Last year HMRC acknowledged that is behind many other organisations in enabling customers to communicate securely through digital channels. In 2022–23, approximately 70% of the 22 million items of correspondence HMRC received came in through the post. In January 2025 we therefore recommended that as part of its digital roadmap HMRC should prioritise introducing systems for customers to submit files and send secure messages electronically to HMRC.48 The roadmap was due to be published in Spring 2025.49 HMRC told us that it sends “out a lot of paper outputs” and customers receiving post were then inclined to ring or write rather than using HMRC’s digital channels.50 42 Comptroller and Auditor General, Report by the Comptroller and Auditor General, published alongside the 2019–20 Accounts, HC 891, November 2020, para 2.40 43 C&AG’s Report, paras 10, 2.12 44 Qq 44–45, 58 45 Q 44 46 C&AG’s Report, para 2.12 47 Qq 46, 50 48 Committee of Public Accounts, HMRC Customer Service and Accounts, Third Report of Session 2024–25, HC 347, 22 January 2025, para 4, p 5 49 Q 74, Committee of Public Accounts, Oral evidence: HMRC Customer Service and Accounts 2023–24, HC 347, November 2024 50 Q 76 16