The latest Income Tax backlog statistics suggest that all personal and corporate returns have been assessed for 2020.
The States said that “over 95% of personal and corporate 2020 returns have been processed”.
“At this percentage it is reasonable to consider that year fully assessed on the basis that the remaining 5% are most likely subject to enquiry,” the States added.
The latest statistics also show that 92% of personal and 90% of corporate returns for 2021 have been assessed meaning that year is close to being signed off too.
76% and 77% of personal and corporate returns for 2022 have been assessed.
2023’s returns – which had to be submitted by 31 January 2025 – are already being worked through too, with 59% of personal returns already being assessed. Just 9% of corporate tax returns for 2023 have been assessed so far.
The data is published at gov.gg to show members of the public how work to progress Income Tax returns is going.
There has been a backlog – with people waiting multiple years for their returns to be assessed – since the early 2010s at least.
An average of 33,000 personal tax returns used to be submitted each year by Guernsey residents with married couples being assessed together.
Since 2023, every individual is assessed independently with an estimated 40,000 expected to be submitted annually under the new system.
When independent taxation was introduced two years ago, the Revenue Service said it did not anticipate this increased number of tax returns resulting in an automatic increase in the backlog because other administrative work linked to dual returns would cease.
Improving customer experiences and speeding up the assessment process is a government priority – as pledged by both the new Policy and Resources President, and the new head of the civil service.
Meanwhile, in her first speech to the States as P&R President, Deputy Lindsay de Sausmarez said she’s confident that “tangible improvements” are already coming from the Revenue Service.
As part of efforts to improve things, a new senior role was created within the Revenue Service this year.
The former Director of Revenue Service, Nicky Forshaw is now the Director of Tax Policy.
A new Director of Revenue Service was being appointed to work alongside her.
The Director of Tax Policy is intended to focus on domestic and international policy development while the Director of the Revenue Service is focused on the delivery of the island’s revenue service. That role includes “making further improvements in the customer experience”.
The decision to split the role was made by the States Treasurer who carried out a review of the work being done by Mrs Forshaw as Director of the Revenue Service.