According to the report, the number of complaints against the HMRC escalated to the Adjudicator’s Office in 2021–22 decreased by 19 per cent compared to 2020–21.
In response to these complaints, the HMRC said as it played a vital role in the government’s economic response to the COVID-19 pandemic, it had to make choices about the work it prioritised to protect its essential services and the livelihoods of customer groups that required support. These decisions meant that customer service levels in complaint handling fell below where the department wanted them to be for most of the year.
Following the report, the HMRC has made a commitment to implement its strategic ambition to transform complaints handling through the delivery of its complaint strategy.
During 2021–22, HMRC has made advancements in the following areas of the strategy to drive forward improvements:
- Progressing the delivery of a new complaints case management system to improve the department’s efficiency in handling, learning from, and reporting complaints
- Revising the department’s approach to targets and measures and moving towards complaint handling principles that underpin HMRC’s Charter Standards — this supports the adjudicator’s ambition to use the charter as a driver for learning from complaints
- Using learning from complaints to ensure the department is consistently meeting its Charter Standards
The adjudicator’s annual report noted HMRC’s positive change in its approach to prioritising learning from complaints.
The adjudicator’s annual report highlighted the relatively high number of complaints escalated to the adjudicator prematurely by customers who have either not entered or completed the department’s internal complaints process.
There were 930 instances of customers escalating their complaints prematurely during 2021–22. HMRC is aware of the impact this has on its customers and has been working in collaboration with the Adjudicator’s Office to support a reduction in these cases.
A cross-HMRC working group has been established to monitor progress and support resolution. Some of the key changes implemented to reduce premature escalations include:
- Improved signposting on HMRC’s complaint pages on GOV.UK
- Use of SMS to acknowledge customer complaints, alert them to delay, and keep them informed during the handling of their complaint
- Advising customers where they are in HMRC’s complaints process during the handling of their complaint
HMRC has agreed to a process with the Adjudicator’s Office to identify customers who need additional help and route them back to the department to ensure those customers receive the support required.
The adjudicator’s annual report highlighted that the number of HMRC complaints escalated to the adjudicator decreased in 2021–22 compared to 2021–22.
In 2021–22, the total number of complaints received was inflated by complaints relating to the COVID-19 support schemes and since then, the number of complaints to HMRC has reduced.
The upheld rate for COVID-19-related complaints was lower than average due to the clear eligibility conditions for the COVID-19 support schemes. It is worth noting that over 98 per cent of complaints to HMRC continue to be resolved before escalation to the Adjudicator’s Office.
In total, the number of VOA complaints escalated to the adjudicator decreased to 33 in 2021–22, 4.33 per cent of total complaints compared to 6 per cent in 2021–22.
HMRC is focused on making further progress to deliver consistent service for its customers and improve customer experience. The department plans to prioritise the following areas in 2022–23 to support its complaints ambition:
- Embedding the PHSO UK Central Government Complaints Standards to promote a consistent approach to complaint handling across government
- Focusing on building the capability of HMRC’s complaint handlers and using insight from wider sources of dissatisfaction to deliver the department’s complaints strategy
HMRC recently established an internal Customer Policy and Practice Board. The board will make decisions based on data and insight to help resolve cross-cutting HMRC issues that are impacting customer experience. The board will also encourage a customer-focused culture to accelerate progress against HMRC’s Charter Standards.
