HMRC Compliance Behaviour Statement Examples

EO and HEO Civil Service behaviour statements for HMRC Compliance applications

Strong HMRC Compliance behaviour statements show evidence-led judgement, clear communication and reliable case ownership. The examples should stay within the 250-word limit and remain realistic for the grade.

The behaviour mix changes by vacancy. These examples focus on four behaviours that fit compliance work closely: Making Effective Decisions, Communicating and Influencing, Managing a Quality Service and Delivering at Pace.

Return to the HMRC Compliance Applications hub for the wider role guide.

How to structure a 250-word compliance behaviour statement

Keep the situation short and define your responsibility early. Spend most of the answer on the evidence you considered, the choices you made and how you handled uncertainty. The result should show a clear outcome or a stronger control.

EO evidence should show personal judgement within guidance. HEO evidence should show greater complexity, wider consequences or leadership through others while keeping the applicant’s own decision visible.

Common behaviour statement mistakes

• Using tax terminology to sound technical when the example lacks clear reasoning.
• Describing suspicion as a conclusion before the facts are established.
• Using “we decided” when the assessor needs to see your own judgement.
• Spending too many words on background and leaving little space for the investigation.
• Showing an impressive result with no audit trail or quality check.
• Writing an EO example for an HEO role without adding complexity or wider responsibility.

Members can unlock twelve complete EO and HEO HMRC Compliance behaviour statements across four highly relevant behaviours. Every example is within the 250-word limit and followed by a short explanation of why the evidence works.