HMRC’s specialist investigations and criminal investigations teams will merge in order to “better share expertise and knowledge”, according to a statement from the tax authority.
It is expected that the move will ensure that HMRC is “more effective in tackling the most serious tax crime”, and it has emphasised the fact that the decision has not been linked to reducing staff numbers or cutting costs.
In June, HMRC announced that it would be spending £45m on making improvements to its call centre, which will involve employing 3,000 people and reassigning an additional 2,000 from other areas of the department.
The tax authority has also been implementing wider changes across its organisational structure.
In 2014, HMRC announced that it would be closing 14 offices across the UK by the end of this year, while simultaneously launching digital and automated platforms for many of its core services.
HMRC has made a plethora of improvements over recent months, following criticism of how it has previously handled wealthy taxpayers and after call centres were reportedly unable to cope with queries regarding changes to a number of issues.
The Government also wants to focus harder on catching tax evaders, in order to prosecute more cases.
The merger of the two teams is expected to be part of HMRC’s aim at a more efficient and stricter approach, and both teams will be working more closely and learning skills from each other.
