Corporate report

HMRC Northern Ireland Disability Action Plan 2021 to 2024: Annex A

Published 27 May 2021

This corporate report was withdrawn on 2 May 2024

The HMRC disability action plan 2024 to 2027 was published on 30 April 2024.

Colleague-focused measures

Colleague-focused measures to promote positive attitudes towards disabled people and encourage the participation of disabled people in public life

Aim: to create a working environment that is inclusive, respectful and representative.

Our proposed measures (actions)

1) Process and system improvement

Improve our processes and systems to ensure they are fair, accessible to and inclusive of disabled colleagues.

How it will be done:

• we will continue to use both quantitative data on colleague diversity, and qualitative insight gathered from our disabled colleagues to review, evaluate and revise our policies, processes and systems. This will also allow us to examine how they are implemented in practice to identify, eliminate, justify or mitigate any disparities in opportunity, usage or outcome for disabled colleagues

• involving disabled colleagues in designing solutions to identified issues, to ensure processes are fair and systems are accessible

Our performance indicators/intended outcome will be:

• quarterly analysis of process outcomes by protected characteristics shows elimination or ongoing reduction of unjustifiable disparities for disabled colleagues, eg on aggregate, the proportion of disabled candidates is the same at each stage of the recruitment process
• analysis of annual employee experience surveys show no, or ongoing reduction of, unjustifiable disparities for disabled colleagues
• feedback (normally every 6 months) about the fairness of our processes and practices from our disabled staff networks, union representatives, leaders and colleagues is positive
• disabled colleagues requiring reasonable adjustments and their managers receive timely support and provide positive feedback about their experience via monthly data capture audits of the accessibility of key services, involving Assistive Technology (AT) users completed and services and systems improved

2) Learning and development

Ensure high-quality, tailored learning that supports the development of talent, knowledge, and inclusive and respectful behaviours.

How it will be done:

• designing and rolling out learning on how to recognise and supportively challenge discriminatory behaviour and language towards disabled colleagues
• involving disabled stakeholders when reviewing and evaluating our learning offering to ensure it is accessible and effective
• improving signposting to equality-related learning to ensure all it is accessible to and accessed by all relevant colleagues
• as part of HMRC’s strategic commitment to improve the customer experience, all staff that have regular contact with external customers are asked to complete the ‘Just Ask’ e-learning package which includes equality legislation and details of our statutory obligations and duties
• integrating disability equality and inclusion into our leadership and management learning products
• encouraging participation of disabled colleagues in accelerated development programmes to build a diverse pipeline
• integrating disability equality into recruitment training to ensure that where reasonable; applications in alternative formats are accepted, reasonable adjustments proactively offered and made, and the Disability Confident Interview scheme is used consistently

Our performance indicators/intended outcome will be:

• the effectiveness of learning products has been reviewed and evaluated as meeting learning objectives of recognising and challenging inappropriate behaviours
• the effectiveness of learning products has been reviewed and evaluated as meeting learning objectives of understanding role-relevant statutory obligations
• analysis of annual employee experience surveys will show an improved willingness to challenge and report inappropriate behaviour, and disabled colleagues will report feelings of inclusion (that we can be authentic, have a voice and feel we belong)
• annual reporting on levels of reported bullying, harassment, discrimination and victimisation will decrease by the end of the reporting period
• workforce diversity data shows increased representation of disabled colleagues that more closely reflects the proportion of disabled people in the working age population of Northern Ireland. Colleague diversity data is measured and published internally on a quarterly basis
• disabled colleagues requiring reasonable adjustments and their managers receive timely support and provide positive feedback about their experience via monthly data capture

3) Accountability and governance

Develop frameworks to embed consideration of disability equality throughout all our functions across the department.

How it will be done:

• reviewing our frameworks and strengthening structures to support relevant accountability and assurance of disability equality
• embedding systematic consideration of equality impact and the involvement of disabled people into our decision-making processes
• design and embed EDI Network Operating Model - including terms of reference, governance, membership and frameworks
• strengthening the accountability frameworks that support our staff networks
• increasing the quality and transparency of our equality information, to encourage top-down and bottom-up accountability and support evidence-based actions and impact measures for disability equality
• increasing the number of disabled colleagues sharing their disability data status in our diversity HR on-line service to accurately identify the scope, size and locations of our challenges
• monitoring our diversity data to identify any under-representation in the vertical and horizontal representation and distribution of our disabled colleagues
• auditing our diversity data sets to identify aggregate disparities between disabled and non-disabled colleagues

Our performance indicators/intended outcome will be:

• consideration of equality impact on disabled colleagues has become a regular feature of decision making and assuring decisions
• annually we will review the activity within the disability networks, monitoring membership and engagement, with members reporting feeling well-supported and involved in departmental changes
• quarterly analysis of process outcomes by protected characteristics shows elimination or ongoing reduction of unjustifiable disparities for disabled colleagues, eg on aggregate, the proportion of disabled candidates is the same at each stage of the recruitment process, disabled colleagues are not over-represented in the grievance process
• analysis of annual employee experience surveys show no, or ongoing reduction of, unjustifiable disparities for disabled colleagues

4) Communicating our inclusive culture

Raise awareness of our vision, where we need to improve, and our expectations of all HMRC colleagues to contribute to making HMRC a great place to work.

