Experiences of Completing an Income Tax Self Assessment
About the study
The UK Government recognises the need to create a tax system fit for modern-day challenges and opportunities. HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) is therefore aiming to make the tax system more efficient, effective and easier for taxpayers.
This research is about experiences of completing the online Income Tax Self-Assessment, and discussing potential changes that HMRC could make to help customers get their tax right first time.
Who is conducting this research?
HMRC has commissioned the National Centre for Social Research (NatCen), an independent research organisation, to carry out this research.
Why have I been asked to take part?
You have been asked to take part as you are a member of the NatCen Panel and previously agreed to be contacted about taking part in further research. You also recently participated in a survey for the NatCen Panel in which you told us that you had completed an Income Tax Self-Assessment. You therefore may be eligible to participate in this study.
What will taking part involve?
The research will involve taking part in an interview with a researcher from NatCen. The interviews will take place between May and July 2023. They will be held over MS Teams or Zoom at a time chosen by you, and will last around 60 minutes.
All participants will receive a £30 Love2Shop e-voucher to thank them for their time.
Why take part?
This is an important opportunity to have your views and experiences heard by HMRC. By taking part in the study, you will be helping to design HMRC’s approach to supporting customers completing their online Income Tax Self-Assessment.
What will the interviews be about?
During the interview, you will be presented with hypothetical scenarios in which a taxpayer might complete an Income Tax Self-Assessment. The NatCen researcher will then share their screen and show you different ways in which HMRC could change or improve the online Income Tax Self-Assessment. These will include different messages that could be shown. We will then ask you some questions about how you would feel seeing these messages and how you might respond. You will not be asked about your own assessment.
Do I have to take part?
You do not have to take part, taking part is purely voluntary. If you do agree to an interview, you can choose not to answer questions you do not wish to discuss.
What will happen to the information I give?
We will write a report about the main issues and themes that have been discussed. We will not name anyone personally in the report and it will not be possible to identify any participants. We will make sure all responses are anonymised.
We will record the interview so that nothing you say is forgotten. The recording will be kept securely and will be destroyed when the research study is complete.
Everything you say in the interview is confidential, in line with the EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). NatCen will not share any identifiable information with HMRC at any point. Taking part in an interview will not affect your relationship with HMRC in any way.
How do I know this research is genuine?
You can verify the authenticity of this research by visiting the genuine contact page on GOV.UK. You can also contact HMRC at research.enquiries@hmrc.gov.uk to confirm the genuine nature of this research study.
What will happen next?
A member of the NatCen research team may call you to ask if you would be happy to take part. If you are, they will ask you some questions to check that you are eligible to take part in the research. They will also ask you some questions about yourself to ensure we are talking to a variety of Income Tax Self-Assessment customers. They will then ask you for dates and times you are available for an interview.
We only need to speak to a certain number of people, so we may not call everyone we write to.
What is the lawful basis for processing my data?
The lawful basis for processing your data is ‘public task’. NatCen needs to process the data to perform ‘a task carried out in the public interest or in the exercise of official authority vested in the controller’ (i.e. HMRC).
Who are NatCen?
The National Centre for Social Research (NatCen) is an independent social research institute. It designs, conducts, and analyses research studies in the fields of social and public policy. You can find out more about NatCen on www.natcen.ac.uk.
Contact us
Email: itsa@natcen.ac.uk
Freephone: 0808 169 1524
National Centre for Social Research