Corporate Services Customer Correspondence

Background

HMRC uses more than 13,000 customer letters and forms, in addition to a growing number of emails, secure messages and SMS and online guidance (GOV.UK).

Some of these letters and forms are sent in very large volumes to a wide range of customers. For instance, our Self Assessment outputs alone are sent to c11 million people, some with a sophisticated knowledge of tax (60% of SA customers use a tax agent) and others with little tax knowledge and variable levels of reading skills (e.g. where English is not their first language).

We know that we can increase compliance and reduce low-value contact by simplifying HMRC's direct customer communications, using a more consistent tone and form of wording.

Our correspondence is a key driver of customer perceptions of HMRC, as well as of behaviour. We want to encourage more people to use our online tools and services, and discourage unnecessary telephone contact. We are making good progress, for instance, last year, 93% of Self Assessment customers completed their tax return online; we want to continue to increase these numbers. HMRC has already reviewed and improved more than 100 of its direct customer letters, forms, emails and SMS messages, resulting in a reduction in calls from recipients.

We are now looking for specialist support from experienced communications experts to assess where we can improve further, and scale up this important work. We expect this project to take no longer than 6 months to complete, and so this will be the maximal term of the contract.

Aim and Objectives

Over the past 18 months, HMRC has reviewed and improved more than 100 of its direct customer letters, forms, emails and SMS messages, resulting in a reduction in calls from recipients.

We want to add the perspective of an external agency to this work, to see where further improvements can be made to our approach, and to learn lessons that are transferrable to HMRC teams as we look to increase the scale of this important initiative.

Key objectives include: 1. To increase compliance through direct communications that are clearer on what the customer needs to do. 2. To reduce unnecessary customer contact from customers who are confused by the content of our correspondence, or worried by its tone. 3. To encourage customers to make the shift to self-serve through digital channels where appropriate.

Project Outputs/Deliverables

The key deliverables of this project are as follows:

• To assess and recommend improvements to the simplicity, clarity and tone of a range of HMRC's outputs to Self Assessment customers. • To recommend principles and learning points that HMRC can apply to other outputs and share with teams responsible for their production.

HMRC use an HMRC version of SAP Ariba Sourcing. Suppliers using HMRCs Ariba for the first time, will need to register, please find the guidance attached.

Once done then please email [email protected] confirming with your SAP Ariba Number.