ICAEW members urged to help shape HMRC charter

28 February 2020: ICAEW’s Tax Faculty is calling on members to share their reactions to proposed changes to HMRC’s charter, which outlines what taxpayers can expect from the UK’s tax, payments and customs authority.

On 24 February, HMRC launched a consultation on draft revisions to its charter, which sets out the standard of behaviour and values that HMRC aspires to when interacting with taxpayers.

HMRC says that the revisions aim to deliver a short and direct charter, with “simple, accessible language”. The changes also aim to bring more focus onto HMRC’s commitments to its customers and to ensuring that the charter embodies HMRC’s values of professionalism, integrity, respect and innovation.

The changes to the charter follow recommendations from the Loan Charge Review (December 2019) and a House of Lords Economic Affairs Committee report from December 2018, which stated the charter should be amended to “clarify HMRC’s responsibilities towards unrepresented taxpayers”.

The consultation closes on 15 May 2020, and Caroline Miskin is coordinating the ICAEW response. She would welcome input from members as soon as possible and before 27 April 2020.