HMRC completes switch to GOV.UK web domain
HMRC's homepage now redirects to GOV.UK
HM REVENUE & CUSTOMS has completed its switch to the GOV.UK web domain following more than 18 months rolling out the new platform.
The launch of ‘Inside Government’ on the GOV.UK domain supersedes the old HMRC site along with others, notably including Directgov and Businesslink.
From this week, the HMRC website homepage is being redirected to GOV.UK. Not all of HMRC’s content has moved to GOV.UK yet, but anything that has not, such as the manuals, will remain available on the HMRC website for a short time longer.
There was criticism when the site was piloted in October 2012, with users complaining technical details appeared to be located in the wrong areas of the site, and at times users were requested to supply the wrong information. Those issues have since been addressed.
Guidance on key topics such as PAYE, tax credits, self-assessment, child benefit and VAT, has already moved to GOV.UK. By the end of December, HMRC will also have moved all of its remaining guidance for taxpayers to the GOV.UK site.
Existing online services – ones that require users to sign in, such as self-assessment – won’t change as a result of this move, but taxpayers will now access them from GOV.UK.
In the long term, HMRC said those services will be “completely transformed” as part of “ambitious digital plans”.
Any content that doesn’t move to GOV.UK – because there’s no longer a current need for it – will still be available on the National Archives website.