Morale Collapses

A recent staff survey of 53,000 members of HMRC, conducted by HMRC, shows that staff morale has collapsed even further.

Even HMRC's CEO, Lesley Strathie, has described the fact that out of 11 government departments HMRC is ranked last as being "hugely disappointing".

The findings show that only 25% of those surveyed are proud to work for HMRC, and a mere 14% are "highly motivated".

In 2007 a similar survey showed that 19% felt that "senior management provide effective leadership", that figure is now a pitiful 11%.

Lesley Strathie is quoted in Accountancy Age:

"As a department we cannot afford to ignore these results and my senior management team and I take them extremely seriously".

The question is, what will the board do to improve the situation?

Tax does have to be taxing.

Professional Cover Against the Threat of Costly TAX and VAT Investigations

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Tax Investigation Insurance - Taxwise

Professional Cover Against the Threat of Costly TAX & VAT Investigations

What is TAXWISE?

TAXWISE 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. The Policy has been designed to combat the costs and inequities of undergoing the ever-increasing number of HM Revenue & Customs random investigations.

Taxwise Coverage

The standard cover provides representation costs by registered accounting practices on your behalf, for up to £75,000 in any one claim, arising from:

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-H M Revenue & Customs VAT disputes
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-Now covers business's with an annual turnover of up to £10 million

To find out more, please use this link Taxwise

Tax does have to be taxing.

Tax Investigation for Dummies, by Nick Morgan, provides a good and easy to read guide for anyone caught up in an HMRC tax investigation. A must read for any Self Assessment taxpayer.

Click the link to read about: Tax Investigation for Dummies

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"

Overtime Ban

HMRC staff will be implementing an overtime ban this week, in response to job cuts.

The Public and Commercial Services union claim that HMRC is having to rely on routine overtime, as well as temporary staff, after cutting almost 19,000 jobs over the past three years.

Tax does have to be taxing.

Tax Investigation for Dummies, by Nick Morgan, provides a good and easy to read guide for anyone caught up in an HMRC tax investigation. A must read for any Self Assessment taxpayer.

Click the link to read about: Tax Investigation for Dummies

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"

Cost Savings

Capgemini performs outsourced work for HMRC on its Aspire contract, at its Telford site in the Midlands.

The company has a clause in its contract that stipulates that all work must be done in the UK.

No doubt Gordon "British jobs for British people" Brown would be happy with that. However, the Mail reports that Capgemini is in fact importing workers from Asia whose contracts are only for a few years.

I wonder if the savings that Capgemini are doubtless making from this scheme are being passed on to HMRC and the taxpayer?

Tax does have to be taxing.

Tax Investigation for Dummies, by Nick Morgan, provides a good and easy to read guide for anyone caught up in an HMRC tax investigation. A must read for any Self Assessment taxpayer.

Click the link to read about: Tax Investigation for Dummies

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"

What a Ranker!

Google "HMRC" and you will see that this site (as at time of writing) is now number 3 out of over 1,000,000.

The official HMRC site takes up the top 2 slots.

Tax does have to be taxing.

Tax Investigation for Dummies, by Nick Morgan, provides a good and easy to read guide for anyone caught up in an HMRC tax investigation. A must read for any Self Assessment taxpayer.

Click the link to read about: Tax Investigation for Dummies

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"

Power Corrupts - PC Seizure

Source Accounting Web:

"We are currently acting for a client who had her computer, mobile phone and fax machine removed by officers of HMRC in February 2009 during a 'routine' visit. This is contrary to HMRC powers which states that they are allowed to download material from the computer but not physically remove it. The computer was returned after our representation albeit in a damaged state. HMRC, of course, deny responsibility. HMRC also uplifted our client's records which have not been returned nor have copies been received despite our request for copies which was made in March 2009.

We made a formal complaint to HMRC Complaints Unit in May 2009 and received an acknowledgement to say we would have a reply within 15 days.

We have just received a further letter, 23 June 2009, from the HMRC Complaints Team which states 'unfortunately I am unable to give you a date by which you can expect a response as we have a number of cases awaiting investigation at the moment and it is difficult to say how long it will be before a caseworker will be allocated your case'.

I don't think I need to say any more about HMRC powers!

Malcolm McFarlin"

HMRC have a forum to monitor the implementation of their new powers. However, it is chaired by Dave Hartnett and has on it members of HMRC (albeit not in the majority).

How can this forum act independently, and objectively, if it is populated with members of HMRC?

Tax does have to be taxing.

Tax Investigation for Dummies, by Nick Morgan, provides a good and easy to read guide for anyone caught up in an HMRC tax investigation. A must read for any Self Assessment taxpayer.

Click the link to read about: Tax Investigation for Dummies

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"