After pressure from MPs, HMRC has agreed to provide online access for taxpayers who want to file complaints about HMRC to the Adjudicator’s Office (AO) online, rather than having to rely on post, telephone or fax, in line with the department’s commitment to move to digital working
The AO provides an independent review of complaints about HMRC and the Valuation Office Agency (VOA). Members of the public can escalate their complaint about HMRC and the VOA to the AO to get an impartial hearing.
However, despite the government’s ambition to make public-facing services ‘digital by default’, the only methods of contacting the AO up until now have been via letters, phone calls or faxes.
Nicky Morgan, chair of the Treasury Committee, wrote to HMRC earlier this month to express the committee’s astonishment that the public are unable to contact the AO by email.
In her letter, Morgan referenced evidence put to the committee that HMRC granted the adjudicator £20,000 in January for a secure email service, only to then reveal the following month that such a service could not be delivered because of competing priorities within HMRC.
In its response, HMRC has announced that it will provide email, or another form of secure digital channel, for members of the public to contact the AO by this autumn at the latest.
Jim Harra, HMRC deputy chief executive, said: ‘HMRC agrees that a channel should be found to allow members of the public to contact the AO by email or through another form of secure digital channel. ‘Following prioritisation over the last year of EU exit preparations, and now that Office 365 has been fully rolled out within HMRC, this change is now in the IT programme for the current financial year. ‘Work is underway to scope the requirements. Our aim is to deliver the change by the autumn, and potentially sooner if that proves feasible.’
Morgan said: ‘The AO plays a valuable role in resolving complaints against HMRC, yet many people are unaware of its existence.
‘And of those people who are aware, it can be a struggle for them to get in touch with the AO.
‘Public-facing services simply have to be digitally accessible these days. Whilst it is astonishing in this day and age to say this, HMRC’s long-overdue commitment to provide a digital channel for the public to contact the AO is welcome.’
Pat Sweet
