Brought to you by
ICPA

ICPA is a professional organisation for accountants in practice.

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

Sometimes HMRC really makes your blood boil

22nd Jul 2016
Brought to you by
ICPA

ICPA is a professional organisation for accountants in practice.

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

In the last few years we have seen just how hard HMRC are working on their image with reports almost on a daily basis about how they are tackling tax fraudsters in all walks of life and how well their taskforces are doing as part of a never ending PR campaign no doubt instigated to ride the shirttails of the public’s anger at multi nationals tax antics.

We are being inundated with a plethora of “tweets” from their frankly countless twitter accounts extoling the virtues of everything and anything to do with HMRC from wonderful webinars, to helpful videos to announcements about how many taxpayers are using tech to complete various tasks.

In the brave new world of 21st century HMRC there is no room for doubt, no room for uncertainty just get the message out that all is well if you behave, use the tech we provide which of course is always working and don’t call us on the ‘phone for help.

Now the public at large who deal with HMRC as individuals most likely only have to interact with them a couple of times a year and the tech required to handle the average taxpayer’s transactions usually functions but after all it’s only needed a few times a year.

Now that’s all well and good for the individual taxpayers but as agents who have to interact with HMRC on virtually a daily basis we actually know that all is not well within HMRC, we know that the tech provided is released with insufficient testing and we know that modern HMRC is reducing staff and relying on tech to close the gap. Or should I say that they are reducing staff relying on tech and agents to close the gap. Go to our ICPA Linkedin Group “HMRC Watch” and see what agents are reporting and then think on this “Tweet” send by HMRC “Tax agents and advisers. Get help and support from HMRC” it’s enough to make your blood boil.  

This blog is taken from the ICPA website. Dedicated to supporting and promoting the needs of the general practitioner. You can find us at www.icpa.org.uk or email [email protected] or phone 0800-074-2896.

Tags:

You might also be interested in