Tag Archives: VAT-letters

HMRC to end postal letters

By   21 January 2026

No more snail mail.

HMRC has announced that it will end most postal letters from Spring 2026.

It will begin phasing out hard copy letters in favour of a ‘digital by default’ communication model. This shift is designed to modernise the tax system, improve communication speed, and save approximately £50 million annually in printing and postage costs by the 2028/29 tax year. 

Taxpayers who use the HMRC app will stop receiving paper letters automatically and will receive an email notification of when correspondence is available to view online.

The transition will start in spring 2026 and expand gradually as systems are updated. Paper letters will not disappear entirely. They will continue to be sent to those who are digitally excluded, such as the elderly or disabled, as well as those who actively opt out. 

VAT: HMRC will no longer send letters

By   17 September 2025

Tucked away in the recently published Spending Review 2025 was confirmation that HMRC will no longer contact taxpayers by post.

The Review states that:

“The government is providing an additional £500 million from 2026‑27 to 2028‑29 to make HMRC a digital-first organisation. By 2029-30, a minimum of 90% of customer interactions will be digital self-serve, up from around 70% this year. This investment will improve digital services so people can easily get the information they need without having to call or write to HMRC. It will enable the use of AI to help taxpayers with their enquiries and to raise productivity within HMRC. The government will continue to ensure alternative channels, including phonelines, are still there for those who need them. HMRC will eliminate all outbound post, with limited exceptions… ”.

So bye-bye snail-mail, trees will no longer have to be sacrificed so we can pay tax…