HM Revenue & Customs Change Programme

The Review Process

The Regional Review Programme is designed to support HMRC plans to modernise and transform its operations by matching our work, offices and accommodation needs throughout the UK. This demands a radical re-think of how its people and work are organised on the ground. It is a huge and complex task, involving many thousands of people in over 300 locations.

The programme of reviews started in November 2006 and will continue beyond April 2008.

The Review Programme

A rolling programme of reviews is looking at initial proposals for areas within each region. The reviews include formal consultation with staff and unions, and consider the impact on customers. We have developed arrangements for engaging with a wide range of external stakeholders including local authorities. We are using the nine Government Office Regions (London, South East, South West, East, East Midlands, West Midlands, Yorkshire & Humber, North West, North East) and the three devolved administrations (Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland) as a basis for planning the reviews.

Each review is carried out in three phases:

Phase 1

This is the ‘Diagnostic’ phase during which we work with our businesses to develop an initial set of proposals for the future of office locations, in line with business plans.

Phase 2

This is the ‘Feasibility’ phase where we engage in more detailed consideration of the business requirements while consulting with staff and unions on the initial set of proposals from Phase 1. We also write to relevant local authorities to ask for their views. We then publish a summary of the main views expressed by staff and unions and make this available to MPs and other external stakeholders. The points raised in consultation will be taken into account when decisions are made at the end of this phase.

Phase 3

This is the ’Implementation’ phase during which we publish a formal Impact Assessment on all buildings planned for vacation being. The Impact Assessment considers the potential effect of vacation on our employees, customers, and the local community.

The Review Locations

In order to begin this task our offices have been divided into three categories of location:

Urban Centres

There are 25 'Urban Centres', made up of large towns or cities and a 'ring' of other towns within 15–16 miles (25 kilometres) of them. These are locations where HMRC already has a major presence across a number of business directorates and employs a significant number of permanent staff. Together, these sites account for three quarters of all our staff and around 300 buildings. Urban Centre Reviews are planned to be completed by Summer 2007 Full list of Urban Centres.

Clusters

Outside of urban centres there over 60 'Clusters' of towns which are in the main within a 15 16 miles (25km) concentration. We plan to carry out Cluster Reviews between July 2007 and April 2008. List of Clusters and the towns in each cluster.

Individual locations

There are a number of 'Individual locations' – towns that are more than 15-16 miles (25km) from other HMRC offices. Some of these have been identified as being strategic because they provide a geographically based presence to service customers. Individual Location Reviews are planned to be undertaken after April 2008. Full list of Individual locations.

A-Z list of towns

You can view the Regional Review Programme A-Z of Locations showing how each town in which HMRC currently has an office has been classified for the review process.

The Review Timeline

The Urban Centres are being reviewed first. The Cluster and Individual Locations will follow during 2007.