Source · Select Committees · Public Accounts Committee
Recommendation 14
14
Accepted
HMRC consistently fails to meet targets for processing high volumes of postal correspondence.
Conclusion
HMRC received 22 million items of correspondence in 2022–23, including physical post and forms and interactive forms.37 Around 70% of correspondence comes in through the post. To process postal correspondence, as well as some electronic correspondence, HMRC must scan or manually enter the information into its systems, or both.38 HMRC has not met an annual performance target for processing correspondence since 2018–19.39 In 2023–24, HMRC cleared 76.3% of correspondence within 15 working days, up from 45.5% in 2021–22 but still below its target of 80%.40 In 2022–23, HMRC spent £68 million on postage and print costs.41
Government response summary AI-generated
HMRC states it has made significant progress in telephony and correspondence service performance during 2024-25, and government funding for 2025-26 will enable it to maintain these service standards.
Summary of the government's response below — read the verbatim text to verify.
Government Response
Accepted
HM Government · verbatim extract
Accepted
HMRC has made recent improvements across all its channels and for all types of customers. It has made significant progress in telephony and correspondence service performance during 2024-25. Funding provided by the government for 2025-26 will enable HMRC to maintain service standards on telephony and correspondence.
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