{
  "id": 19172700,
  "title": "HMRC ‘flying blind’ on over 1.2m tax demands after failing to track error rates",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/09/hmrc-flying-blind-on-over-1-2m-tax-demands-after-failing-to-track",
  "topic": "business",
  "section": "Business",
  "published": "2026-11-09T15:26:57.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "City AM",
    "slug": "city-am",
    "url": "https://www.cityam.com/hmrc-flying-blind-on-over-1-2m-tax-demands-after-failing-to-track-error-rates/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "HMRC has been described as \"flying blind\" after admitting it lacks track on over 1.2 million tax demands it issues each year. The tax authority sent out 1,254,201 PA302 simple assessment tax calculations in the 2024/25 tax year, according to data obtained by City AM through a Freedom of Information request. These forms are sent to taxpayers instead of them filling out self-assessment tax returns. HMRC uses data from various sources to automatically determine the amount of tax owed, such as PAYE systems, pensions, and government departments. However, the tax body refused to disclose how many of these calculations were reduced, cancelled, or withdrawn, citing cost issues and lack of readily available figures. The tax authority admitted that the data is not automatically collected and it does not track incorrectly demanded tax sums. While HMRC logs calls and queries for operational purposes, it said it cannot distinguish standard enquiries from cases where taxpayers challenge the correctness of calculations. Former pensions minister Steve Webb criticized HMRC for its lack of management information on these tax demands, stating that the scale of errors and changes over time remains unknown. The admission has raised concerns about the potential penalisation of Brits due to automated errors, especially as hundreds of thousands have been pushed into higher tax bands due to frozen personal allowance thresholds and rising state pension income.",
  "summary": "HMRC has been accused of “flying blind” on over 1.2m tax demands after admitting it does not track how many are challenged or cancelled due to errors. The tax authority issued 1,254,201 individual PA302 simple assessment tax calculations in the 2024/25 tax year, according to figures obtained by City AM via a Freedom of Information [...]",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}