
New online Pay As You Earn service helps people take control of tax affairs
Lanarkshire workers can take control of their tax affairs as the government announced a new online Pay As You Earn (PAYE) service as HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) sets out more than 50 measures to transform the UK's tax and customs system.
The service for all PAYE taxpayers will make it simpler and easier to check and update their income, allowances, reliefs and expenses, and will be available via their Personal Tax Account or through the HMRC app.
This service forms part of HMRC's Transformation Roadmap that sets out ambitious plans to become a digital first organisation by 2030, with 90 per cent of customer interactions taking place digitally.
The roadmap sets out more than 50 IT projects, services and measures that, once delivered, will transform the UK's tax and customs systems, simplifying processes and making it easier to pay the tax that funds public services and deliver the government's Plan for Change.
The plans to modernise the tax and customs system, introduce new AI technologies and work with third parties and intermediaries will make it easier for taxpayers, businesses and intermediaries to interact with HMRC.
The digital first approach will see HMRC automating tax wherever possible and offering new digital self-serve options across a number of tax regimes.
Alongside the new PAYE service, HMRC will save £50 million a year by moving customer letters and reminders to a digital first approach, reducing the reliance on paper correspondence, by the 2028 to 2029 tax year.
Paper post provision will remain for critical correspondence and for the digitally excluded.
Increasing the use and investment in AI will enable customers to meet their tax obligations and allow HMRC to monitor the tax system in near real time. HMRC plans to introduce AI in work areas including:
HMRC advisers and caseworkers: using AI capability to automate call summaries and the use of internal GenAI Chat Assistants to support them in their work.
Digital assistants: developing new AI-powered features to help customers easily navigate HMRC services and improve the ability to update HMRC's content and guidance on GOV.UK.
Compliance: delivering an automatic document identifier system for HMRC caseworkers to identify fraudulent documents during compliance activities by using a biometric likeness-liveness check.
James Murray MP, Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury, said: "We are going further and faster to make HMRC fit for the 21st century, including delivering a simpler and easier system for all PAYE workers.
"By 2030, taxpayers can expect a modern and innovative HMRC with cutting-edge AI, industry-leading customer service practices, and a laser focus on delivering taxpayer value for money by ensuring everyone pays their fair share."
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