Departments’ merger creates single UK tax body

The Inland Revenue has officially merged with Her Majesty’s Customs & Excise to become a new department – HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC).

As a single department, HMRC said it would produce greater efficiencies, reduce the tax gap and provide a greater customer focus.

HMRC is responsible for collecting the bulk of tax revenue as well as paying tax credits and child benefit, and strengthening the UK’s frontiers.

However, there are worries that the ‘efficiencies’ will lead to a number of job cuts and relocations, including 500 HR staff.

The Public and Commercial Services union has called on the government to give assurances about compulsory redundancies and that make sure any relocation is handled sensitively.

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The Inland Revenue said it would create shared-service HR centres across the UK.

The PCS claims that with centres in Newcastle, the North West, Nottingham and Scotland, the merged department would not be able to properly support its employees.