Toolkit

Reference materials: Tax credits 'Inside track'

Complaints

  • Telephone complaints: HMRC confirmed that that there is a telephone complaints team. HMRC staff can refer claimants to this team for the claimant to be called back. Representatives have followed up asking for more information about this process.

[TCCG, response 4th December 2008 (Operational group meeting)]

  • Telephone contact numbers on correspondence: Representatives again queried letters that were being received in response to disputes and complaints that did not have any contact number on them. HMRC confirmed that responses such as this should be sent with a direct dial number on them. A reminder has been issued to staff to check that they are using the correct format letterhead.

[Siobhan Harding, Citizens Advice NI, response 20th November 2008]

  • Contact telephone numbers: Representatives sent HMRC recent complaint and dispute letters which contained only the helpline phone number. HMRC confirmed that responses such as these should be sent with a direct dial number on them, and they have issued a reminder to staff to check they are using the correct letterhead.

[Siobhan Harding, Citizens Advice NI, response 19 November 2008]

  • Adjudicator's Office: Representatives asked for an update from the Adjudicator’s Office regarding tax credit complaints. The response stated that for 2007/2008, the AO settled 1720 cases of which 1393 were tax credits complaints. The average time it took to work a complaint (from when taken on until resolution) was 23.44 weeks, with 27 cases taking in excess of 44 weeks to settle. As part of this, the AO settled 982 tax credits complaints under the process assured procedure. The average turnaround times for those cases was 17.03 weeks, and the upheld/partially upheld rate for those cases was 47.56%.

[John Andrews, LITRG, response 29 May 2008]

  • Telephone complaints: Representatives asked for clarification around the issue of claimants being able to make tax credits complaints by telephone via the Helpline as well as in writing. HMRC confirmed that, in line with their Complaints Fact Sheet, claimants can make their complaint by telephone via the helpline. A streamlined process for dealing with such complaints has been put in place including more robust procedure for transferring complaints to the Tax Credit Office. HMRC asked for any examples of cases where the helpline told the claimant they could only complaint in writing.

[Victoria Todd, LITRG, response 29 April 2008]

  • Merger of teams: Representatives asked HMRC for more information regarding the merger of the dispute and complaint teams -

'TCO are still in the pilot phase of this merger, but plan to start to roll out the new merged arrangements across the business from January 2008 to bring together a number of processes currently carried out by different teams. It will be August 2008 before all teams are working the new processes. During the transition period some customers with disputed overpayments and complaints will still be handled by different teams, depending on where we are in the roll out timetable.

With the rollout of the new arrangements, staff will give their direct dial number on all letters they send to the customer about a disputed overpayment or in response to a complaint. One of the main aims of merging the two areas is to provide a better service to the customer and reduce rework on overpayments in Debt. We believe this can be addressed in part by adopting more of a 'caseworker' approach currently in operation within the complaints team in the Customer Support Unit.'

[Victoria Todd, LITRG, response 20 December 2007]

  • Referral to adjudicator: Evidence was sent to TCCG that the intermediaries line were telling advisers to refer overpayment problems straight to the Adjudicator (without a complaint or dispute). TCCG confirmed that this is incorrect advice and that guidance tells advisers that the Adjudicator will only review a case after the director of the appropriate HMRC business unit has considered it and the customer is still not satisfied with the response. Staff have been reminded of the correct procedure.

[Frances Corrie, TaxAid, response 23 August 2007]

  • Procedures for ensuring all points of a complaint are answered: TCCG have confirmed that wherever possible, the TCO expects staff dealing with correspondence to address and answer all the points raised by the claimant's letter. This is the case even where they may need to ask for a contribution from a colleague in another business area. If they are unable to give a full response to all the points raised at the same time, they are expected to explain this and give the claimant an idea of when they hope to reply to any outstanding issues. It was also confirmed that managers do carry out their own checks on this.

[Victoria Todd, LITRG, response 16 January 2007]

  • Delays receiving responses to complaints: Clarification has been received that TCO aim to acknowledge all complaints within 48 hours of receipt. This means that they will confirm receipt, tell the claimant they are looking into the points raised in order to reply as soon as possible and give contact details for the team handling the complaint. This information enables customers to get in touch to query when there is a long delay.

[Siohban Harding, Citizens Advice NI, response 15 Jan 2007]




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