Recommendation 15

HMRC does not typically use third-party information about customers’ other loans or debts—for example, customer credit scores—because of the cost of the information. 28 C&AG’s Report, Management of Tax Debt, Session 2007–08, HC 1152, 20 November 2008, para 8e 29 Committee of Public Accounts, Management of tax debt, Twenty-Sixth Report of Session 2008–09, HC 216, 9 June; para 3, 12 and 18 Qq 12; 97, 98 30 Qq 114, 121; C&AG’s Report, para 2.4 31 Qq 114, 121 32 Qq 83, 114 33 Qq 68, 75 34 Q 82; C&AG’s Report, para 2.15 14 HMRC’s management of tax debt It told us it may access credit information when it begins debt enforcement procedures against an individual customer, but it does not do this routinely or ‘at scale’.35 HMRC outsources some debt collection to private sector agencies, and these agencies do have access to credit data that identify other debts customers have.36 Although HMRC does not currently use credit information routinely, it said it was undertaking a trial to determine whether purchasing credit data would be cost effective in its own debt collection work.37