HMRC - age discrimination

Are HMRC discriminating against people in the age range 40 plus

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I have been thinking and reading about MTD4V - HMRC expect all Taxpayers to be totally computer literate and also have the appropraie accounting skills to complete cloud accounting or spreadsheets. I personally being 57 years of age am being discrimiated against. I can use a computer as I was trained as an Accountants and with the skills learnt and the understanding of double entry I can easily complete manual records and sort of understand computers if I print out from them - ledgers etc. I was never formally taught how to use a computer and I find them frustrating to use, I was taught to write on pages. At the moment compared with another individual who was taught spreadsheets at School is far advanced with MTD and so I would like you to consider if I am being discrimated against by HMRC - discrimibation = the unjust or predjudicial treatment of different catergories of people on the grounds of rage AGE or sex. I would thank you in advance for your thoughts and what I might say to HMRC about this point .

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By Cheshire
03rd Mar 2019 19:32

Probably best starting a new religious cult. Reckon you would have a few thousand followers fairly quickly.

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By johnhemming
03rd Mar 2019 19:47

I am 58 and I write MTD4V software.

To be fair, however, I do remember the principle that debits go next to the window. However, I took the view that computer people should be trained in double entry accounting which is why I ran accounting classes for my staff in the 80s and 90s.

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Replying to johnhemming:
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By GHarr497688
03rd Mar 2019 20:01

I was referring to my clients more than myself tbh

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Replying to GHarr497688:
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By johnhemming
03rd Mar 2019 20:26

As you know I think that HMRC should make the effort to try to fit in with the needs of people. Hence if it is possible (as I think it is) for HMRC to allow people to use scanned and processed photographs of manual records then they should.

I think you would agree with me that there can be an arrogance that discards the value of experience. That can dominate in the civil service. At times changes are necessary, but at the same time the system should try to be responsive to people in the sense that the state should serve the citizens rather than the citizens serve the state.

Hence if it is possible to do things so that the changes that people need to implement is minimised that is not a bad thing and it should be accepted by the authorities.

Change for the sake of change is not a good thing.

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Replying to johnhemming:
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By GHarr497688
03rd Mar 2019 21:24

I feel digital records are the future in whatever form but forcing change brings resistance. Had HMRC stated clearly all new business must be on the new system across all taxes and then requested that all current business entities switch over if they are able without a problem then I feel sure HMRC would be able to help the rest of us with a mix of manual and computer and eventually HMRCs dream would come true. I have now spoken to business owners who have the resources and IT specialists and as they learn the difficulty some of the smallest business entities now face even they agree. My contacts at Xero and Sage also agree with me . Unfortunately the people at HMRC readiness team have cut all contact with me .

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By DaveyJonesLocker
04th Mar 2019 07:13

It's now become a vanity project for HMRC to get something - ANYTHING - out there.

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By johnhemming
04th Mar 2019 07:16

Should HMRC not have required people to submit their tax return via the gateway (which was a compulsory change)?

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By Duggimon
04th Mar 2019 09:51

The discrimination, if that is indeed the correct term, is against people who don't want to use computers. It's not age related, age is just used as an excuse for not learning to use computers.

There is nothing inherent in computers and their use that restricts older people from using them so your assertion completely falls down. You have no case for a claim of discrimination because it's not your age, race or sex that prevents you using computers.

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