Members of the Public and Commercial Services union are staging a protest to highlight the further reduction in HM Revenue & Custom’s services in Scotland. PCS is continuing its roadshow to make clear the impact that the reduction of face to face enquiry centres will have on the public, focusing on Dumfries.

The PCS demonstration outside The Station Best Western Hotel, 49 Lovers Walk will take place from 10.30am on 9 September. The demonstration coincides with HMRC’s own business advice day which is due to take place at the same venue.

The local enquiry centre in the town is currently open normal office hours Monday to Friday and we understand that HMRC is proposing to reduce this service to be available from 9am -1pm on Tuesdays and Wednesdays only. The proposal means that members of the public requiring a service outside of these times will be required to travel either Carlisle or Hexham (depending on which day of the week it is).

In March HMRC cut opening times in 58 of its 280 tax enquiry centres across the UK from 8.30am to 5pm Mondays to Fridays to part-time hours. This coincided with errors with tax codes sent out for the new tax year starting on 6 April, due to problems with a new computer system, and the start of the annual period during which tax credit claimants have to renew their claims, all prompting increased demand on the face to face service.

In May, HMRC announced plans for part-time opening in a further 117 tax enquiry centres – subject to a public consultation which closed in July – with further reductions under consideration. Since 2006, HMRC has cut about 25,000 staff – with a further 5,000 planned to go by March 2011 – and more than 200 tax offices have either closed, are due to close or are under threat.

John Davidson, local PCS representative says, “Face to face enquiry centres deal with some of the most vulnerable people in society. There have been instances where tax credits claimants have used the last of their money to get to the enquiry centre for an emergency payment. Now, they could do so only to find the doors closed. It is appalling that the coalition government is so focused on dismantling essential public services. We believe there is an alternative, that the government should invest in the public services that we all rely on. Having an accessible office of the revenue collection body in every town is key to maintaining trust and confidence in HMRC and the government.

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