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ICAEW backs HMRC review

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26th Jun 2015
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The ICAEW is calling for a ten year root and branch review of HMRC, to cover its service standards, culture and governance structure.

While opening the Wyman Symposium discussion yesterday, Carl Bayley, Chairman of ICAEW Tax Faculty, said, “We are calling this review as friends of HMRC, because it is in everyone’s interests that the organisation works as well as it should”. 

The official ICAEW line now follows that set by Paul Aplin (former Tax Faculty Chairman and partner at AC Mole & sons) in Economia.

As we previously reported, Aplin’s idea was quickly backed by some high profile tax commentators including Richard Murphy, Bill Dodwell, head of Tax Policy at Deloitte, and Judith Freeman Oxford University Professor of Law.

At the Wyman Symposium, the three non-HMRC speakers, lawyers Keith Gordon, Jolyon Maugham, and Gary Richards, all agreed it was time for a review of HMRC.

When pressed as to what the review should cover specifically, Jolyon Maugham referred to a need to restore public confidence in how HMRC exercises its functions.

Patrick Stevens, Tax Policy Director of CIOT, speaking after the event, was cautious about an open-ended review of HMRC. Stevens agreed that HMRC would benefit from external help to review its people management and change management abilities. Also external experts may be able to assist it to build new and effective IT systems.

However, Stevens warned that “a review” of HMRC would not solve the many issues that tax practitioners moan about including: quality of HMRC guidance, the “Working Together” initiative, use of penalties, adherence to service standards etc.        

What do you think the ten year review of HMRC should cover? The task would need to be broken down into streams, too wide a remit would be bound to lead to disappointment and a report that may never be finished – anyone seen the Chilcot report on the Iraq war yet?

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Replies (17)

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Time for change
By Time for change
29th Jun 2015 07:59

Commentaries both here, the national press....

professional publications and anecdotal evidence would suggest that this department cannot survive a further ten years, in the present form. A review of such length is on a par with providing the North of England with HS2 and Northern Powerhouse(s), which aren't going to happen!

With Parliaments of fixed lengths of five years, great progress could be made, say in the first five years, only to be undone, by a fresh administration. The UK doesn't have a great track record with these reviews -  just look around.

The late Sir Chris Woodhead would have answered the issue. Form a non-ministerial department "The Office for Standards in Taxation" - Ofstax?

 

 

 

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By mikefleming3028
29th Jun 2015 10:22

The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy

Douglas Adams wrote about something similar and for those familiar with the book I refer to the Golgafrinchim B Ark section on meetings and reviews. Its obvious to anyone with half a brain that those at the top of HMRC don't know where their towels are and as such should be introduced to the Vogons who could sort out all of  their problems in short order.      

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By johnjenkins
29th Jun 2015 15:16

The only review

that needs to be undertaken is when us agents (Accountants registered with bodies and Customs) can take over the admin side of HMRC. Only then will HMRC be able to do it's job (investigating and collecting) properly.

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By mikefleming3028
29th Jun 2015 16:18

I still like

The Vogon solution.

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By Financeman
01st Jul 2015 12:17

Won't hold my breath

When have you known either a politician or a public servant get anything right ?

From the Chilcott enquiry you quote, to the recent driving licence changes, to HS2 etc etc - the list is endless

 

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By euanjohn
01st Jul 2015 12:53

Review of HMRC

I don't think a "root and branch" review is appropriate, because it would take far too long and in my view, more urgent action is necessary.  What we need is some new, common-sense management to ensure the following:

1.  HMRC's role is to impartially ensure that taxpayers pay the correct amount of tax.  They should not pursue people for political reasons nor to generate publicity.

2.  All taxpayers' affairs should be treated as completely confidential.  No announcements about "celebrities" and their alleged tax avoidance must be made.

3.  All correspondence must be answered within 30 days.

4.  All telephone calls must be answered within 30 seconds.

5.  The use of electronic communications should be encouraged but not imposed.  All forms that need to be submitted to HMRC should be freely and easily accessed through the HMRC website and no taxpayer should have to spend money to comply with filing requirements.

6.  HMRC staff should be accountable.  Those who continue to pursue enquiries when it is clear that no material underpayments have occurred, and who spend much public money on barristers in Tribunal, when common sense would dictate earlier settlement, should be disciplined or removed from office.

Hardly rocket science, is it?

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Replying to Anonymous.:
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By Simon Harris
01st Jul 2015 13:31

Very well said.

I would just add one point. 

HMRC seem to have gone badly off mission and now feel more like a political publicity courting entity with dubious stats and constant self justification which often seems misaligned with the daily experience in dealing with them.

I would expand some of your well made points into principles backed by a stronger code of conduct supported by transparency and accountability.

The amount of times I have seen resources wasted by individuals within HMRC pursuing a ridiculous private emotion driven crusade which have no basis nor realistic chance of any appropriate return.  I have seen this escalate to the point of harassment, continuing even after HMRC lost a court case or failed to find any wrong doing.  

