Asked by: Alex Ballinger (Labour - Halesowen)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what discussions he has had with HMRC on instructions given to debt collection agencies in the event of (a) an unresolved dispute or (b) error on a taxpayer's account.
Answered by James Murray - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
The debt collection agencies (DCAs) that HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) collaborates with are regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and are strictly bound by HMRC's processes and guidance.
HMRC undertakes regular reviews, including the monitoring of calls and examination of messages, to ensure compliance with these stringent processes and guidelines.
In the event of an unresolved dispute, or an error on a taxpayer's account, the DCAs must return the taxpayer’s case to HMRC for direct handling.HMRC will then work with the taxpayer to ensure that any disputes or errors are resolved.