HMRC's £10BN Divorce From Aspire

As part of its bold new digital vision, HMRC has finally reached an agreement with its major IT suppliers (Capgemini and Fujitsu) HMRC on the phased exit from its £10BN Aspire IT contract (set to end in 2017).

Having disengaged from this monolith, it will move to a mixture of existing and new suppliers including SMEs for smaller-scale work packages in the run up to the complete rollout of digital tax accounts.

HMRC will use more flexible contracts. HMRC claims that it will save around 24% (£200m) a year by 2020-21 on the provision of like-for-like IT services, against a £854m total IT spend in 2014-15.

Lin Homer is quoted by CCH Daily:

"HMRC’s ambition is to be one of the most digitally-advanced tax authorities in the world, and the agreement we have reached to exit the Aspire contract brings that a huge step closer.

Our new approach enables HMRC to secure the adaptable, cutting-edge IT services we need to transform our services to customers and modernise the way we work, at much better value for money for the taxpayer."

Well then, let's see how this all works 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 Hypocrisy

Despite the government's and HMRC's anti offshore rhetoric, HMRC is more than prepared to use companies that are offshore.

In a more than ironic twist, a multimillion-pound HMRC publicity campaign to stamp out tax evasion and avoidance used an advertising agency ultimately controlled in an offshore haven.

The Times reports that HMRC spent more than £6 million on the campaigns, including £300,000 specifically on offshore evasion.

Among the agencies used was TNS, a research agency, whose ultimate parent company and controlling party is WPP, the world’s biggest advertising company which is incorporated in Jersey.

As ever with the government and its organs, it's a case of do as we say not do as we do!

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 Surge and Rapid Response Team Vacancies

My thanks to a loyal reader, who sent me a link to a job advert for HMRC's Surge and Rapid Response Team.

What's that for?

Basically when HMRC get too many phone calls, it sends its surge team to man the phones, and when HMRC gets too many letters it sends its surge team to the post room.

All very well and dandy, except that HMRC is inundated with both phone calls and letters!

Anyhoo, here is an extract of the job description (which can be access in full via this link):

"We are offering an exciting opportunity to become an apprentice in the profession, and become part of the Surge & Rapid Response Team working across government departments. You will be dealing with different types of customers and delivering a range of public services, in a variety of locations. This expanding team has already enjoyed exciting and productive deployments in DWP, HMRC, Foreign & Commonwealth Office, the Home Office and Defra.

Your duties will vary and may change frequently; they will include: managing cases and resolving customer enquiries, using multiple government databases, using the telephone, writing letters/emails, using social media to communicate to customers and dealing with citizens face to face in a range of environments."

I understand that there are also similar openings in Croydon, on a higher salary (£22K-£24K).

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 Too Busy To Chase Evasion

The Office for Budget Responsibility said the measures to collect tax from tax evaders who use tax havens such as Jersey, Guernsey and the Isle of Man would raise just £270 million, rather than the £1.05 billion which had been trumpeted (a £780 million shortfall).

The OBR is quoted by the Mail:

“HMRC is less optimistic about how much of the lost yield can be recouped through additional compliance activity, on the basis that they are unlikely to be able to work the higher number of additional cases on top of existing workloads.”

As ever HMRC will focus on the low hanging fruit.

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"

Whither Universal Credit?

In September 2013 I wrote the following about Universal Credit:

"As loyal readers know, RTI and Universal Credits are all part of the same beast and the fates of both affect the government, HMRC and the DWP.

The overall aim of PAYE Real Time Information and Universal Credits is to make the administration easier for HMRC and DWP and to reduce fraud by ensuring that employees and businesses pay tax more accurately, whilst claimants receive the benefits to which they are entitled.

Thus it is interesting to note that Cameron has publicly indicated that the UC deadline of 2017, being zealously proselytised by Iain Duncan Smith, may in fact not really be achievable."

Now that IDS, who zealously championed Universal Credit, has gone what will become of it?

Kicked into the long grass, drastically watered down or forever stranded in no man's land?

Your 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"

HMRC's £71M Budget Boost

On the assumption that one believes what the Chancellor said yesterday, then HMRC will receive £71m in extra funding.

This will be used to improve the service HMRC provides, and help fund a seven day a week service by 2017 that will have extended hours and Sunday opening on online services and tax and tax credit phone lines.

AccountancyAge also notes that HMRC will improve existing telephone services and "slash call waiting times by recruiting an extra 800 new call centre staff".

Whilst it might be all very well and good to hire more call centre staff, let us not forget that hiring untrained staff does not in anyway replace the loss of experienced tax experts who have left/are leaving HMRC.

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"