HMRC have announced that they are introducing a scanning facility for incoming post consisting of customer returns. Scanning will be introduced in phases with the first phase of the roll out beginning in March 2011 and continuing in phases during 2011/12.

According to the HMRC statement, once HMRC receive correspondence, it will be scanned and then linked to the relevant case and it is intended that this will usually occur within 36 hours of receipt.

Practitioners are being asked that:

• If sending replies for more than one taxpayer in the same envelope, documentation should be separated with individual covering letters
• If supporting documents are to be returned, that should be clearly stated otherwise they will be destroyed. Some supporting documents will be returned as a matter of course, notably P60's, birth, death and marriage certificates and passports.

For more information go to http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/news/changes-incoming-mail.htm.