HMRC launches tax education programme in Welsh

A free education programme offering a simple introduction to tax for primary school children is now available for Welsh speaking students, HM Revenue and Customs announced today.

Junior Tax Facts, which is already available in English, consists of an engaging animation and a supporting teachers’ pack, to teach children aged eight to 11 years old about where money comes from to pay for all the things that are essential to them, their families and communities – like local transport, the police, doctors and their school.

It also gives children the opportunity to practise important skills they’ll need in later life, including communication and listening, literacy and numeracy, and negotiating and debating.

Angela MacDonald, HMRC’s Director General for Customer Services said:

“The expansion of Junior Tax Facts into the Welsh language will open up access to the programme and the benefits it provides to many more children.

“It helps children understand how tax works and what it pays for. It also supports them in developing important skills which will be useful to them as they grow up.”

Junior Tax Facts has increased students’ understanding of what HMRC does and why tax is collected.

Data collected from schools using the programmes shows:

• 97% of children know who HMRC are compared with 3% before studying Junior Tax Facts;
• 88% of children know why we collect tax compared with 12% before, and;
• 83% of children know taxes are spent on things that are important for them, their families and society compared to 17% before.

Cathryn Davey, Headteacher at Llanystumdwy Primary School added:

“I think that this is an excellent resource, especially in today's economic climate.

“Hopefully by discussing ways of spending public money responsibly during Junior Tax Facts sessions, pupils will also be able to think about their own spending habits in future.

“Anything which helps develop financial literacy in young people is a valuable resource. It’s very useful that this is now available through the medium of Welsh.”

Junior Tax Facts has already been delivered in a number of schools in Wales and there have been almost 3,000 unique downloads of the teachers’ pack across the UK.

There is also a Tax Facts programme available for secondary school children aged 11-14 which will be available in Welsh later this year.

Notes for editors:

1.The Junior Tax Facts animation is available on HMRC’s YouTube channel and also on DVD:

• Welsh version https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d9J2g7KuYk8&t=0s&index=6&list=PL8EcnheDt1zjoRLU0I8WEKqqNzdR3w2xI

English version https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C3_VwZ-Cmac

The teachers’ resources are published on the Times Educational Supplement (TES) website:

Welsh version https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/ffeithiau-treth-ar-gyfer-plant-iau-11862980

English version https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/junior-tax-facts-teachers-pack-11410987

All the material is available for schools and charities to use, free of charge.

• 2.Tax Facts (for secondary schools) and Junior Tax Facts have been accredited with the Personal Finance Education Group (PFEG) and Association for Citizenship Teachers (ACT) Quality Marks.
• 3.HMRC is working with the University of South Wales (USW), to prepare trainee teachers to deliver a lesson on the facts of tax to primary school children in English and Welsh-medium schools. The awareness sessions for trainee teachers based at USW’s Newport Campus began in October 2017 and will continue during this academic year. It helps teachers take the programme into the classroom, so that children understand what tax is, how the money is used and the link with vital public services.

4.Schools can contact HMRC for further information via email: hmrc.taxeducation@hmrc.gsi.gov.uk

5.Follow HMRC’s press office on Twitter: @HMRCpressoffice

6.HMRC’s Flickr channel:www.flickr.com/hmrcgovuk