HMRC’s transformation roadmap

On 21 July 2025, HMRC launched their Transformation Roadmap, which sets out ambitious plans for HMRC to become a digital-first organisation by 2030, with 90% of customer interactions taking place digitally. This compares to 76% as at today. HMRC will automate tax wherever possible and offer new digital self-serve options across a number of tax regimes.

The plan is an indication of how HMRC has fallen behind in its use of technology, with the roadmap estimated to save HMRC £50 million a year, through use of a digital-first approach to customer letters and reminders thereby reducing the reliance on paper correspondence by 2028/29. Paper post provision will remain for critical correspondence and for the digitally excluded.

The Transformation Roadmap sets out timescales for delivery and HMRC is committed to reporting on progress. Work is underway to deliver some of the measures set out in the roadmap this tax year, including:

• improving the Self Assessment registration service and streamlining the exit process for those customers who no longer need to file a Self Assessment tax return.
• a new service to give employed parents, who are newly liable for the High Income Child Benefit Charge, the choice to pay it directly through their tax code without needing to register for Self Assessment.
• launching an enhanced reward scheme for informants, targeting information on serious non‑compliance by large corporates, wealthy individuals, offshore and avoidance schemes.

Longer-term improvements include:

• From April 2026, the pre-population of Self Assessment tax returns with Child Benefit data.
• From 2027-28, digitising the inheritance tax service.
• Simplifying payments and refunds, including direct bank repayments and easier National Insurance Contribution refunds.
• Single Customer Account Programme to provide a unified view of the taxpayer’s overall income and tax position in their digital account.

Lastly, in what will come as good news to many, HMRC announced that MTD for Corporation Tax will not be implemented.

If you have any queries regarding these changes, please get in touch with Alan Rolfe on 023 8046 1235 or email Alan Rolfe.