E-security issue dogs Revenue
Accountants this week piled pressure on the Inland Revenue's troubled online tax filing system, after 55% said they did not have confidence in the agency delivering e-services.
Users recently reported seeing information from other taxpayers on the site, leading to its suspension. Technical staff have been working round the clock to solve the problem.
But, according to the fourth Sage/Accountancy Age IT skills survey, only 28% said they had confidence in the service, with a further 17% undecided.
Jerry Luckett, general manager, Sage’s accountants division, said: ‘Many (accountants) do not believe the necessary infrastructure is in place to make e-service delivery a reality. It is vital the Revenue works closely with the industry to ensure they and their clients feel confident to deliver services.’
The site has been dogged by controversy since its launch with users criticising it for being too complicated. The finding shows the government has a long way to go to meet its own e-related deadlines.
A Revenue spokeswoman, said: ‘We are making good progress in investigating where the problem is located.’
The full results of the survey will be published later this month.