit into HMRC" at HMRC's Belfast sites.

"Overall, the agreement to end this contract early is the best outcome for HMRC, tax credits customers and for the taxpayer, allowing us to continue to bear down on error and fraud, and to provide the levels of service our customers expect".

In a statement issued to the press, Thompson said:

"HMRC’s dedicated staff have cleared all of the cases transferred from Concentrix while striking the right balance in both providing the standards of service that customers rightly expect and bearing down on error and fraud in the tax credits system.

This is the right outcome for customers and for the taxpayer. I’m also pleased to receive 250 Concentrix staff, who will help us to deliver our priorities, offering job security to them well beyond the scheduled expiry of the contract in May 2017.”

HMRC said all 181,000 cases it had taken back from Concentrix had now been dealt with, and said staff moving over from the private provider had "received further training and support to help HMRC strike the right balance in ensuring good customer service and bearing down on error and fraud in the tax credits system".

Right then, how much has this early termination cost the taxpayer?

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 Wants Quickie Divorce From Concentrix

 

Given the ongoing shit storm wrt HMRC's and Concentrix's handling of tax credits, it should come as no surprise to learn that HMRC is negotiating with Concentrix for an early exit from the tax credits contract due to run until May 2017.

This quickie divorce story must be true because financial secretary to the Treasury Jane Ellison told MPs during a three-hour House of Commons debate on 26 October.

However, call me a cynic, but I guarantee that if the contract is terminated earlier than May then the hapless taxpayer will be screwed for large penalty clauses etc payable to Concentrix.

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 and Concentrix Pass The Buck

Unsurprisingly the buck passing by both HMRC and Concentrix, over the tax credits fiasco, has not amused the Work and Pensions Committee.

As per CCH Daily the committee said it will write to both HMRC and Concentrix asking for ‘urgent information’ on how the outsourcer’s performance of Concentrix was monitored by HMRC and the levels of staffing and training at Concentrix.

It said there had been ‘repeated buck-passing’ between Concentrix and HMRC as to who was responsible for failure to assess claims correctly when carrying out fraud checks.

In addition, the committee wants details of the steps HMRC will take to compensate claimants, to ensure they are not further disadvantaged, and its plans to review decisions taken by Concentrix. It is seeking an assurance that Concentrix will not be compensated for HMRC taking much of their responsibilities back in-house. The committee also plans to issue a report into the scandal.

Well then, let's see what crawls from beneath the stones that the WPC aim to kick over!

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 Victims of Concentrix and HMRC

As per The Mirror:

A disabled single mum fought back tears today as she told MPs of her treatment at the hands of shamed tax credits firm Concentrix.

Sarah Broome, 30, was told to ask for her benefits back in a hand-written letter - despite the fact she has one hand and suffers chronic pain and carpal tunnel syndrome.

The mum-of-two told MPs her tax credits were stopped in August after she was "financially connected" to a person she had never heard of.

She spent 19 hours and 57 minutes on the phone to the US outsourcing firm in six weeks - including one day when she was blocked by an engaged tone 70 times.

Eventually she got through to an advisor but was told she could not send a letter using a dictation service.

Ms Broome told MPs: "I said 'I can't write because my hand shakes. How do you expect me to write this letter by hand?'

"They told me 'well, you are just going to have to get someone else to write it for you'. They were the exact words.

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"

Ex Concentrix Employee Blames Poor HMRC Systems

An ex Concentrix employee, who was made redundant last week, told the Belfast Telegraph it had been "tough and stressful" for the workforce since the news broke that the contract would not be renewed in 2017.

The Government said Concentrix had "not been providing the high levels of customer service that the public expect and which are required in their contract".

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However, the ex employee disagrees:

"I don't agree that it was Concentrix's fault. It's the HMRC's systems - everything needs updated.

They need systems to be able to take on information much quicker.

It takes up to 48 hours. The staff are trained in exactly what they have to do. We worked on behalf of HMRC carrying out compliance checks. Sometimes you would be on the phone, or off the phone working on cases."

The former employee claimed that once staff had dealt with and processed a case, as well as the massive delay, the systems used by the Government body were not up to scratch.

"After we were closing cases off... it then sits in a sort of limbo stage."

As ever, views and comments are welcome.

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"

Rewarding Failure

My thanks to a loyal reader who posted a link to an article in the Independent about Concentrix:

"Figures obtained by Labour MP Louise Haigh show that Concentrix is failing on 120 out of 1625 minimum performance indicators set out in the contract – yet has still already been paid £15.8m in commission.

With the contract only set to end in May 2017 the company will still reap tens of millions of pounds in payments from the three-year contract – despite a so-called “payment by results” system. The total contract pays a total of between £55m and £75m depending on performance indicators met."

This of course is not unique as HMRC enjoys rewarding failure, eg Lin Homer.

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 Nixes Concentrix Contract

HMRC has decided not to renew its contract with Concentrix, the firm responsible for handling tax credit fraud.

Loyal readers will be aware that there have cock up's wrt how this area has been handled. Nonetheless Concentrix feel that HMRC's decision reflects badly on Concentrix's reputation.

That aside the contract runs until May 2017.

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"