IHTM02000 - Communications: contents

Summary
Confidentiality and disclosure of information
Correspondence
Personal applicants
Taxpayers with disabilities/special needs
General enquiries
Use of telephones
Use of fax machines
Use of e-mail
Use of interviews
Handling of complaints/compliments
Translations and non-English speaking customers
Customer service standards

Summary

IHTM02001Summary

Confidentiality and disclosure of information

IHTM02011Introduction

Legislation

IHTM02021Finance Act 1989
IHTM02022Data Protection Act 1984

The general rule on disclosure and its operation

IHTM02031Disclosure - the general rule and its operation
IHTM02032Who is entitled to disclosure?
IHTM02033Disclosing information to public bodies

Incoming telephone calls

IHTM02041Introduction
IHTM02042Chart 1 (what to request on answering the telephone)
IHTM02043Chart 2 (how to proceed once the caller has provided you with the necessary information)
IHTM02044What to request on answering the telephone
IHTM02045Dealing with incoming telephone calls
IHTM02046Requests for information on an incoming telephone call
IHTM02047Procedure where it is not possible to verify a caller's identity from the information held on file
IHTM02048Affect of these rules on customer service
IHTM02049Requests for information over the telephone from other government departments
IHTM02050Summary - Business By Telephone (BBT) Helpcard

Procedure for disclosure of information

IHTM02061Introduction
IHTM02062How to deal with requests for information
IHTM02063Charging for provision of information
IHTM02064Limited disclosure for Capital Gains Tax (CGT) purposes
IHTM02065Extent of disclosure for CGT purposes
IHTM02066Disclosure of information about aggregable property
IHTM02067Disclosure of information obtained from tax returns
IHTM02068Disclosure of information obtained under double taxation agreements

Open Government/Freedom of information

IHTM02071The Freedom of Information Act
IHTM02072Providing taxpayers with extracts from the manual

Correspondence

General instructions about correspondence

IHTM02082Introduction
IHTM02083Receiving and filing of correspondence
IHTM02084Delay and priorities in dealing with correspondence
IHTM02085Special Commissioners and First –tier Tribunal decisions and contentious correspondence
IHTM02086File weeding
IHTM02087Civil Partnerships: Notes on terminology and language

Incoming correspondence

IHTM02091Acknowledgements/holding letters
IHTM02092Letters addressed personally
IHTM02093Requests for payment of a fee by this Office for copying lost documents
(This text has been withheld because of exemptions in the Freedom of Information Act 2000)(This text has been withheld because of exemptions in the Freedom of Information Act 2000)
(This text has been withheld because of exemptions in the Freedom of Information Act 2000)(This text has been withheld because of exemptions in the Freedom of Information Act 2000)
IHTM02096Avoidance of other taxes
IHTM02097Members of the Royal Family

Outgoing correspondence

IHTM02111Names and addresses of correspondents
IHTM02112Format of outgoing correspondence
IHTM02113Envelopes
IHTM02114Postal system for mainland UK, Northern Ireland, Channel Islands and Isle of Man
IHTM02115Postal system for all countries outside the UK
IHTM02116Reply paid envelopes
IHTM02117Recorded delivery service or registered post

Inter-departmental mail

IHTM02131Van services

British Document Exchange

IHTM02141What is British Document Exchange?
IHTM02142When to use British Document Exchange
IHTM02143Document exchange numbers of IHT
IHTM02144Financial Accounting Office, Worthing and Accounts Office, Shipley
IHTM02145Treatment of outgoing document exchange mail
IHTM02146Document exchange and inter-departmental mail
IHTM02147Document exchange directories

Use of Microsoft Word templates and standard letters

IHTM02151Word templates available in Capital Taxes
IHTM02152Standard letter template
IHTM02153Accessing and using Microsoft Word templates
IHTM02154Link between Compass and the standard letter template
IHTM02155Inserting standard text
IHTM02156Points to bear in mind when using standard text

Personal applicants

IHTM02161Seeing things from the personal applicants viewpoint
IHTM02162Writing effective letters to personal applicants
IHTM02163Telephone conversations with personal applicants
IHTM02164Potential areas of difficulty
IHTM02165Cases involving agents where the personal representative becomes involved
IHTM02166Summary

Taxpayers with disabilities/special needs

IHTM02171Introduction
IHTM02172Services to blind and partially sighted taxpayers
IHTM02173Services to deaf and hearing impaired taxpayers
IHTM02174Services for non-English speaking taxpayers

General enquiries

IHTM02181Helpline
IHTM02182Members of the public attending without notice
IHTM02183Advice and information; code of practice 10

Use of telephones

IHTM02191Introduction
IHTM02192Use of the telephone
IHTM02194Points to remember when answering the telephone
IHTM02195Telephone calls that get cut off
IHTM02196Noting of telephone calls
IHTM02197Disclosure of confidential information
(This text has been withheld because of exemptions in the Freedom of Information Act 2000)(This text has been withheld because of exemptions in the Freedom of Information Act 2000)
IHTM02199'Off the record' telephone conversations

Use of fax machines

IHTM02211Where the fax machines are located
IHTM02212When to use fax and what can and cannot be sent
IHTM02213Documents that are unacceptable if sent by fax
IHTM02214What priority to give faxed documents

Use of e-mail

IHTM02221The Government Secure Intranet (GSI)

Use of interviews

IHTM02230Use of interviews

Handling of complaints/compliments

IHTM02241Chart 1 (what to do on receipt of a complaint)
IHTM02242Chart 2 (how to deal with a complaint that you can handle yourself)
IHTM02243What is a complaint?
IHTM02244Procedure upon receiving a complaint
IHTM02245Telephone complaints
IHTM02246Handling a complaint
IHTM02247Financial redress, interest remission and payments for worry and distress
IHTM02248Delays and mistakes
IHTM02249Bad handling of a complaint
IHTM02250Correspondence from MPs
IHTM02251Judicial review
IHTM02252Compliments

Translations and non-English speaking customers

IHTM02261Translations
IHTM02262Welsh translations

Customer service standards

IHTM02271Customer service targets
IHTM02272Definitions of 'post' and 'dealt with'
IHTM02273Customer service benefits of efficient handling of work
IHTM02274Monitoring of post turnaround times
IHTM02275Over 15 working day post