Revenue calculation target revealed
The Inland Revenue has revealed it is aiming to ensure 77% of its tax calculations for the 2001/02 financial year are produced correctly.
Revenue officials are hopeful the target – the same as for the 2000/01 tax year – will be met, despite announcing it had fallen five percent short in April when it released the results of its customer service results.
It is hoped the increase in performance will be achieved through additional training and guidance for its staff.
A Revenue spokeswoman, admitted: ‘We are not happy with the current levels of performance and are endeavouring to improve our results.’
Even if the target is met, some two million tax calculations out of a total nine million returns would still be wrong.
But the Revenue’s target led some to question why it had not set its sights on all calculations being correct.
PwC tax partner and president of the Chartered Institute of Taxation, John Whiting, described the 77% target as ‘unambitious’.
He added: ‘What this figure demonstrates is the complex tax system we have in the UK. Everyone makes mistakes but when the system is over complicated, more are bound to be made.’
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