Advisers call for better HMRC security
ICAS says stronger security procedures for appointing tax advisers, and reducing the number of incorect tax penatly notices are key for HMRC to improve
The taxman must reduce the number of incorrect penalty notices issued and
improve security procedures in appointing tax advisers, according to a survey by
ICAS
.
A straw poll of members by the institute found a number of main priorities
for HM Revenue &
Customs to address.
These included improving the accuracy of PAYE coding notices and examining
the possibility of delaying their issue to allow information from tax returns
filed in January to be included. This would prevent the notices clashing with
January tax return filing deadlines. The taxpayer should also be identified in
correspondence, they said.
Derek Allen, director of tax at ICAS said: ‘Although based on a small sample,
our survey provided details of errors or shortcomings in service delivery. We
are confident that the use of modern technology, especially computers and
electronic communication, will help HMRC to improve efficiency, service
standards and accuracy.’
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