Impact assessment

Contact Engagement Programme: Optimisation progress-chasing self-serve app - screening equality impact assessment

Published 31 July 2023

Project objectives

Following the recent telephony migration, OE/CDIO considered other optimisation opportunities to improve customer experience and reduce resource demand.

The progress-chasing process will ask the customer to input the date they submitted their query/request using their telephone keypads after which a voice message will inform the customer when to expect a reply. If the customer agrees, they will also be sent an Secure Messaging Service (SMS) which will include the date. Advice will also be provided about checking .gov.uk ‘check when you can expect a reply from HMRC’. The customer will also be asked to check their Personal Tax Account for when to expect a reply.

Moreover, the opportunity to speak to an adviser will also be made clear during the call.

Customer groups affected

• Self-Assessment filers
• PAYE customers
• tax credit claimants
• child benefit claimants

What customers needed to do

What customers needed to do as a result of the change

When a customer calls HMRC as part of this change, the customer will be invited to:

• take part in an optional 4-question survey
• explain ‘in a few words’ why they are calling
• to choose either option 1 (enquiry submitted online) or option 2 (enquiry submitted via post) on their telephone keypads
• to enter the date, they submitted their enquiry in the format yyyy-mm-dd

Depending on what answers are provided to the above, different types of information will be sent via SMS to the customer:

• the expected due date for their reply
• guidance on checking their Personal Tax Account for their reply to due date (if submitted online)
• being guided to gov.uk and specifically the section ‘check when you can expect a reply from HMRC’

How customers will access this service

The customer will access the service by calling the existing HMRC telephone number and the Interactive Voice Response (IVR) process will determine what further information will be provided. In all cases, the customer will need to:

• respond ‘yes’ or ‘no’ to the optional survey request. This will be a verbal response
• input a date on their telephone keypads, in the format yyyy-mm-dd). This will be the date they submitted their original enquiry
• provide a reason as to why they are calling – this will be a verbal response
• choose the appropriate option by pressing 1 (submitted online) or 2 (submitted via post) on their telephone keypad when prompted to do so

When customers need to do this

The customer will need to follow and/or respond to the instructions included in the IVR messages or SMS as directed. If the customer enters their details incorrectly, they will go through to an advisor who will support them with their query. This is also the case for customers who do not respond to the information input request in time.

Assessing the impact

Before the scheme started, we assessed the equality impacts on all the protected characteristic groups in line with the Equality Act and Public Sector Equality Duty and section 75 of the Northern Ireland Act:

• racial groups
• sex
• gender reassignment
• sexual orientation
• religion or belief
• pregnancy and maternity
• marriage and civil partnership
• people with dependents and those without
• political opinion (for Northern Ireland only)

There is no evidence to suggest any specific impacts on those customers within any of the protected characteristic groups (listed above).

The following equality impacts were identified:

Disabled

Impact on customers

• visually impaired customers may not be able to see the text or their telephone keypad

• customers with hearing impairments may not be able to hear the instructions provided in the IVR messaging

• neurodivergent customers such as customers with dyslexia may struggle to read and understand the instruction and input keypad information

• customers with voice projection/speech disabilities may be unable to project their voice when using IVR

• customers with mental health conditions – the discontinuation of the call may result in increased anxiety for all customers including those with existing mental health conditions

• customers with learning and physical disabilities may not understand the instructions noted in the IVR and text messages or follow them. Additionally, they may not have the physical ability to enter the required details via the keypad

Proposed mitigation

• if the customer enters their details incorrectly, they will go through to an advisor who will support them with their query. This is also the case for customers who do not respond to the information input request in time

• the customer will be advised to call back after the expected date of reply has passed. At this point they will be able to route to an advisor

• here the customer uses a mobile phone, they will be guided to the landing page information for gov.uk and specifically the section ‘check when you can expect a reply from HMRC’

• the survey is entirely optional. If the customer presses no on their phone keypad they will be able to bypass this step

• customers will be able to ask friends and family to support them in accessing GOV.UK

• the Voluntary and Community Sector (VCS) can support customers

• to ensure they are easy to understand and follow, all SMS messages have been reviewed by HMRC Communications and Security teams prior to being published

• where the deflections signpost to gov.uk pages, these have been reviewed to ensure GDS accessibility checks had been completed

• IVR and SMS checked by comms/security team where applicable

To mitigate against customers being concerned about fraud the text message advises of the following:

‘Please do not reply to this text. Do not give out private information such as bank details or passwords, download attachments or click on any links in emails or texts if you’re not sure they’re genuine’.

The deflection process was successfully tested for compatibility with the Relay UK service. The customer received the intended text messages sent to them and the operator was able to explain what was happening on the call to the customer in typed format.

Age

Impact on customers

Evidence shows that over 65s are more likely to be impacted due to being less digitally able. Moreover, customers aged over 65 are more likely to have hearing and visual impairments as well as neurological conditions such as Parkinson’s Disease, dementia and Alzheimer’s Disease.

Similarly, those aged over 65 are much more likely to have physical impairments and impaired motor functions. The impact of these could include limited dexterity and difficulty in using SMS functions and smart phone keyboards.

Although evidence suggests a high proportion of over 65-year olds have a smartphone, it is not assumed that they will be fully capable in accessing the online guidance signposted within the text messages.

The over 65 age group, have fewer sources of support in accessing in digital services.

Proposed mitigation

• if the customer enters their details incorrectly, they will go through to an advisor who will support them with their query. This is also the case for customers who do not respond to the information input request in time

• the customer will be advised to call back after the expected date of reply has passed . At this point they will be able to route to an advisor

• where the customer uses a mobile phone, they will be guided to the landing page information for gov.uk and specifically the section ‘check when you can expect a reply from HMRC’

• as the survey is entirely optional. If the customer presses no on their phone keypad they will be able to bypass this step

• customers will be able to ask friends and family to support them in accessing GOV.UK

• the VCS can support customers

• to ensure they are easy to understand and follow, all SMS messages have been reviewed by HMRC Communications and Security teams prior to being published

• where the deflections signpost to gov.uk pages, these have been reviewed to ensure GDS accessibility checks had been completed

• IVR & SMS checked by comms/security team where applicable

To mitigate against customers being concerned about fraud the text message advises of the following:

‘Please do not reply to this text. Do not give out private information such as bank details or passwords, download attachments or click on any links in emails or texts if you’re not sure they’re genuine’.

The deflection process was successfully tested for compatibility with the Relay UK service. The customer received the intended text messages sent to them and the operator was able to explain what was happening on the call to the customer in typed format.

People who use different languages (Including Welsh Language and British Sign Language)

Impact on customers

There may be an impact on customers who are unable to understand the IVR messages or read English SMS messages.

Proposed mitigation

It is expected that friends and family will be able to support customers with language barriers. In addition, those who do route to an advisor will be supported by the ‘BIG WORD’ interpretation services, if needed.

The options for any progress-chasing SMSs or IVRs do not include a Welsh language option. However, if a customer calls and says they want to proceed in Welsh, they will be routed to the Welsh language team. There is a dedicated phoneline for Welsh speaking customers and all gov.uk landing pages are also available in Welsh.

Opportunities to promote equalities

We have considered opportunities to promote equalities and good relations between people in each of the protected characteristic groups and those outside of that group.

None have been identified.

A full equality impact assessment is not recommended.