How it will be done:

• running regular communication campaigns to build inclusion, raise awareness of our challenges, and celebrate our diversity
• visibly celebrating diversity and embedding disability equality consideration into our estates, events and communications, including for example through good practice awards
• creating opportunities for the department to listen to and understand the personal impact of inequalities on disabled people, to reduce barriers and inspire allyship. For example, through disabled colleagues sharing their personal experiences through blogs, vlogs, podcasts and focus groups
• continuous improvement of our internal intranet to ensure up to date and accurate disability equality information is available to all colleagues

Our performance indicators/intended outcome will be:

• disabled colleagues are involved in our regular communication campaigns (i.e. not just during disability awareness week) for example by sharing personal stories
• our disability network and champion inform the development of communications campaigns by highlighting areas for improvement and relevant topics
• equality analysis of annual employee experience surveys evidence that disabled colleagues report feel included (can be authentic, have a voice and feel we belong), are aware how to challenge discriminatory behaviour and language and how to access support

Customer-focused measures

Customer-focused measures to promote positive attitudes towards disabled people and encourage the participation of disabled people in public life

Our proposed measures (action)

1) Build services that meet the needs of customers

To help promote positive attitudes we will target awareness and training at areas that need improvement

How it will be done:

• we will ensure that our colleagues have the training they need to identify what support they can offer customers with different needs and be aware of the support available to facilitate their interaction with customers
• as noted in the HMRC Charter, we will treat all customers fairly and respectfully and in line with our values of respect, professionalism and integrity
• we will be mindful of our customers personal situation and will give extra support when required
• develop a greater understanding of how different disabilities, including mental health, may impact a customer’s interaction with HMRC. Through this, we will be able to build or source a package of awareness and training material which will draw on the specific difficulties disabled customers may face when interacting with HMRC
• further develop an education programme to raise awareness of equality impacting and Equality Impact Assessments

Our performance indicators/intended outcome will be:

• to be measured through staff surveys and customer complaints analysis:
  • colleagues will have increased awareness of the services and adjustment they can offer to support customers through an investigation
  • customers who need extra support are referred to extra support teams in a timely manner
• we will continue to ensure policy measures are impacted and appropriate mitigations are considered to reduce the impact on disabled customers’ at the earliest stages of policy and service change development

2) Building an inclusive service

We will encourage the participation of disabled customers by involving service users and external stakeholders where possible to work collaboratively, share information and build supportive, trusting and professional relationships.

How it will be done:

• continue to build a collaborative network of external stakeholder groups and ensure the Additional Needs Working Group (ANWG) insight is shared and sought where relevant, using internal channels to socialise the group and encourage dialogue
• diversify stakeholder representation on consultation networks, to ensure a diverse range of customer groups who might require support or adjustments are represented
• we will develop the scope of ANWG to allow for more in-depth consideration of key/emerging issues and influence on HMRC future strategic direction, included taking ‘ideas to improve’ from the group. ANWG is a focus group of external representatives who meet on a quarterly basis. The group shares expertise, learning and best practice for disabled customers and customers with mental health conditions and monitors the impact of HMRC’s strategic direction on them
• we continue our work to build a panel of volunteer user researchers and testers for our digital services

Our performance indicators/intended outcome will be:

• we will continue to use our external forums to support our statutory reporting and consultation processes, supported by documented evidence of input
• we will continue to work with ANWG members on scope and membership ensuring the group represents the needs of our customers. We will continue to see feedback on our services from members and use it to improve HMRC services
• we will ensure the panel of volunteer user researchers and testers includes a representative number of disabled customers to ensure our systems are accessible and tested by end users

3) Accountability and governance

To encourage participation we will ensure that the service we offer to our disabled customers are accessible and we have appropriate governance structures to improve them when they fail to meet expectations.

How will it be done?

• providing support for customers who have difficulties accessing online services or are digitally excluded. The support available from the Extra Support Team (EST) will by clearly signposted on the various platforms of customer communications
• ensure we deliver relevant training to front line staff to raise awareness of extra support indicators
• reviewing our customer communications to make sure they are clear and easy to understand, meeting the needs of all customers, and are available in other languages and alternative formats
• review and evaluate current communication channels available for disabled customers, drawing on customer insight and consider other potential channels to improve engagement
• action any improvements needed which have been identified through customer feedback and complaints
• continue to analyse equality related customer complaints to identify emerging trends which will allow for targeted intervention to improve the service and support we provide our disabled customers
• we will learn from monitoring and analysing customers’ feedback, and complaints from customer groups who access extra support
• ensuring all new customer digital services meet Public Sector Accessibility Regulations 2018
• ensure all mobile applications comply with Public Sector Accessibility Regulations 2018 by June 2021
• continue accessibility testing using in- house and automated processes to ensure compliance with Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG 2.1)
• monitoring the number of online forms that meet website accessibility standards

Our performance indicators/intended outcome will be:

• we will ensure that the Extra Support Team will maintain satisfaction rates over 95%.
• in the longer team, through clearer signposting and training there will be a measured reduction in disability related complaints
• we will expect a year on year decrease in the numbers of online digital services that do not meet the required standards

4) Awareness raising

HMRC will raise awareness of the support voluntary and community sector organisations can offer disabled customers to engage with HMRC and encourage feedback on how this can be improved - this measure will aim to meet both duties.

How it will be done:

• provide funding to voluntary and community sector (VCS) organisations through our grant funding programme, so they can provide advice and support to HMRC’s range of customers, including those in vulnerable circumstances
• work with VCS organisations to ensure we provide holistic support for customers that need it most
• raise awareness of the principles for support and work with VCS organisations to ensure that customers know how to access extra help by signposting across various external communication platforms
• encourage other VCS organisations to promote the principles by providing them with a ‘snap shot’ of internal HMRC activities
• empowering the VCS community to provide reliable, accurate advice by upskilling the VCS to help support customers directly

Our performance indicators/intended outcome will be:

• our progress will be measured by receiving feedback from grant-funded VCS on the support and information HMRC offers the VCS, and its relevance to the groups they support