SPAN’s “HMRC: Stop the Threats” campaign gathers momentum.

Our campaign to make HMRC change its guidelines on how parents are contacted for information about Tax Credits received a boost today. Bristol MP Kerry McCarthy has written on our behalf to HMRC Chief Executive Lin Homer, asking for an explanation why letters demanding documentation were written in such threatening language.

 In the meantime, our petition on Change.org is starting to grow, with nearly 50 signatures in the first day. All we are asking is that HMRC makes Concentrix apply its own charter, where it clearly states that the customer can expect HMRC to  ‘treat you as honest’ and ‘presume that you are telling the truth’. This copy of the letter,  HMRCCONCENTRIX.pdf  received by one of our single parent readers, clearly shows that neither of these two promises are being met.

If you do receive one of these letters, it is still your responsibility to contact Concentrix, as they have the authority to act on behalf of HMRC.  Gingerbread have an article on how best to prepare the evidence you might need to present.

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BBC Radio 4's Moneybox programme contacted us and interviewed a OneSpace user. Here is the relevant section: