HMRC awards £5.5 million in grant funding to voluntary and community groups

Twelve voluntary and community sector organisations have been awarded a share of £5.5 million to help customers who need extra support with their tax affairs, HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) has announced.

The successful organisations offer a wealth of specialist knowledge and experience to deliver tailored tax and benefits advice. The awards are managed through HMRC’s Voluntary and Community Sector Grant Funding Programme which, for more than a decade, has funded partner organisations to provide free advice and support to customers who:

• may face difficulties in understanding their tax obligations
• may have complex needs
• are digitally excluded from accessing HMRC services

The successful Voluntary and Community Sector organisations to receive a share of the grant funding are:

• Advice Direct Scotland
• Advice NI
• Citizens Advice Bureau – Isle of Wight, Gosport and Fareham
• Citizens Advice East Lancashire
• Citizens Advice South Tyneside
• Good Things Foundation
• Money Advice Trust
• Refugee Migrant Centre
• Royal National Institute of Blind People
• Royal Association for Deaf People
• Tax Aid
• Tax Volunteers (Tax Help for Older People)

Nigel Huddleston, Financial Secretary to the Treasury, said:

“Access to advice about tax and benefits is essential for those who need extra help or support. These organisations provide a truly valuable service, which is why it’s absolutely necessary we provide the funding they need to continue their good work.”

Angela MacDonald, HMRC’s Deputy Chief Executive and Second Permanent Secretary, said:

“We want to help our customers access the specialist help they need to comply with their tax affairs and claim the benefits they’re entitled to. This latest round of funding ensures the excellent support provided by our partners in the voluntary and community sector continues to be in place for customers who need extra support.”

Ian Thompson, Chief Executive Officer, South Tyneside Citizens Advice:

“We are delighted to have been successful with our grant application which will allow us to continue to help some of our most vulnerable clients with tax and benefits issues. Through continued partnership working with HMRC, we can assist their customers to find satisfactory solutions to their problems and enquiries in the most efficient way possible”.

The three-year funding pot, worth £1.8 million a year, will start in April 2024. Organisations bid for funding in the summer and have been allocated the grant based on rigorous selection criteria and due diligence checks.

This is the 12^th round of grant funding HMRC has awarded as part of its commitment to ensuring everyone gets their tax right. The organisations funded through the programme are on hand to provide support to HMRC customers in vulnerable circumstances, complementing the work of HMRC’s Extra Support Team.

Notes to Editors:

1. Information on eligibility can be found on GOV.UK
2. The grant funding programme will run from April 2024 to March 2027 and is worth £5.5 million.
3. The funding is allocated across the successful organisations and 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.
4. The previous VCS Grant Funding programme was for 2021 to 2024 for a total of £4.98 million, equating to £1.66 million a year.
5. Follow HMRC’s Press Office on Twitter @HMRCpressoffice