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Brian Redford, Deputy Director Intermediaries and External Communication, Business Customer Unit, HM Revenue & Customs reports on HMRC’s drive to make letters to customers simpler and clearer.

Introduction

We know that receiving letters from the tax man can sometimes be an intimidating experience for taxpayers. Our customers told us that the letters we wrote when we check tax returns were unclear or contained jargon. We are committed to improving customers’ experience of the UK tax system and reducing the costs involved in dealing with us.  So, over the past year, we have rewritten over 200 of the standard letters used by our staff when they check customers’ tax returns, in order to make them easier to understand and reduce the time taken by customers in knowing what they need to do next.

Communications with Taxpayers

We hope that our customers will see the change, feel better supported and will be able to meet their tax obligations more easily.

Our new letters focus on:

• using simple and clear language - For example saying: “We will now take action to recover the money…” instead of “I must now advise you that I am considering formal recovery action…”
• giving clear timescales for action by HMRC and our customers - For example saying: “Reply by 30 January 2010” instead of “reply within 30 days of the date of this letter” Or: “We will be in touch by…” instead of “prior to hearing further from us…”

Other changes include:

• explaining what will happen during the check and why
• only asking for what we need, and explaining why
• explaining concepts and terms that customers may find intimidating

Since introducing the letters in April, we have received positive comments from customers and their representatives. In the summer, we ran a focus group for representatives of small and medium businesses who welcomed the clarity and tone of the new letters. Importantly, they said that the letters made it clear what they needed to do next. 

The Administrative Burdens Advisory Board (ABAB) which advises on reducing the regulatory burden that HMRC places on businesses said that the letters were easier to understand and had a more personal feel.

We are continually adding to the bank of template letters our staff can use. Going forward we will be exploring how we can speed up the process of  making sure all our non-standard letters use the same language, tone and structure.

[ For further background on the drive for more effective communication in public services, see Government Urged to Use Plain Language by the Low Incomes Tax Reform Group - Ed. ]