Save content
Have you found this content useful? Use the button above to save it to your profile.
AIA

HMRC goes social to publicise RTI

by
6th Mar 2013
Save content
Have you found this content useful? Use the button above to save it to your profile.

HMRC has ramped up its social media activity in recent months, with Twitter Q&As, webinars and YouTube videos on a range of topics.

The department’s Twitter account now has 40,000+ followers and regularly hosts online Q&As, including an “RTI week” from 11-15 March, during which HMRC staff will be on hand to answer questions tweeted to them via the #RTIqa hashtag.

HMRC has also posted 21 YouTube videos in the past month, which deal with topics for start-up and growing businesses, including PAYE, CT, payroll systems and record keeping. An interview with an RTI pilot scheme participant is embedded below.

Live and pre-recorded webinars are also available to accompany the Twitter Q&As and YouTube videos. In addition, you can follow the tax department’s Facebook and LinkedIn pages, or peruse its publicty images and rogues gallery of wanted fugitives and convicted criminals in HMRC's Flickr photostream.

In a recent Any Answers thread, AccountingWEB members debated the value of HMRC's growing social media presence.

DMGBus commented that the YouTube videos helped explain RTI to a client: “I thought that it was quite helpful to educate the client on why changes to payroll procedures were called for.”

Andrew.hyde, however, said social media was to reach those in a different demographic and not something he’d be interested in.

“I suppose the object is to reach a completely different demographic from us,” he said.

“These folk have to interact with HMRC as well, whether they like it or not, and social networks are the way to do it.”

Some members, however, weren’t yet aware HMRC that made webinars or appeared on Twitter.

“Never heard of them, but thanks for flagging them up. Maybe they’re more obvious to Twitter or Facebook devotees?” said Flash Gordon.

While the Revenue harnesses social media to get its messages across, the Daily Mail suggested HMRC is using the net for other purposes too, including monitoring the Facebook and Twitter accounts of businesses and suspected criminals.

Here's an example of a YouTube video from HMRC: 

Replies (2)

Please login or register to join the discussion.

avatar
By jadetunji
06th Mar 2013 13:42

what is full meaning of HMRC and RTI? What do they do?

pls what do HMRC and RTI mean and what are their functions?

 

thank you

Thanks (0)
Jennifer Adams
By Jennifer Adams
06th Mar 2013 15:12

HMRC's webinars

Below is a link to an article placed on the accountingweb site at the beginning of January. It is a review of a webinar that can still be downloaded from HMRC's website.

https://www.accountingweb.co.uk/article/company-directors-your-responsibilities-hmrc/535684 4

In the webinar it was stated that Directors have to submit Tax returns. That is not correct and on behalf of accountingweb I contacted the HMRC techie people who put on the webinar and directed them to our site and the comments made. They reluctantly agreed that no - you dont have to complete a return just because you are a director.

See the follow up answer as below:

https://www.accountingweb.co.uk/anyanswers/question/directors-tax-returns 

I also attended another webinar recently on RTI. It was a bit basic and in fact rather painful but I suppose it is good to see that they are at least trying to be more 'social media friendly' but be careful - dont take everything that is said as correct.

Thanks (0)