Disability issues – HMRC seeks expertise

Do you feel you have expertise or insight that could help HMRC better understand the needs of people with disabilities to improve the services provided? You might have clients with particular needs or might yourself have a disability. 

If so, HMRC is looking to broaden and strengthen its understanding of customers’ issues. Opportunities for engagement are flexible but could include representation on its disabled customer consultation group (DCCG), of which there is a mental health forum sub-group. 

The DCCG meetings are attended by relevant HMRC stakeholders, government and public sector bodies with an interest in HMRC customer service, non-government organisations with particular interests in disability issues, and voluntary sector organisations that represent people with disabilities, such as LITRG. 

Now, to expand its range of feedback, HMRC wants to hear from tax professionals who may be able to offer useful information about their own experience as an agent with a disability (or disabilities) or clients’ concerns and needs. 

The main purpose of the DCCG is to:

• help HMRC understand the impact of existing and proposed policies on disabled customers
• give organisations and disabled customers the opportunity to have their concerns and issues heard
• work together to identify ways in which HMRC can work with disabled customers and improve their customer experience

The meetings, chaired by HMRC, are roughly every six months at 100 Parliament Street, London (although it is possible to dial in); the mental health forum is a twice-yearly telephone conference. Find out more about the DCCG on GOV.UK, including previous meeting minutes to get a flavour of the type of issues covered.

If you would be interested in supporting HMRC’s initiative email me at [email protected].