Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 16 September 2016 to Question 45416, on Concentrix, (a) what the total cost was of the appeal cases listed in table 2 and (b) whether that cost was borne by (i) Concentrix or (ii) HM Revenue and Customs.

Concentrix has a fixed contract with HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC), the terms of which are available here: https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/85d1b730-5e4e-4be8-ae4c-3ac1f359afc7. HMRC only makes additional payments for amendment to claims which are correct.

HMRC is operating within its funding allocation for this contract but has temporarily redeployed existing staff to resolve outstanding cases.

HMRC does not hold specific information relating to the cost to issue letters referenced in the Answer to Question 44746 as these costs were borne by Concentrix. Claimants are given 30 days to provide the information requested in the letter. If after 30 days there has been no contact, tax credits payments are either suspended or reduced.

As stated in the oral contribution of 14 September 2016, Official Report, column 914, once all of the information is received and the facts of the case have been established, payments should be made within 4 working days. And, to date, HMRC are issuing payments to achieve this timeframe.

HMRC is currently focused on resolving the outstanding cases but will be preparing analysis, which will be made available in due course.