£1.6m funding available to help hard-to-reach HMRC customers
Melanie May | 9 October 2018 | News
HMRC has £1.6 million funding to allocate to voluntary and community sector organisations that can support it in helping the customers it currently finds hardest to reach.
The funding is available for 2019 to 2020 to help organisations provide advice and support to customers who need extra help understanding and complying with their tax obligations and claiming their entitlements, including those who are digitally excluded. From 2020 HMRC will develop a longer-term strategy with the sector.
It is inviting invite bids for funding of between £10,000 and £450,000, with a maximum threshold set at 50% of the organisation’s turnover, and one bid per organisation. The deadline for applications is 2 November 2018.
Bids should include at least one of the following:
- Providing direct advice and support for HMRC’s customers who need extra help and cannot afford to pay for it
- Assisting customers who are digitally excluded, to build their confidence and capability to use HMRC’s online services for themselves
- Providing specialist advice and taking referrals by telephone or email from HMRC’s Needs Enhanced Support (NES), and assisting customers who need independent advice and support with more complex tax issues
Groups to be targeted include those experiencing difficulties accessing HMRC services, due to illness, disability or digital exclusion, those who lack confidence or are new to HMRC services, those lacking the ability to deal with tasks, for example, due to learning difficulties, memory problems, lack of language skills, complex working situations or several income strands, and people with mental health issues or who are suffering extreme distress through life events, such as bereavement or the breakdown of a relationship.
Further information is available on the .gov site.
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About Melanie May
Melanie May is a journalist and copywriter specialising in writing both for and about the charity and marketing services sectors since 2001. She can be reached via thepurplepim.com.