Client
Anon
Industry
Public sector
PrimaryGoal
Tax audit
MAKE DATA ACCURATE
For many UK employers, tax and national insurance can cause a number of headaches – and cost them thousands of pounds if payroll errors are left unaddressed. This is the story of how we helped our client reconcile major data discrepancies, avoid financial sanctions and reputational damage from HMRC and recoup millions of pounds in the process.
MAKE DATA ACCURATE
Unlocking value through a tax audit for a public sector business
- Before
- During
- After
MAKE DATA CONSISTENT
Running the risk of financial and reputational damage
Our client had found that its finance and payroll numbers weren’t adding up with HMRC records correctly. Over the last few reporting years, errors and discrepancies had begun to emerge in its payroll, namely tax and national insurance. With over 10,000 employees, this was no small error.
The organisation needed to address the errors or face the risk of significant scrutiny and financial penalties from HMRC. There was also the risk that this would open the door to a change in business risk review, increasing scrutiny and inviting further HMRC audits.
MAKE DATA CLEAR
Identifying the data discrepancies
We worked with the client to help it understand and reconcile the mismatches within its financial pay data and HMRC records. Combining our financial, tax, ex-HMRC, payroll operations, and in-house experience, we approached the client with a holistic solution, using data warehousing, analytics, and practical expertise to first identify the issues and then resolve them.
Our employment solutions team reconciled six years of payroll data to identify configuration and reporting errors. We used advanced data tools, including Alteryx and Power BI, and collaborated with pensions and legal experts to address root causes and prevent recurrence.
MAKE DATA DO MORE
An exercise in control
We were able to reconcile the organisation’s financial data with HMRC’s records. That meant it wasn’t hit with any financial penalties. In fact, our work resulted in our client receiving a multi-million-pound refund of overpayments.
We also established robust future controls to identify and address any future inconsistencies that may occur and improved the client’s working relationship with HMRC in the process.
How we're making the difference
We helped our client unlock a multi-million-pound refund from HMRC by helping it identify and fix data inconsistencies within its payroll processes over the past six years. The client now has robust data governance and future controls in place to prevent any future data anomalies from appearing, as well as a stronger relationship with HMRC.
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