Toolkits to help reduce errors: agent survey results

14 March 2014

HMRC toolkits provide agents with guidance on areas of error that HMRC sees in the returns submitted by agents.

In the final quarter of 2013 HMRC conducted a short series of workshops and an online survey to better understand what agents think about HMRC's Agent Toolkits. They would like thank those agents who took part and share with you the key findings along with some of the steps they are taking to respond to some of the suggested enhancements.

HMRC are pleased to find that most respondents are content with the toolkits and that the majority use toolkits online and therefore benefit most from the many hyperlinks to additional detailed information.

The majority also stated that they would like to be able to complete the checklist section for a particular client and have the option to save it electronically or print it to save in a client's file. As a result HMRC are introducing enhanced functionality to each toolkit as part of its annual maintenance cycle to review and refresh content.

The first two toolkits to incorporate the new functionality are:

• Expenses and Benefits from Employment Toolkit
• National Insurance Contributions and Statutory Payments Toolkit

Both toolkits are due to be published on 6 April 2014. Other toolkits will be enhanced when they receive their annual update.

Two thirds of all respondents stated that using the toolkits gave them 'reassurance' and helped them 'identify potential errors'. Only 3% stated that 'there are no benefits' from using the toolkits.

One of the most common issues that users said they encountered when using toolkits was that they found them to be 'time consuming'. HMRC recommends that the toolkits are used online because this provides the quickest way to use the many hyperlinks to access further guidance but we recognise that some agents will benefit more than others from using the toolkits and that they may form only part of an agents wider assurance measures.

Agents can provide suggestions and feedback to improve the toolkits at any time by accessing the online feedback form.

Read more about, and find the latest toolkits to help reduce errors here.