SDLP Foyle MP Mark Durkan has reacted to news that HMRC had decided not to renew their contract with Concentrix for tax credit cases.
He said: “This decision by HMRC to end their contract with Concentrix does not answer all the questions that they face.
“I, along with Fiona McTaggart and other MPs, had been seeking a Parliamentary debate to discuss these circumstances which have left so many people on already low incomes in a worse financial state and sick with worry.
“The insensitive customer interface which Concentrix had to adhere to, was designed into the contract issued to them by HMRC.
“Questions persist as to whether these conditions will remain in any new work by HMRC on these cases, or in any other contract they might assign.
“While HMRC will now be redeploying 150 staff to deal with the aftermath, it was HMRC who conceived and constructed this contract.
“The performances, rolling closures of local offices and less face to face engagement, have all been significant contributory factors in this debacle.”
SDLP Derry Councillor Brian Tierney who has been dealing with affected constituents said:
“Over the past few months SDLP constituency offices have been inundated by members of the public who claimed that their applications had been unfairly disqualified by this American outsourcing company.
“This move vindicates the many people who claimed they had been wrongfully disqualified from receiving their tax credits.
“I am outraged that this blunder has caused a large number of people to experience undue financial stress.
“Many families who have been in contact with me have described how they been pushed into poverty because of these circumstances.
“While it is good that HMRC are diverting extra staff to deal with the backlog and investigate particular cases, they must do so quickly and efficiently.
“Those who appealed their disqualification are still out of pocket and are still suffering financial hardship.
“I would encourage anyone who feels they may have had their tax credits unfairly taken away to appeal their case to HMRC immediately.”
