Support for Growing Businesses 

We are carrying out research to help HMRC better understand how they can support businesses, as they grow, to pay the right tax.

About the study

Supporting growing small and medium-sized businesses to meet their tax obligations is a strategic priority for HMRC, closely aligned with the government’s wider growth mission and HMRC’s objectives to improve customer experience and close the tax gap. Enabling growing businesses to get their tax right first time has significant potential to support public finances while reducing unnecessary burdens on firms that are essential to economic growth.

HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) has therefore commissioned this research to understand how businesses experience growth, including the implications this has for the day-to-day running of their business. It will explore how businesses manage their tax obligations as they grow, and any challenges they encounter. Finally, the research will gather views on the support HMRC provides to growing businesses to meet their tax obligations and suggestions for how this support could be improved.  

The study will involve interviews with small and medium-sized businesses that have undergone a recent period of growth. It will also seek the views of representative bodies and trade intermediaries (such as advisors, accountants, and agents) to better understand experiences at an industry- or sector-wide level. 

What will it involve? 

Taking part will involve an interview with a NatCen researcher at a time convenient for you between July and August 2026. The interview will last up to 45 minutes and take place either by telephone or video call (MS teams), whichever you prefer.  

Small and medium-sized businesses will be asked about the following topics:

  • An overview of your business and how tax affairs are managed  
  • How the business has grown and any associated challenges    
  • Awareness of any new tax obligations and challenges encountered in meeting these
  • Views on HMRC guidance around tax obligations and interactions with HMRC  
  • Views on how HMRC can best support growing businesses to pay the right tax 

Representative bodies and intermediaries will be asked about the following topics: 

  • Overview of the businesses or organisations they work with  
  • Challenges faced by growing businesses
  • Any difficulties faced by growing businesses in meeting their tax obligations
  • Views on support and guidance provided by HMRC to growing businesses  
  • Views on how HMRC can best support businesses to pay the right tax  

Everything you say will be confidential and anonymous. Only NatCen will know you have taken part. We will not tell HMRC or anyone else what you have personally said or about businesses’ conduct in relation to tax compliance. 

At the start of the interview we will ask for your permission to audio/video record the discussion (depending on whether you choose an audio or video call) to have an accurate record of what was said.

We will store your information securely and your details will not be shared with HMRC or anyone else outside of the research team.  

Reports and publications will not identify any individuals, businesses or clients. 

For more information on how your data will be used, visit the privacy notice.

Taking part in an interview will not affect your relationship with HMRC in any way. 

Why take part? 

Your feedback is important. Your participation will help HMRC develop a better understanding of businesses’ experiences as they grow, any impact on their ability to meet their tax obligations, and how HMRC can better support businesses to pay the right tax.

You do not have to take part if you do not want to, and you can change your mind at any time. If you do choose to take part, you do not have to answer any questions you do not want to, and you can stop the interview at any point.

We will make a donation of £75 on behalf of businesses and trade intermediaries as a thank you for taking part. Participants will be able to choose from one of the following charities: Centrepoint, Save the Children, Alzheimer's Society. No donation will be made for representative bodies given their role in representing the views of their sector.

Please note that not everyone who expresses an interest in the research may be able to take part.

Why have I been selected to take part? 

You have been invited to take part in an interview with NatCen because we would like to speak with small and medium-sized businesses who have undergone a recent period of growth and may have experienced challenges in meeting their tax obligations as a result. This includes some businesses that have had contact with HMRC in relation to tax compliance. Trade intermediaries and representative bodies who may represent or act on behalf of these businesses have also been invited to participate. 

If you do not want to take part 

Taking part is voluntary, and you are not obliged by your employer or HMRC to participate in this research. If you choose not to take part, it will not affect your relationship with HMRC. 

Who is carrying out the research?

The National Centre for Social Research (NatCen) will be carrying out the research. The research is being carried out for HMRC.   

Contact us:

If you have any further questions or would like to discuss the research, please contact us using the details below.  

Email: businessgrowthstudy@natcen.ac.uk  

If you would like to speak to somebody at HMRC about the research you can contact HMRC’s research team at: customer.research@hmrc.gov.uk  

If you have been contacted about this study and would like to verify its legitimacy, you can do so here: Check genuine HMRC contact that uses more than one communication method - GOV.UK