HMRC has come under fire for delays in processing tax refunds.
Some businesses and individuals have been waiting to receive their tax refunds and have experienced delays of more than four months. Recently, the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) warned that taxpayers’ trust in HMRC is ‘falling’.
The PAC warned that HMRC must ‘ensure its systems meet customers’ needs’ while preparing to seize the opportunities associated with Artificial Intelligence (AI).
The Committee urged HMRC to ‘lay out realistic plans to simplify the tax system and address taxpayers’ concerns as its costs rise and trust in it falls’.
Sir Geoffrey Clifton-Brown MP, Chair of the PAC, said: ‘HMRC needs to do much more to restore trust and confidence in its taxpaying consumers. The cost of its systems rising, trust from taxpayers declining and a system of ever-growing complexity – the challenges on day one for the new incoming chief executive of HMRC are clear.
‘It is time for HMRC to prioritise modernising its own systems so that it is fit to enter the second quarter of the 21st century.’
14/05/2025
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27/08/2025
HMRC targets personal expenditure
HMRC will run a digital campaign to ensure that self assessment taxpayers do not claim tax relief for personal expenditure on 2025/25 tax returns, according to the ICAEW.
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HMRC cuts late payment interest
HMRC will reduce late payment and repayment interest rates from 27 August following the 0.25% cut in the base rate earlier in the month.
Child Benefit claims deadline approaching
Parents have less than two weeks to tell HMRC their 16-19-year-old is continuing education or training, or their Child Benefit payments will stop.
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