- More than £11 million in funding available for organisations
to help customers with their tax affairs.
- Voluntary and Community sector organisations invited to bid
for funding from today.
- Successful organisations will receive three-year funding
grants from April 2027.
HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) has pledged more than £11
million to support customers who need extra help, as it launches
the latest round of its Voluntary and Community Sector Grant
Funding Scheme.
Bids can be submitted from today (8 June) for the funding, which
is available for voluntary and community sector organisations to
provide specialist advice and support to HMRC customers who may need extra
help with their tax affairs, interacting with its digital
services, which continue to expand, or claiming entitlements.
HMRC has more than
doubled the three-year grant funding allocation to £11.18 million
starting April 2027. Applications can be submitted on GOV.UK
until 3 July.
Organisations applying for the funding must show they can provide
independent tailored support to customers who may experience
barriers including those who:
- may face difficulties in understanding their tax obligations
- may have complex needs
- are digitally excluded from accessing HMRC services
, Exchequer Secretary to the
Treasury, said:
I'm delighted to build on our commitment to customers who need
the most support and make this latest round of funding available
for our partners in the voluntary sector who provide invaluable
assistance to them. This funding means customers, who may be
struggling with their tax affairs, are able to get the help they
need to make a real difference to their situation.
Successful organisations will work alongside HMRC's Extra Support Team to
ensure customers get straightforward advice and support in
dealing with their tax affairs and ensuring they get the benefits
they are entitled to receive.
Between April 2025 and April 2026, more than 43,000 customers,
helped by grant-funded organisations working closely with
HMRC's Extra Support
Team, were able to engage with HMRC in a way that works for them
and access the information they need.
Myrtle Lloyd, HMRC's
Chief Customer Officer said:
We are all about making it easier for people to get their tax
right and by working closely with our Voluntary and Community
sector partners we can ensure our customers who need extra
support have access to help when they need it most.
The grants, worth £3.73 million a year, will be awarded quarterly
over the 3 years between April 2027 and April 2030. Successful
organisations will be announced later this year.
For more information on the Voluntary and Community Sector Grant
Funding Scheme, eligibility and to apply, go to GOV.UK.
Case Study
Elena*, who is from the South East of England, works as a
self-employed hairdresser, partly at home and partly in a salon
where she rents a chair. When she contacted a Voluntary and
Community Sector grant-funded organisation in September 2024, she
was struggling with depression following the loss of a family
member and divorce. In her mid-forties, she had no sustainable
income, was receiving Universal Credit, and struggling just to
afford the basics. She was behind with her rent and Council Tax
as well as a tax debt of £1,093, including Late Filing Penalties
and interest.
Elena got in touch about her tax debt and three years of
outstanding tax returns. As someone who had always struggled with
maths, she found it difficult to manage her tax. One of the
volunteer advisers worked with Elena to help her complete her
outstanding tax returns which resulted in an increase in her tax
liability to £1,824.34.
After the grant-funded organisation contacted HMRC, they waived the Late Filing
Penalties and associated interest leaving only the tax balancing
payments and a small amount of interest, totalling £503 to pay.
Elena emailed the volunteer who had supported her to express the
real difference our support had made to her future.
*Not her real name
Further Information
Previous funding was awarded from April 2024 to April 2027,
totalling £5.5 million.
A current list of funded organisations can be found
on GOV.UK.
Successful organisations are monitored during the financial year.
Payment is made in stages and HMRC has mechanisms in place
to stop or withhold funding during the period if the terms of the
grant are not being met.
Before funding is agreed and any money paid
out, HMRC undertakes
a stringent due diligence process to ensure the organisations
comply with the standards set out in the Cabinet Office guidance.
Successful organisations are expected to deliver agreed outcomes
and to report on progress on a regular basis.
Successful organisations will also provide HMRC with valuable insight that
will help us to support our hardest to reach customers in the
future, as well as help them build a relationship with
HMRC so they can deal
directly with us in the future.
HMRC encourages any
customer who feel they need extra help on tax or benefits matters
to get in touch, through a Voluntary and Community Sector
grant-funded organisation, to discuss their situation.
