HMRC held to account by Adjudicator
The 2014/15 annual Adjudicator’s report has been published. The Adjudicator provides an independent review of complaints about HMRC. The remit of the Ajudicator also covers the Valuation Office Agency and the Insolvency Service and, since March 2015, the new Pension Wise service.
This report is the final report before the current Ajudicator steps down after almost seven years in office. It is the 22nd report in the history of the Adjudicator’s Office.
The majority of complaints dealt with are about HMRC. Of those, 85% were upheld (partially or substantially) in the year to 31 March 2015. Whilst this is lower than the 90% in 2013/14 the figure remains high. HMRC accepted all of the Adjudicator’s recommendations.
Overall the Ajudicator is encouraged by “the sustained level of senior management commitment to transforming complaints handling”. However HMRC is criticised for failing to use its discretion, to sort out problems sooner or to recognise the needs of vulnerable people. At 31 March 2015, 731 complaints were on hand; 676 of these were about HMRC.