HMRC reveals tax office shake-up

Last Updated: November 12, 2015By

Clearly the Powys Tax Rebellion could not have started at a better time, if HMRC is going to be busy with a huge reorganisation and possible staff cuts.

Of course, the criticism of HMRC’s call centres has led to humorous suggestions that tax avoidance doesn’t actually exist – Google, Starbucks, Amazon and the rest have simply been on hold for the past few years.

Either way, we are looking at a serious potential weakening of the UK’s ability to collect public money.

The UK’s tax authority is to close 137 local offices and replace them with 13 regional centres, raising fears over job losses.

The closures will be complete by 2027, according to HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC), but the new centres will be open in the next five years.

Towns and cities hosting the new offices include Cardiff, Glasgow, Edinburgh, Bristol and Croydon.

The plan comes as HMRC faces criticism of its call centres.

Source: HMRC reveals tax office shake-up – BBC News

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2 Comments

  1. thelovelywibblywobblyoldlady November 12, 2015 at 2:12 pm - Reply

    This is wrong on so many levels.

    For a start, is it not rather strange that the offices that will be hardest hit are those in the devolved government regions – Scotland & Wales.
    As a Scottish friend of mine said “Dundee are being penalised for voting yes in the referendum” – grain of truth there perhaps.

    Secondly, in relation to Wales, staff in the North and West areas will obviously be outside reasonable daily travelling distance of Cardiff.

    Jennie Granger seems to think that the current transport links to enable staff to get to the “Regional Hubs” are sufficient (Take it from me, as someone who regularly uses public transport – they are not)

    She seems to think the remaining HMRC staff will be given some sort of super duper training to “upskill” them to deal with more complex enquiries. Really?

    Well it had better not be in it’s current form then, which consists of computer based training with a multiple choice quiz at the end (I kid you not)

    At the risk of sounding as if I’m saying “I’m alright Jack, pull the ladder up!” I am eternally grateful to be at the end of my working life.

  2. Dez November 12, 2015 at 4:19 pm - Reply

    The regional offices are/were a good resource as one could always find someone who knew or understood the tax workings of large blue chips as they usually had dedicated staff and meetings to keep up to speed of eithers potential changes etc. Part centralising will no doubt just drive HMRC to the usual generic pass the buck handlihg so not sure things will get better. HMRC were recruiting largish numbers of tax inspectors not for chasing mega tax abusers but grovelling around small business and self employed.

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