HMRC performance survey sparks scrutiny

The Charter Stakeholder Group's survey assessing HMRC's performance for the 2023/24 financial year has begun taking feedback.

The survey maintains the same criteria as the previous year and invites participants to rate HMRC on a scale from 1 to 10 in several areas:

  • getting things right
  • ease of process
  • responsiveness
  • fair treatment
  • understanding of personal circumstances
  • acknowledgement of representation by others
  • data security.

However, expectations for positive feedback are low. HMRC's customer service has faced criticism due to the summer closure of its helpline and additional limitations in December, leading to taxpayer dissatisfaction and concerns about HMRC's attention to their needs.

Many accounting professionals remain sceptical about the survey's impact, especially considering no signs of progress from last year's results, indicating HMRC needs to make significant improvements in these areas.

Richard Wild, head of tax technical at the Chartered Institute of Taxation (CIOT) said:

"The results will speak for themselves as this year's survey asks the same questions as before, allowing us to undertake a direct comparison between the two.

"Given that this year has been even more challenging for agents and taxpayers, especially with the closures and restrictions on some phone lines, we would expect the survey to highlight continuing dissatisfaction."

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