HMRC’s management must be wishing 2012 was over already. The taxman has already been attacked by MPs for victimising freelancers and small businesses with their Business Record Checks and been widely criticised for their new late filing penalties. Now, with the self-assessment tax return deadline looming, HMRC is facing embarrassment as thousands of their call centre staff are poised to stage a walkout on January 31st.
Around 80% of call centre staff will be out on strike, and as a result of the disruption HMRC is being forced to waive their new £100 on-the-spot fines for late filers delayed by the strike.
Roughly 9 million people in the UK are required to submit self-assessments (including all freelancers who are registered self-employed with HMRC). Around 600,000 people are expected to leave it until the last minute, meaning the 31st January Public Commercial Services union strike could have a significant impact. The strike has been organised to protest HMRC’s planned changes to their call centre operation, which the PCS claim amounts to privatisation. In a memo to their members, the PCS said:
“On 31 January, we will step up our action on what is the highest profile day of the HMRC year, using the additional media focus on HMRC to further promote our message that the transfer of work from HMRC to the private sector is uneconomical, unsafe, and irresponsible.”
HMRC said the £100 late filing fine – applied automatically to everyone who fails to file their tax return by midnight onthe 31st – would be waived if those impacted sent a letter explaining that they were delayed by the strikes.
An HMRC spokesperson said:
“We are doing everything possible to maintain services to the public and we will continue talking to the unions to address their concerns.”
Photo by Alan Denney – CC