 

It is painful to those  used to having real accountability for costs in a private enterprise to see the sheer waste involved.  We all want fair taxation and an efficient body to deal with.  The culture must change before that can happen.

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By Silver Birch Accts
01st Jul 2015 14:16

HMRC

The ICAEW are '' friends of HMRC'' apparently. Well with friends like that you don't need enemies

are they friends on Facebook etc.Nobody on Gods Earth is friends with a State Tax Authority.

 

Just say we demand a review of a badly run service that is not delivering value for money.

In case HMRC are reading this, I am just joking old chums and yes I will ask you to my Birthday Party. I love you really and I am only making the comment as a pal, so please don't cry I do not mean it.

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By markabacus
01st Jul 2015 14:35

Need to operate as one unit...

They need to learn how to operate as one unit not a group of dysfunctional ones.

One place to ring and the officer has all aspects available with the ability to forward the call to a specialist officer if required.

Recently tried to speak to someone to sort out an offset of CIS tax owed against the SA tax credit balance re 14/15 SA return which I'd done part of in Feb after the 13/14 SA return went in but same tel. no and got can't do that and was given another number. Sat in call queue for 40 mins and given another number. Repeated again, 40 mins in call queue and given yet another!

'Sorry all our operators are busy, please call later, goodbye' - Is there any wonder as I experienced yet again today after going thru 3 levels of options and 3 mins on the phone, if it can take 3 or more calls to get the right person.

Lodge a complaint - Tried that on CIS case, despite chasing twice more, 6 weeks on and still not resolved

Today tried to get Cardiff's office number but failed so had to write requesting action to my letter sent 31ST MARCH 20115, yes 3 months ago!

HMRC - Completely hopeless, if they had to compete they'd be gone

 

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By fionamcke
01st Jul 2015 15:16

Productivity

I think we have a partial answer to UK low productivity! So many people waiting on the phone to HMRC for 40 mins at a time.

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By Simon Sweetman
01st Jul 2015 16:38

money money money

HMRC has been tossed around by the politicians for more like 20 years now - get more staff, lay off staff, spend to improve enquiry work, then let all those people go...it is hard and unreasonable to put all the blame on the department.

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By johnjenkins
01st Jul 2015 16:45

@oldersimon

Then why don't they put someone in charge of HMRC that can do the job the government want it to do rather than wishy washy people that really shouldn't be in charge of a dustpan and brush. (that is no disrespect to the people who were put in charge, just the wrong people for the job)

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By michaelblake
01st Jul 2015 18:32

Adequate staffi and training

All the service delivery problems we see within HMRC are caused by two problems, inadequate staffing and poor  training. It is no more complicated than that. Sadly neither will be addressed by a government that is committed to reduce public spending and thinks that can be achieved by reducing staffing numbers across government departments. There have been several cross party select  committee reports published over the last five years that have highlighted where HMRC are failing and the government response has been to cut staffing numbers further, making the the problems identified worse. 

HMRC are no different in this respect from the DWP who are making a complete hash of administering the benefits system and causing widespread misery and suffering as a result. Despite the cross party Feeding Britain report highlighting this in great detail in November 2014 little or nothing has been done to address those problems either. 

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By Gone Sailing
01st Jul 2015 22:39

Fast Agent Access

A critical understanding of bottle necks is required.

I once inherited a dept which received large piles of paper for processing, back into a computer (circa 1990). It was endless. But at least each of the piles had the same category of problem. The solution was simple. Identify which pile, which if dealt with, would stop all the other piles happening. We identified it, and binned all the other piles as they were delivered. We dealt with the one pile, all the others stopped coming.

HMRC please listen.

Answer the phone for agents and set up a simple email request system.

 

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By AndrewV12
02nd Jul 2015 07:19

ICAEW

The ICAEW is calling for a ten year root and branch review of HMRC, to cover its service standards, culture and governance structure.

Thats perfectly reasonable for the ICAEW to call for a ten year root and branch review of HMRC........NOT.  Who are they to go around criticising others, have they forgotten they were contributors to the Banking crises,which went on to costs the nation, at least 100 Billion ponds ...and counting.

For those who say Accountants and Auditors were not contributors to the Banking crisis then why were more stringent Auditing procedures and standards introduced after the Banking crisis.  

I am aware HMRC can be very poor at times but very helpful at other times. 

 

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By Red1960
02nd Jul 2015 15:07

HMRC

 

You've really got to wonder about the ICAEW.

A root and branch review of HMRC is probably about 10 years overdue.

Where have they been in all that time?

 

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By geoffwolf
07th Jul 2015 11:16

Taxpayer choice

IMHO taxpayer choice would enable efficiencies to be effected. As with Utilities and the NHS it should be possible for the taxpayer to decide which particular office of HMRC all their dealings should be with and it should also be made simple for that choice to be changed.

That, together with a proper assessment of effectiveness based on client churn would enable a degree of competition to exist and thus in theory help to reduce the amount of maladministration and frustration that now seems to be prevalent.

 

Please note that I am not suggesting privatisation of HMRC.

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