Source · Select Committees · Public Accounts Committee
Recommendation 17
17
Rejected
HMRC implements "co-creation" approach and improved stakeholder engagement mechanisms for MTD.
Conclusion
In December 2022, HMRC established a plan to work with its stakeholders to solve issues. In March 2023 it started exploring with taxpayer and agent representatives how quarterly updates could work in practice. It explained that it was looking to adopt a “co- creation” approach where it asked taxpayers how best to design a process and ensure they 33 Qq 15, 55 34 C&AG’s Report, para 3.27–3.30 and Figure 9 35 PTD0006, Written evidence submitted by the Association of Taxation Technicians, 19 June 2023 36 PTD0007, Written evidence submitted by the Institute of Chartered Accountants England and Wales, 19 June 2023 37 C&AG’s Report paras 3.27–3.28 38 PTD0004, Written evidence submitted by Association of Accounting Technicians, 19 June 2023; PTD0006, Written evidence submitted by the Association of Taxation Technicians, 19 June 2023; PTD0007, Written evidence submitted by the Institute of Chartered Accountants England and Wales, 19 June 2023; PTD0008, Written evidence submitted by the Chartered Institute of Taxation, 19 June 2023; PTD0011, Written evidence submitted by the Association of Independent Professionals and the Self-Employed, 19 June 2023; PTD0012, Written evidence submitted by Low Incomes Tax Reform Group, 19 June 2023; PTD0013, Written evidence submitted by the Business Application Software Developers Association, 19 June 2023 Progress with Making Tax Digital 15 were able to input into programme’s design and functionality.39 HMRC told us it was working on ways in which the programme’s stakeholders could give feedback directly to the programme’s senior leadership. This included having a member of the representative bodies on its programme board, together with a member of the software development community. HMRC explained it also now had a co-creation forum with software developers, so that it could understand technical issues and fix them immediately.40
Government Response Summary
The government rejects the committee's observation on HMRC's plans for working with stakeholders, stating its priority is to make tax easy while balancing revenue raising and tackling the tax gap. It highlights regular engagement with taxpayer representatives and enhanced policy processes to consider taxpayer experience.
Government Response
Rejected
HM Government
Rejected
The government disagrees with the Committee’s recommendation. A priority for government is to make it easy for taxpayers to get tax right. However, it needs to balance several objectives for the tax system, including raising revenue and tackling the tax gap. While these often align, there can be trade-offs to consider. HMRC regularly engages a range of taxpayer representatives, including the Administrative Burdens Advisory Board (ABAB), as new services are developed and to better understand issues faced by taxpayers. ABAB provides valuable insight, including on MTD for ITSA, where its views were important in informing the announcements made in the 2023 Autumn Statement. HMRC has also established an expert panel to consult on digital improvement ideas which provides insight into how to implement changes and provide the right support for vulnerable or digitally excluded customers. As part of HMRC’s governance, the Customer Experience Committee, which includes independent expert advisers, provides advice on customer-experience issues. HMRC shares plans for digital improvements with this committee. The government has recently enhanced existing processes which support policy and service delivery, ensuring these consider improving taxpayers’ experience. This includes improving training and internal guidance for policy officials; introducing checkpoints in the policy making process where senior officials review measures from a simplification and customer experience perspective; and ensuring advice to ministers sets out how a measure contributes to making the tax system simpler, fairer or supports growth. HMRC also runs research programmes to build understanding of customer needs, publishing analyses of impacts on individuals and businesses in Tax Information and Impact Notes (TIINs).